‘People are organising Satluj screenings across Punjab after ban,’ says Suvinder Vicky | Bollywood News

After a turbulent three-year wait, Diljit Dosanjh‘s much-delayed film Satluj finally reached viewers on July 3, but in 48 hours, the film was pulled down from ZEE5. Since the release, people have been praising the film and the performances Diljit Dosanjh, Suvinder Vicky, Kanwaljit Singh, among others. In a new interview, Suvinder spoke about the reception of the film, the censorship battle, and working with Diljit.Speaking to NDTV, Suvinder opened up about working alongside Diljit, describing him as someone who largely stayed away from casual chatter on set, preferring instead to remain fully absorbed in his character throughout the shoot. He also spoke about Diljit’s composure during grueling physical sequences, his own process of becoming Sugga, and the unexpected wave of support the film has received despite its rocky release.
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Describing Diljit as “a true art,” Suvinder said his dedication to the role was evident to everyone around him each day of filming. “He is a very supportive guy. I must say, he is an art, and when you are a true art, success eventually follows.” According to Suvinder, the set was noticeably quiet, as both actors chose to stay in character rather than make conversation between takes. “We didn’t indulge in small talk on set. He was very professional and didn’t like unnecessary durbance because he wanted to stay in character. Honestly, I didn’t want any durbance either because I also had to remain in my character. It was a very quiet set.”
‘Diljit was literally hanging there throughout the shoot’
Suvinder revealed that most of his scenes opposite Diljit involved the film’s brutal interrogation sequences, in which Khalra is beaten and strung up while Sugga questions him. One shot, in particular, demanded exact timing. Suvinder had to repeatedly throw pamphlets at Diljit as he hung suspended mid-scene. “Most of my scenes with Diljit were the torture sequences. There’s one scene where he’s hanging while I keep throwing pamphlets at him, and they have to stick to his face. Diljit was literally hanging there throughout the shoot.”
The sequence, he admitted, was far tougher to execute than it appeared on screen. “I was under immense pressure. He never said anything, but I knew I was performing opposite Diljit Dosanjh, so I couldn’t afford to make a make. My timing had to be absolutely perfect. Every time I threw the pamphlets, they had to land at one exact spot, but they kept missing. Sometimes they landed on his neck, sometimes somewhere else, so we had to do a couple of retakes.”
Also Read: Satluj ban shows they ‘couldn’t digest the truth’, says Kanwaljit SinghStory continues below this ad
Each time he missed his mark, Suvinder said, he apologised, only to be met with reassurance rather than irritation. “I told him, ‘I’m sorry.’ But he just smiled and kept saying, ‘Bhaji, koi gal ni.‘ It means, ‘It’s okay, don’t worry.’ He was incredibly patient and humble. I don’t know how to explain it… I’m telling you, he is God’s child.”
‘The saag scene’
While Diljit stayed immersed in Khalra’s world, Suvinder faced his own transformation into the film’s antagon. He credited director Honey Trehan and the film’s technical teams for their meticulous work in recreating the real-life officer’s appearance.
Surprisingly, Suvinder said the film’s most demanding scene wasn’t its climax but a now widely discussed moment on set known simply as “the saag scene.” “Everyone on the unit kept referring to it as ‘the saag scene.’ I kept waiting for the day we would finally shoot it. I was nervous because everyone in that house is terrified, while my character is the only person who has authority.”
The difficulty, he explained, lay in conveying menace without raising his voice or resorting to physical aggression. “It couldn’t look like I was shouting or slapping someone. The fear had to come through simple conversations. Honey Trehan was extremely particular about every detail. We discussed the scene for a long time before shooting because he wanted every moment to feel authentic.”Story continues below this ad
Also Read: Satluj’s IMDb rating of 9.5 disappears; Sanjay Gupta calls the platform ‘bogus’
‘Didn’t know the film was releasing’
Suvinder also described the strange way he learned that Satluj had finally hit screens after years of delay. “I was with my parents in Haryana when a friend called and said, ‘Your film has released.’ I asked, ‘Which film?’ He said, ‘The one based on the ’95 case.’ I couldn’t believe it. Nobody had informed us. I found out at the same time as everyone else.” The relief, however, was short-lived. “When it disappeared from ZEE5, that was an even bigger shock. After waiting for so many years, it finally came out and then suddenly it was gone. We were all happy that people were finally watching it. I spoke to Honey Trehan, but there was nothing anyone could do. He stayed remarkably calm throughout.”
‘People are treating it like seva‘
Even after its removal from the platform, Suvinder said the film has continued to reach viewers, this time through their own efforts. “People are treating it like seva. Many had already downloaded it before it was taken down, and now they’re sharing it with others. I have heard that people are taking projectors to villages across Punjab and organising screenings. Just as people do seva during Gurpurab serving langar or chabeel, they are treating this film the same way. That has truly touched my heart.”

Asked why the film has faced repeated setbacks, Suvinder declined to speculate. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe the people stopping it should watch the film once. Then they might realise there is nothing in it that deserves to be stopped.”Story continues below this ad
Nearly four years after wrapping production, Satluj remains as much a story about its own troubled journey as it is about the hory it portrays. And while Diljit Dosanjh’s quiet discipline on set left a lasting impression on his co-star, Suvinder says the real reward has been watching audiences find their own way to a film they had waited years to see.