Jul 05, 2026 2:04pm IST
Diljit Dosanjh on ‘Satluj’: ‘It Took Me A Week To Move On After This Film’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Diljit Dosanjh-starrer “Satluj” has been released on OTT after a three-year certification battle. The film, directed by Honey Trehan, which was earlier titled “Punjab ’95,” is inspired by the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Speaking exclusively to Variety India, Diljit Dosanjh opens up about working on the film, believing in Honey Trehan’s vision, and how portraying Jaswant Singh Khalra changed him as an actor and as a person.
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About his collaboration with Trehan, Dosanjh says, “It was such a remarkable experience to work with Honey Trehan. The first thing that I’ll mention about him is his energy. I haven’t come across too many people with such immense enthusiasm and zest, especially from the first to the last shot of the day. His energy never died even after pack-up.”
He also recalls Trehan helping with his role in “Udta Punjab” (2016), which was Dosanjh’s first Hindi film. He shares, “Working with Honey sir has been inspiring, and my relationship with him has grown over the years. In fact, when I began my career in Hindi cinema with ‘Udta Punjab,’ it was Honey Trehan who had called me up and offered me an audition. I look at him as an elder brother, and he was among the first few who encouraged me and showed faith in my talent, so I owe a lot to him. I have learned so much from him, be it on the sets of this film or in general over the years.”
Dosanjh adds, “He has shaped me in several ways, which I still hold very dear to myself, even if I may not say it directly to him. One of the many things that makes working with him so exciting and special is that it doesn’t feel like we are working on a film. Every day on the set feels like a learning experience. It’s like we have entered a workshop or an acting class, and every scene has a lesson for you.”
That sense of reverence, however, comes tempered by the toll the film took on him. Asked to sum up his overall experience on the project, Dosanjh admits it was a demanding role. He shares, “It’s honestly one of the hardest films I have ever made in my career. Emotionally and physically, it extracted everything out of all of us. There were the long days, difficult conditions and intense scenes. But ultimately, it was the nature of the subject matter which really clung on to me. I think this is perhaps the first film in my career which required me to recuperate after the shoot.”
Dosanjh says he couldn’t simply move on from the film’s intensity after shooting was completed. “Once a film is wrapped, I quickly move on as I don’t enjoy taking a break. However, after this film, I had to take a week off to process everything that I went through portraying Jaswant Singh Khalra. The scenes, the emotions, and the aspects of the character lingered on, so it took time for me to pull away from that.”
When asked if he had a fair idea of Jaswant Singh Khalra beyond the script, Diljit says that he spent significant time researching the man. The “Main Vaapas Aaunga” actor reveals, “There are a lot of documents, real accounts, and testimonies that were so difficult even to read. Most of these real-life incidents were heart-wrenching. I was unable to process all of it. There were times during the research that I broke down because the reality was so strong and heavy.”
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The actor admits that he was aware of the responsibility that came with the role. “What we have shown in the film is a small fraction of what really happened because you cannot recreate everything that happened. The reality is more painful than what we have depicted. I was carrying that with me throughout. It’s not a story of a single person but one about unprecedented courage in unimaginable circumstances. Jaswant Singh Khalra was aware of all the dangers. He knew that he and his family were at risk, and still he stood by his beliefs and the truth. That kind of courage is very rare, and you cannot approach it with anything but responsibility.”
Calling it a learning experience beyond just being a film, Diljit adds, “Beyond being a film, this has been an emotional experience for me. It has been a learning and a profoundly humbling experience. This story has left an indelible impact on me and my perspective towards life. I hope that people will walk out of the theatre feeling emotional and yet inspired.”
The movie is currently streaming on Zee5.
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