Satluj

I hate that films like this exist, not because they’re bad but because they’re based on horrific events that really happened. This film tells the story of the atrocities committed in Punjab following the events of 1984 after the attack on the Golden Temple, and as a Sikh it connected with me on a much deeper level than most films ever could. I loved this film, and honestly the story behind making it could be a film on its own. The title card says it came out in 2026, but in reality it had been sitting on a shelf since 2023 after the Indian government blocked its release unless 127 scenes were cut and the real victims’ names were removed. To me, that says everything about how little has changed and how little respect Sikhs have received from the very government that was trying to stop this story from being told. Then, after years of silence, it was suddenly shadow-dropped onto a random streaming service, only to be taken down again almost immediately. I genuinely can’t think of another film where members of the cast have openly encouraged people to pirate it just so people could watch it. That alone says everything. Story aside, this film is absolutely beautiful. There’s one scene that has stayed with me where the camera follows a character walking away before gunshots suddenly ring out. Instead of immediately turning around, the camera keeps moving for a brief moment before following the character as they run back in panic. It’s such a simple choice, but it perfectly captures the confusion, fear, and how random the killings were. It made the scene feel terrifying because, just like the characters, you’re a moment behind what’s happened. I also loved how the film used Gurbani throughout. Hearing Sikh prayers woven into so many emotional moments made everything feel so much more personal. It wasn’t there just for emotion, it felt like a reminder of faith, resilience, and the strength of a community that endured unimaginable suffering. As a Sikh, those scenes genuinely hit me the hardest. Whether people agree with every aspect of the film or not, stories about painful parts of history deserve to be told, not buried. Trying to silence a film based on real events only makes it more important that people watch it. Satluj is heartbreaking, beautifully made, and one of the most important films I’ve watched in a long time.