Centre mulls mandatory certification for all online films after 'Satluj' controversy
The central government is considering amendments to the Information Technology Act to make film certification mandatory for any movie available for public viewing on any platform, including OTT services, according to government sources. The proposal has gained urgency following the recent controversy over the abrupt removal of the film Satluj from the streaming platform ZEE5.
Satluj, a biopic on Punjab human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra starring singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, was released on ZEE5 on July 3 after a prolonged dispute with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The filmmakers had earlier titled the film Punjab ’95 in 2022, but after the CBFC suggested 127 cuts, which they refused to accept, the film did not get a theatrical release. Instead, it was released on the OTT platform under a new title without cuts. However, two days later, ZEE5 removed the film citing 'current developments'.
The issue has become a political flashpoint in Punjab, where assembly elections are due next year. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticised the removal, blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government. The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has announced plans to screen the film across Punjab to educate the younger generation about alleged atrocities during the Congress regime.
Officials in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the shift in viewership from traditional platforms to OTT has strengthened the demand for regulatory changes. 'Since viewership has shifted from the traditional to OTT and other platforms, there is a proposal for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to regulate the content that is for public viewing,' an official said.
According to sources, the film first came before the CBFC in 2022. The makers challenged the board's objections in the Bombay High Court in 2023 but later withdrew the petition. 'A communication was sent by CBFC to them in May 2023 prohibiting its release, citing reasons. They went to the court initially, but later, after seeing the reasons given by the Board, they decided to withdraw the case,' the official said. The Bombay High Court disposed of the case on January 7, 2025. The filmmakers made no changes to the original movie, only changing the title to Satluj. ZEE5, when asked by the ministry for an explanation, claimed it was not aware of these earlier developments.
Government sources argue that the film's dominant narrative—that the state was responsible for mass killings, disappearances, and illegal cremations—goes beyond criticising specific excesses and portrays counter-insurgency as an alleged machinery of state oppression. They said the current security context of Punjab, as a sensitive border state with ongoing Khalistan-related propaganda, makes the risk live rather than historical.
The proposed amendment would require all films on OTT or any digital platform to obtain a CBFC certification, similar to theatrical releases. The move is seen as an attempt to standardise content regulation across platforms and prevent the release of films that bypass the certification process.
