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Diljit Dosanjh's 'Satluj' row: FWICE chief questions actor's 'controversial' choice of films
The controversy has moved beyond censorship and streaming politics to the question of what kind of films a top star should be doing
- PUBLISHED: Tue 7 Jul 2026, 10:48 AM
As Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj disappears from ZEE5 in India after a brief, stop‑start release, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) president BN Tiwari has publicly called out Diljit’s choice of “controversial films”, turning a censorship debate into a question of a star’s image and social responsibility.
The Satluj controversy has moved beyond censorship and streaming politics to the question of what kind of films a top star should be doing – with the FWICE president openly calling out Diljit's choices.
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Speaking to media, Tiwari admitted he is baffled by Diljit’s repeated association with politically sensitive projects. “I am very surprised why Diljit Dosanjh chooses to do controversial films. He should understand the impact of such decisions. He is a superstar of Punjab, and he should think carefully so that his image is not affected. He has a huge fan base across the world today,” he said, tying Satluj directly to the singer‑actor’s public persona.
Tiwari then widened the argument to all actors, insisting that financial considerations cannot be the only yardstick. “From what I understand, it is also an artist’s duty not to do films just for money or any other reason. One must keep ‘nation first’ in mind,” he added.
On the removal of Satluj from ZEE5 in India, the FWICE chief also questioned why a film that had already been through the censors was pulled later. “Even if the film has passed censorship, and later the Government of India feels it could spread misinformation, disturb social harmony, or be misused by harmful elements, then such films should ideally be stopped earlier… Once clearance is given, the film should be released, because a lot of a producer’s money is at stake,” he argued, urging the CBFC to address all concerns “at the beginning itself.”
So FWICE – a body often seen as aligning with hardline positions – finds itself in an uneasy middle ground. On one side, it is questioning why Diljit keeps picking scripts that drag him into political and ideological controversy. On the other, it is implicitly asking, if the system has approved a version of the film, why punish the people who played by the rules?
As this row unfolds, the question is no longer just whether the film should have been available to watch, but whether actors like Diljit should be held accountable for choosing projects that become political flashpoints.
For now, the singer-actor remains caught between censorship, industry backlash and a widening debate over where creative freedom ends and public responsibility begins.
