Latest news with #Punjab95
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
In California, school named after Jaswant Singh Khalra, who blew lid off Punjab killings of 1980s and 1990s
1 2 3 4 Jalandhar: 'Punjab 95', the film starring Diljit Dosanjh on slain human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, faced 127 cuts from the Central Board of Film Certification at home in India, but an elementary school in Fresno, California, has been named after the man who challenged Punjab Police during the darkest days of the state. The school was inaugurated in the presence of Khalra's family on Friday. "It was a historic day in Central Unified! Today, we proudly celebrated the ribbon cutting of Jaswant Singh Khalra Elementary School — the first elementary school in the United States named after a Punjabi human rights activist," posted the Central Unified School District, in Fresno County, on its Facebook page. "This powerful moment was more than just the opening of a new school — it was a tribute to courage, community, and the rich cultural heritage of our Punjabi community that helps shape the Central Valley. We're excited for our students to walk these hallways in the upcoming school year and carry forward a legacy rooted in justice and truth," added the district. Khalra's wife, Paramjit Kaur Khalra, and daughter, Navkirtan Kaur, were present on the occasion. Amid the controversy over a hundred cuts asked by the CBFC, Kunal Kamra called out the CBFC for stalling 'Punjab 95'. Kamra said it was a fear of showing "a hero in a turban." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dores nos nervos e neuropatia? Esse truque está surpreendendo. A arte do herbalismo Undo Khalra had documented forced disappearances of Sikhs from border areas. Later, 6 Punjab Police officials were convicted for his abduction and disappearance. Khalra was last seen in Sep 1995, washing his car in front of his house in Amritsar. Khalra had documented and blown the lid off thousands of extra-judicial killings carried out by the state police.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Diljit Dosanjh's Film Sparks Political Censorship Row
/ Jun 26, 2025, 04:48PM IST Kunal Kamra calls out the CBFC for stalling Punjab 95, starring Diljit Dosanjh as Jaswant Singh Khalra , a human rights hero abducted and killed in 1995. The film faces up to 127 censor cuts and remains uncertified, sparking outrage. Kamra alleges fear of showing 'a hero in a turban,' accusing authorities of erasing minority voices. Once slated for a major release and TIFF premiere, the film is now trapped in political fire amid Sardaar Ji 3 controversy. Is this censorship or something bigger? Watch the full video for details.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Diljit Dosanjh's ex-manager defends him over casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in ‘Sardaar Ji 3': ‘He is an ambassador of India'
Singer and actor has found support from his former manager, Sonali Singh, after facing strong criticism for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in his upcoming film 'Sardaar Ji 3'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While some people on social media are upset with his choice, Sonali has spoken out, calling the backlash 'disheartening and unfair'. She praised Diljit for always spreading 'love, unity and kindness' and urged people to stop targeting him. 'Always choosing love over hate' Sonali Singh shared a long statement on her Instagram, titled 'Always Choosing Love Over Hate'. In her post, she backed Diljit and praised him for never promoting hate or outrage. 'Diljit has always promoted love, unity and kindness. He has never encouraged outrage, conflict or hatred. It is deeply disheartening and unfair to see the kind of backlash he is receiving,' she wrote. She explained that the film was made before the political tensions between India and got worse. Film was shot before tensions rose Diljit Dosanjh also spoke up in an interview with BBC Asian Network. He said the film was made when everything was calm, and no one expected the current situation. 'Jab yeh film bani thi tab situation sab theek tha. We shot this in Feb and then everything was fine. Uske baad, bhut saari badi cheezen humare haath mein nahi hai. Toh producers ne decide kiya ki film obviously ab India toh nahi lagegi, toh overseas release karte hain. Toh producers ka bahut paisa laga hua hai aur jab yeh film bann rahi thi tab aisa kuch tha nahi.' He added, 'Now the situation is not in our hands. So if the producers want to release it abroad, I support them.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Respecting public sentiment Sonali also praised Diljit for not releasing 'Sardaar Ji 3' in India. She said he has shown great respect for the mood of the country. 'Diljit has chosen to respect the sentiments of the Indian public and authorities. He is not releasing the film in India, standing in alignment with the nation's current mood, showing once again that he honours the decisions of his own country even at a personal and professional cost,' she said. She reminded everyone that the film is not supported by a big production house, and boycotting it could cause big losses for the team. 'We forget too quickly' In her statement, Sonali expressed sadness that Diljit is being targeted despite always carrying India in his heart. 'His own country, how quickly we forget. Diljit proudly carries India with him everywhere — in spirit, through his art, and his love. He is an ambassador of India, not through propaganda but through spirit,' she wrote. She ended her note with a powerful message: 'This cycle must end.' Overseas release only Directed by Amar Hundal, 'Sardaar Ji 3' will only be released overseas on 27 June. It will not hit cinema screens in India. Diljit Dosanjh Fights Back: Slams 127 Cuts in 'Punjab 95' | Promotes 'Sardaar Ji 3' Amid Backlash
NDTV
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Kunal Kamra Reviews Censor-Stuck Film Punjab 95, Says "They Don't Want Us To Remember A Hero Who Wears A Turban"
Comedian Kunal Kamra says he recently watched Honey Trehan's Punjab 95, a film based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and starring Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh in the lead. The makers of the movie have been waiting to receive a certificate from the Censor Board for over 18 months, he said. According to reports, the film certification body has demanded 127 cuts in Punjab 95. Kunal Kamra, who has often courted controversy for his anti-establishment views, said he wonders who would be upset "if this film came out the way its team and director wanted it to". In an Instagram post shared on Tuesday, the comedian said the authorities don't want anyone to celebrate "a hero that hails from a minority community today". The discourse around Punjab 95 resurfaced on social media after Diljit Dosanjh and the producers of Sardaar Ji 3 landed in soup over Pakistani actor Hania Aamir's casting in the new Punjabi film. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kunal Kamra (@kuna_kamra) What's Happening Comedian Kunal Kamra on Tuesday shared a post in support of Punjab 95, a film directed by Honey Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh as the late human activist Jaswant Singh Khalra who investigated cases of mass cremations and extrajudicial killings of Sikhs in Punjab in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1995, the activist was allegedly abducted and murdered by Punjab Police. In his post, the comic said, "I don't think they want anyone to celebrate a hero that hails from a minority community today. I just finished watching Panjab 95, a film that refamiliarizes me with the martyrdom of Jaswant Singh Khalra... A man who was abducted, tortured and killed for his 'crime' of constitutionally demanding accountability from a system that had descended into depths of inhumanity." "I don't know who would even be upset if this film came out the way its team and director wanted it to. For the last eighteen months the team behind the film has been dealing with the whims and fancies of the censor board who want to have 21, 35, 85, 127 cuts and are still not sure if they would be able to give a certificate to the story of one of Punjab's most relentless human right warriors. The police in the film, they say, should not be called Punjab Police. And the martyr in the film should not be called Jaswant Singh Khalra!" added Kunal Kamra. The comedian called the long list of objections, cuts and interventions by CBFC "couldn't be more absurd". "Like I said at the beginning, they do not want us to remember a hero who wears a turban and is a devoted Sikh. For me the film is a unexaggerated corroboration of the facts that remain in public domain that the fearful in power, through censor board want to erase," he wrote. What Else We Know About Punjab 95 Punjab 95 was earlier slated to release in theatres on February 7, 2025, without any cuts. Diljit Dosanjh later shared an update about the delay in the movie's release on his Instagram Stories. "We are sorry and it pains us to inform you that the movie Punjab 95 will not release on 7th Feb due to circumstances beyond our control." Punjab 95 was also removed from the line-up of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), just ahead of its world premiere without any prior intimation. Filmmaker Sunayana Suresh, who also watched Punjab 95 recently, shared a long note on Instagram backing the makers and calling out the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). In A Nutshell Punjab 95 is yet to receive a certificate from the CBFC. The film board has reportedly asked the film's producers to make 127 cuts in the film. The debate around the delay in the release of Punjab 95 took centre stage after lead star Diljit Dosanjh's upcoming movie Sardaar Ji 3 ran into trouble over the casting of Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in the film despite a ban on Pakistani actors working in Indian film productions, especially in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Diljit Dosanjh Shares Post Backing Punjab 95, Stuck With Censors, Amid Hania Aamir- Sardaar Ji 3 Row
New Delhi: Diljit Dosanjh has been in the eye of the proverbial storm ever since the trailer of Sardaar Ji 3 was released on Sunday, June 22, 2025. The Punjabi star is facing backlash for co-starring in the upcoming Punjabi film with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir. Diljit Dosanjh, who remains unfazed despite criticism over Hania Aamir's casting in Sardaar Ji 3, on Monday reshared a post about the Censor Board demanding 127 cuts for his other film Punjab 95, which has been embroiled in controversy for quite some time. The film, which is stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. What's Happening Diljit Dosanjh reshared a detailed post by filmmaker Sunayana Suresh, who has jotted down all the issues that Honey Trehan's film Punjab 95 is facing. Led by Diljit Dosanjh, the film is currently stuck with the Censor Board which has reportedly demanded 127 cuts in the film. Sunayana Suresh penned down a long Instagram post on censorship troubles. She also highlighted the importance of a film like Punjab 95 in the current political scenario. The title of the post read, 'Censored before release?' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunayana Suresh (@sunayanasuresh) Sunayana Suresh applauded Diljit Dosanjh for his solid performance, and wrote, "I recently had the chance to watch Punjab 95, the much-discussed film directed by Honey Trehan and led by powerfully restrained performance from Diljit Dosanjh. The film has lingered with me deeply - not just because of its storytelling, but because of the chilling parallels it shares with the real-life struggles of its protagonist, Jaswant Singh Khalra. Ironically, much like Khalra's battle for truth in the mid-90s, the film about his life now finds itself fighting a similar uphill battle - for the right to be seen (sic)." Stating how the board silencing the film is an "ironic twist", the filmmaker added, "The CBFC has reportedly demanded a staggering 127 cuts for it to be approved. These include removing the names of political figures, real locations, references to documented human rights abuses, and even factual historical context. Essentially, the board is asking the filmmakers to erase the very backbone of the story (sic)." Director Honey Trehan is still trying to get the film approved by the Censor Board without the cuts. Diljit Dosanjh has also put his foot down and refused to accept what is being made out to be Punjab 95 's fate. In her post, Sunayan Suresh said the stance by the makers is "not just artistic - it's political". "It raises a larger, unsettling question: if India prides itself as the world's largest democracy, why must a film like Punjab 95 fight so hard to exist? (sic)" she added. She concluded her post, saying that silencing the film's voice is unacceptable because cinema dares to ask uncomfortable questions. About Punjab 95 Diljit Dosanjh essays the role of the late human activist Jaswant Singh Khalra in Punjab 95. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Jaswant Singh Khalra investigated cases of mass cremations and extrajudicial killings of Sikhs in Punjab. In September 1995, the activist was allegedly abducted and murdered by Punjab Police. The film was earlier slated to release in theatres on February 7, 2025, without any cuts. Diljit Dosanjh later shared the delay in the movie's release on his Instagram Stories. "We are sorry and it pains us to inform you that the movie Punjab 95 will not release on 7th Feb due to circumstances beyond our control." Punjab 95 was also removed from the line-up of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), just ahead of its world premiere without any prior intimation. In A Nutshell Honey Trehan's film Punjab 95, led by Diljit Dosanjh, is stuck with the censors. According to reports, the film -- based on the life of human-rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra -- is facing 127 cuts from the CBFC. Filmmaker Sunayana Suresh shared a long post on social media talking about the film and the unfair treatment being meted out to it by the board. Diljit Dosanjh reshared the post on his Instagram Story amid controversy over the casting of Pakistani star Hania Aamir in his new Punjabi movie Sardaar Ji 3.
