Stuck in a gridlock on Mumbai's Western Express Highway during a heavy monsoon downpour on Sunday, 6:00 PM, a frantic text was sent by the author, requesting if this interview with filmmaker Honey Trehan could be pushed by half hour.
But the logistics were too tight to delay. By 6:30 PM, Trehan was on the line, brimming with the joy of a filmmaker whose art had finally crossed the finish line. Over the next 30 minutes, he detailed the ironclad, covert-like operation RSVP and Zee 5 deployed to bypass a gruelling four-year battle with the CBFC, dropping the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj (formerly Punjab 95) straight to digital on Friday evening, without any cuts.
But approximately 105 minutes after the chat, the film vanished. The streamer put out a statement informing that the title was pulled and made unavailable to stream in India "until further notice".
Hours before the grid went dark, Trehan spoke to The Hollywood Reporter India to reveal exactly how film's digital premiere rolled out.
The entire digital drop was executed with absolute secrecy. Nobody had an inkling until the notification popped up on Friday, triggering a massive wave of internet buzz. How did you keep this under wraps?
A massive amount of swift operational heavy lifting was happening behind closed doors between RSVP and ZEE. To be frank, a part of my brain had lost faith that it would ever come out. I was praying constantly, but you build a cynical wall. Even at 6:00 PM on Friday, I messaged the team asking, "Is this actually happening tonight?"
Apart from the core corporate team, the only person who knew about the drop was Diljit. Right after I pressed 'Send' on my anxious text to RSVP, a message flashed from Diljit Paaji saying, "Paaji, it's really coming out tonight."
It felt like pure telepathy. Massive credit goes to ZEE for pulling this off; I have nothing but monumental respect for how they championed this.
But when did the conversation begin with ZEE5?
ZEE5 has always been a fantastic partner for RSVP. We made Sonchiriya together under Macguffin and RSVP, and Kedarnath was also done with ZEE as a partner, so it’s a long-standing association. It isn’t just about one or two projects; they have deep, long-term business ties, so this transition was smoothly ironed out as part of their broader digital rights arrangements.
But initially, we completely intended to release this film theatrically. We wanted it to reach audiences on the big screen. Over time, however, the roadblocks kept multiplying. It was an endless cycle of: “Cut this, delete that, alter this section.” The frustrating part was that I wasn't receiving any legitimate, logical explanations (from CFBC) as to why these cuts were being demanded.
What was the final straw before choosing the digital route?
The responses we were getting simply lacked legitimacy. We waited, and then we eventually approached the court, but nothing shifted. Over that prolonged period of stagnation, Ronnie [Screwvala] sir, in tandem with ZEE, took the definitive call to go straight to digital. On streaming platforms, you don’t strictly require a CBFC theatrical certificate. When ZEE came on board, they truly loved the film and insisted it needed to see the light of day. In a way, they adopted an abandoned child.
The sheer volume of love and global goodwill the film has received since it dropped is overwhelming. I haven't even had time to take a shower today; my phone has been buzzing non-stop with people reacting to it. Audiences are celebrating this release even more passionately than I am, so it’s incredibly important for me to reply to as many of them as possible.
What was the last formal communication you had with the CBFC, and what was the final tally of cuts they demanded?
The final count was upwards of 127 cuts. The last conversation we had took place around December 24, right when we were navigating the international release strategy.
And absolutely nothing followed that December conversation?
Nothing at all. We were right on the verge of mounting our international release when we were told, "The Delhi elections are around the corner, don't do it now. We will let you know when to proceed."
After that, there was a total blackout. No response came through. Ronnie sir was at it constantly, attempting to initiate dialogue with the authorities. Every time we inquired, we were met with absolute, pin-drop silence. That is when Ronnie sir realised that moving strictly to a digital premiere was the right, pragmatic decision.
When exactly was the official decision made to pivot entirely to streaming?
To be completely honest, I don't know the exact corporate timeline. I was only brought into the loop a couple of days ago and told that it would drop on ZEE5.
I actually had no immediate outward reaction. Internally, I was deeply relieved, but because we had come so close to a release date multiple times before only to watch it stall, I had trained myself to believe: “I’ll only celebrate it when it actually drops on screens.” That was my psychological defense mechanism.
When was the title changed from Punjab 95, and why did you settle on Satluj?
Technically, we never officially secured the clearance for Punjab 95. If you trace the early developments of the project, the name Satluj was always in the mix. Originally, I wanted to name it Gallughara. Following that, I proposed two alternatives: Punjab 95 and Satluj. When our premiere dates for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) came up, we decided to send it out under Punjab 95.
However, that title took on a massive life of its own, and we discovered someone else had already registered a variation of '1995'. I refused to get bogged down in a brand-new corporate battle over a title while our main film was already fighting for its life.
Satluj was already securely registered by our production house. Everyone collectively felt it was a beautiful, deeply poetic title that seamlessly bound the geography and spirit of Punjab. I was instantly sold. Even if the film had made it to theaters, Satluj would have been the title.
So it wasn't a mandated choice imposed by the streaming platform?
Not at all. ZEE never forced that on us. My producers asked for my thoughts, and I simply told them, "Go ahead with Satluj." In my head at that point, the film was stuck indefinitely anyway, so the title felt secondary to just getting the art out. Look how wonderfully it all aligned.