'Satluj': Director, actors top IMDb's most popular Indian celebrities list
What's the story
After its sudden removal from ZEE5, the period investigative thriller Satluj has made a mark on IMDb's list of Most Popular Indian Celebrities. Director Honey Trehan ranked No. 1, while actors Diljit Dosanjh and Suvinder Vicky secured the third and 11th positions, respectively. The film was taken down by the Indian government over allegations that it bypassed Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) guidelines, despite OTT releases not requiring CBFC certification in India.
Film's narrative
Meanwhile, this is what 'Satluj' is all about
Satluj is a biopic of Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra (played by Dosanjh), who exposed over 2,500 extrajudicial killings and cremations in Punjab's Amritsar in the 1990s.
The film also stars Vicky as a high-ranking officer in Punjab Police.
After its release on ZEE5, a committee formed by the Centre to review Satluj claimed that it could be used by "hostile elements" to threaten national security.
Director's statement
'Those at the CBFC are definitely taking advantage...'
Earlier this year, Trehan revealed on SCREEN Spotlight that the CBFC sought 127 cuts to the film, then titled Panjab 95, and barred co-producer Ronnie Screwvala from holding private screenings or premiering it at the Toronto International Film Festival.
He had said, "Those at the CBFC are definitely taking advantage of what they do...They're misusing their power."
"They're trying to please the sitting government so much that they're trying to control the narrative."
Other celebrities
Other actors who made it to the list
Apart from Trehan, the IMDb list of most popular Indian celebrities this week also features Sharvari at No. 2. Her Alpha co-star Alia Bhatt is at No. 14.
Rajkumar Hirani's JioHotstar show Pritam and Pedro has several cast members on the list: his son and debutant actor Vir Hirani (No. 4), Shruti Marathe (No. 5), Arshad Warsi (No. 7), and Vikrant Massey (No. 12).