Honey Trehan Rejects Donations for Satluj After ZEE5 Removal, Says Fans’ Love Is Enough

Filmmaker Honey Trehan has expressed gratitude to fans for their overwhelming support following the removal of his film Satluj from streaming platform ZEE5. However, the director has made it clear that neither he nor the film’s producers will accept any money, gifts or donations from supporters.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Trehan revealed that people in India and abroad had reportedly placed gullaks (traditional piggy banks) in Gurudwaras to help recover the financial losses suffered after the film was taken down from the OTT platform.

While appreciating the emotional gesture, the director requested people not to contribute financially.

“Your love and support are more than enough. With all due respect, we cannot accept any money, gifts or donations for our film,” Trehan wrote.

Fans Started Donation Drives After Satluj Was Removed from ZEE5

According to Trehan, supporters had been reaching out through phone calls, social media messages and emails after Satluj was removed from ZEE5 just two days after its release on July 3.

He said many people also informed him that donation boxes had been placed in Gurudwaras across India and overseas to compensate the makers for their financial losses.

Trehan thanked the public for standing by the film but clarified that the production team had no connection with any fundraising efforts.

He also urged people not to donate to anyone claiming to collect money on behalf of Satluj, stating that such collections were not authorised by the filmmakers.

‘Our Service Is to Truth’: Honey Trehan

The filmmaker said he and production house RSVP have accepted the financial setback and believe the film has already achieved a lasting legacy.

Describing Satluj as a tribute to human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, Trehan said the film was created to preserve the memory of those who lost their lives during a dark period in Punjab’s history.

He appealed to audiences to view the film as a service to truth, justice and humanity rather than through a commercial lens.

Trehan concluded his message by encouraging people to continue helping each other with kindness, courage and compassion instead of contributing money for the film.

Why Was Satluj Removed from ZEE5?

Satluj, previously titled Punjab '95, is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.

The film faced several hurdles before release:

• It reportedly did not receive certification after objections from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with the makers earlier claiming 127 cuts were suggested.
• Its planned premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 was cancelled.
• The film finally premiered on ZEE5 on July 3, 2026, but was removed from the platform within 48 hours.
• It was later taken down from ZEE5's international library as well.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has since been filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking restoration of the film and disclosure of the reasons behind its removal.

Diljit Dosanjh Charged Just Re 1 for the Film

Earlier, Honey Trehan revealed that actor Diljit Dosanjh, who portrays Jaswant Singh Khalra in the film, agreed to work for a symbolic fee of Re 1.

Trehan recalled that after reading the script and seeing Khalra's photograph, Dosanjh reportedly said it would be inappropriate to charge money for portraying such an important figure. The nominal payment was made only to satisfy contractual requirements.

The film also stars Kanwaljeet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Suvinder Vicky and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan.