Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj gives ZEE5 a major boost abroad, 374% surge in app download

The Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj was released on ZEE5 on July 3, and within two days, the movie was taken down. While it has now been removed, its brief release gave the streaming platform a major boost.

Previously titled Punjab 95, Honey Trehan's film faced a delay of more than three years. When it was finally released in India, it was only available for two days.

Satluj gives ZEE5 a major boost abroad, 374% surge in app download

Starring Dosanjh in the lead, the movie is based on Sikh rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who spoke out against the deaths of innocents during the insurgency period in Punjab in the 1980s and 90s.

Since the movie was released and then taken down, there has been a lot of chatter around it. This has given a significant boost to the streaming platform ZEE5, not only in India but internationally as well.

Although the movie is no longer available in India, it continues to attract audiences overseas, where viewers are downloading the ZEE5 app and purchasing subscriptions to watch it. The film has become the talk of social media.

The movie is available in countries including the US, Canada, and Australia. While there is no update on when the movie will be released again in India, the streaming platform has witnessed a significant boost internationally.

The platform has not released any official numbers, but a few sources told NDTV that monthly downloads of the application saw a rise of approximately 374% after the film’s release in the international market.

“Although there was a clear increase in interest and traffic on ZEE5 after the release of Satluj, precise official figures showing how much app downloads increased are not publicly available,'' the source said.

However, the platform has received an outstanding response. The source said,'' The platform has only stated that it received a tremendous response, but without official data, it is difficult to make any definitive comparison. However, I can say that, excluding India, monthly downloads of the app in overseas markets increased by approximately 374 per cent.”

ZEE5 condemned Satluj piracy

In India, ZEE5 condemned piracy after copies of the film were shared on social media following its takedown.

Urging people not to watch or share pirated copies, the streaming platform said, “We are hopeful and doing everything we can. Please do not support piracy. We remain committed to exploring

every possible avenue to bring Satluj back to you.”

The platform shared a poster and wrote, “We are doing our bit to bring Satluj back. Please do yours; don’t support piracy.''

Hours later, Dosanjh, during his Instagram Live, asked everyone to share the downloaded version and watch the film.

‘’So now I feel a lot of relief that finally the film is with you. Now it is your film, now it cannot be stopped. This is the people's film now; you can’t stop it now. I feel those behind this are innocent or uneducated to think that once something comes online, it can just be deleted like that,” he added.

When was Satluj taken down?

With the new title Satluj, the movie began streaming on ZEE5 India on July 3, and on Sunday evening, July 5, the movie was taken down.

After pulling the film from its platform, in a statement, they said, “The response to Satluj since its release has been truly overwhelming. We are deeply grateful to every viewer who chose to subscribe, watch and champion the film... At ZEE5, we stand firmly by Satluj and the creative vision behind it. We believe powerful storytelling can inspire, endure and leave a lasting impact."

The movie had been in a fight with the CBFC for over three years now.