Diljit Dosanjh's Punjab 95 reportedly removed from Toronto International Film Festival lineup

Diljit Dosanjh's Punjab 95 has been reportedly pulled from the lineup of the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). In July 2023, the makers announced that the film was set to premiere at the renowned film festival this year. However, Variety has reported that the film has been removed from the lineup as there is no mention of the film on the festival website.

However, there has been no official statement released by the festival or its makers.

A source has also told Variety that there are various ‘political forces at play’ in the film being pulled from Toronto Film Festival. Canada has the second-largest Sikh population in the world after India.

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The movie is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, played by Dosanjh in the movie. The movie is directed by Honey Trehan, who has previously helmed Netflix's thriller Raat Akeli Hai.

As per the social media description, the film is the story of Khalra "uncovering murderous corruption during Punjab’s period of insurgency."

After Operation Blue Star, the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her security guard, and the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, the police were empowered to detain suspects.

Khalra was a director of a bank in Amritsar, a north Indian city in Punjab State, India. Khalra investigated the illegal killings and cremations of thousands of people involving the Punjab police, who refused to cooperate during the Militancy Period. Khalra was last seen in September 1995 outside his house in Amritsar. Six police officers were convicted for his kidnapping and murder in 2005.

The film was earlier named Ghallughara, a term used to refer to the massacre of Sikhs. Backed by production company RSVP Movies, the movie applied for certification from the Central Board of Film Certification in December 2022, however, it took six months to pass the film. The Indian board cleared the film with 21 cuts including the title change.

The CBFC granted an "A" certificate to the film with 21 cuts, changes in dialogues with a disclaimer addiction. As per Screen Daily, the board stated that certain parts of the film could incite violence and may potentially radicalise Sikh youth while affecting the integrity of India and its relations with foreign states.

Apart from Diljeet, the movie also stars Arjun Rampal and Suvinder Vicky, who starred in the recent Netflix crime series Kohrra.

On July 24, Dosanjh shared the first look ofthe film. He wrote in the caption, "Waheguruji ka Khalsa Waheguruji ki Fateh (Sikh saying)! World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Presenting the first look of Punjab 95, a compelling story based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra Ji."

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