Why Khalra's politics wasn't shown in 'Satluj': Honey Trehan answers
What's the story
Filmmaker Honey Trehan has defended his recently released film Satluj. The movie, which is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was blocked in India within 48 hours of its release and later removed from ZEE5 globally. In a recent interview with SCREEN, Trehan addressed criticism over the film's portrayal of Khalra and why it doesn't delve into his political views or alleged advocacy for the Khalistan movement.
Film focus
'Yes, I know of his politics...but...'
Trehan said the film was never about Khalra's politics but focused on his work exposing human rights violations.
He said, "Yes, I read about him in great detail and I know of his politics too. But I was not making the film to scrutinize anyone's personality."
"My focus was his human rights work. Does his politics negate that?"
Director's inquiry
Trehan calls ban 'heartbreaking'
Trehan also questioned the circumstances surrounding Khalra's abduction and killing, arguing that even official accounts did not portray him as a criminal.
He asked, "If he was such a nice man and a law-abiding citizen, why was he abducted and killed by the police?"
The director called the ban on his film "heartbreaking" and expressed disappointment over its removal from ZEE5 globally.
Director's plea
Appeal to Centre to allow Khalra's story to be told
Trehan appealed to the Centre to allow Khalra's story to be told, saying he deserved that freedom.
He said, "I was heartbroken. The ban pushes you into a corner, and you're forced to ask yourself, are we seriously living in a democratic country?"
"You see, 31 years ago, Jaswant Singh Khalra was abducted and killed by the Punjab Police. Back then, the Centre had played a great role in delivering him justice."
Film's impact
On 'Satluj' being misused by hostile elements claim
Trehan also dismissed the government's claim that Satluj could be misused by "hostile" elements, including Pakistan or separatist groups.
He argued that the film was uniting people, not disrupting law and order in Punjab.
"On the contrary, my film has actually united Punjab. You go to Punjab and see, people are watching the movie together," he said.
Legal action
PIL filed seeking restoration of 'Satluj' on ZEE5
Meanwhile, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the restoration of Satluj on ZEE5.
The petition alleges that the film was removed from the platform without any publicly disclosed statutory, judicial or governmental order and seeks its restoration along with disclosure of the reasons behind its removal.