Satluj
I was very curious when I heard this movie was taken down abruptly by Government and the subject matter got me more invested in it. With some context regarding the period from which this movie takes place in, I knew I was in for something dark and uncomfortable.
Satluj is a biographical drama based on a human activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during the Punjab Insurgency. The movie doesn't sugarcoat anything and the fear and hopelessness within the inhabitants of the city suffering with the injustice seeps through the screen and smothers you. The film is about a man trying to uncover people who were erased from history, while the film itself becomes a way of ensuring those people aren't forgotten.
Diljit Dosanjh as Jaswant Singh Khalra, delivers yet another performance that just makes me believe he is no simple actor transitioning from music to acting. I won't lie its not perfect but I can see him get better by each performance he gives. He is vulnerable and scared yet very determined to get justice and his tenacity for it is very commendable. The third act is his and he grabs you through the screen to get his thoughts and point across.
Arjun Rampal as Samudra Singh is also solid. He as the dependable and unwavering CBI officer is very solid and he becomes a great deuteragonist for this tale with such conviction. His search for truth while dealing with the corrupt and morally dead Punjab police force makes for a great second act. His voice is also perfect for the narration he provides for the movie.
Survinder Vicky as DSP SS Sugga was very intimidating and despicable. He makes this morally flawed character such a hard watch and how his thinking and decisions create such chaos and a sense of dread throughout Punjab. He did his job too well for my liking.
The movie sheds light on a dark period in Punjab and attempts to suppress a story like this cannot erase it because the story is meant to be witnessed and the cruelty and injustice faced by Punjab cannot be hidden any further. Jaswant Singh Khalra and his fight for the right and justice for the pain and suffering faced by many families in Punjab at those times, is immortalized by the movie and should be witnessed by everyone. A very difficult yet must watch movie.