‘Satluj’ director Honey Trehan explains about the secret operation and how only ‘Diljit Dosanjh’ knew about the OTT downgrade hours before it was suddenly removed: ‘Viewing platforms don’t need CBFC approval’ | Hindi Movie News
Honey Trehan recently explained the careful plan used to avoid a difficult four-year battle with the CBFC, releasing the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer ‘Satluj’ (previously titled ‘Punjab 95’) directly online on Friday evening, without any cuts. But 105 minutes after the story, the film ended. The actor released a statement saying that the title has been removed and will not be available in India “until further notice.”
Honey Trehan on how the secret digital drop was removed
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Trehan shared the inspiration behind the film. When asked how the entire release was carried out with such secrecy, no one knew until the information was released on Friday, causing a huge uproar on the Internet, Honey explained, “A big, fast-moving upgrade was happening behind closed doors between RSVP and ZEE. To be honest, part of my brain had lost faith that it would come out. I was praying without ceasing, but you built a despicable wall. Even at 6:00 PM on Friday, I texted the group and asked, “Is this really happening tonight?” Apart from the big corporate group, the only person who knew about the drop was Diljit. As soon as I hit ‘Send’ on my RSVP message, a message popped up from Diljit Paaji saying, “Paaji, you’re really coming out tonight.” It felt like a complete read. Major credit goes to ZEE for pulling this off; I have nothing but the utmost respect for the way he has promoted this. “
Honey Trehan on RSVP’s long-standing partnerships with the OTT platform
When asked when the talks with ZEE5 started, he shared, “ZEE5 has been a great partner for RSVP. We did Sonchiriya together under Macguffin and RSVP, and Kedarnath also did it with ZEE as a partner, so it’s a long-term partnership. It’s not just an arrangement. But first we wanted to release the film in theatres. We wanted it to reach people on the big screen. However, as time went on, the roadblocks increased. It was an endless cycle of: “Cut this, remove that, change this part.” The frustrating thing was that I was not getting a clear, understandable explanation (from the CFBC) about why this cut was needed. “
Honey Trehan on the last call to go digital
When asked what made them go the digital route, he said, “The responses we were getting were not valid. We waited, then we got to court, but nothing moved. Long break, Ronnie [Screwvala] boss, in collaboration with ZEE, called to go digital. For streaming platforms, you don’t need CBFC sports certificate. When ZEE came on board, he really liked the film and insisted that it should see the light. In a way, he adopted an abandoned child. The amount of love and appreciation the film has received worldwide since its release is overwhelming. I didn’t have time to shower today; My phone has been ringing non-stop with people answering. People are celebrating this release much more excitedly than I am, so it’s very important that I respond to as many as possible. “
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