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Union minister Bittu challenges ‘Satluj’ makers to prove ‘25,000 missing’ claim
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LudhianaUpdated: Jul 12, 2026 02:00 PM IST Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu. (File Photo)Wading into the controversy over the ‘removal’ of Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj from an OTT platform, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu Sunday stated that the makers of the film cannot use the shield of creative freedom to present disputed claims as established history. “I throw an open challenge to the makers and director of Satluj to place before the people of Punjab all documentary evidence, government records, judicial findings, and authenticated data on the basis of which the film claims that 25,000 people went missing or were illegally cremated,” the minister said in a statement.“If this figure is based merely on an estimate or an allegation, why has it been presented in the film as an undisputed historical fact? Why were audiences not informed that this number has not been conclusively established by any judicial commission? The people of Punjab deserve answers to these questions. What is even more disturbing is that the history of Punjab’s militancy era has been presented in a one-sided manner,” added Bittu. The minister said if the makers of Satluj failed to make public documentary evidence within a reasonable timeframe, he would consider all available constitutional and legal options “to ensure that history is not presented before the nation in a manner contrary to facts.” “Punjab’s history cannot be rewritten on the basis of selective narratives. Truth must always prevail over propaganda, facts over fiction, and evidence over emotions,” the minister remarked. Bittu also asked why the targeted killing of Hindus, bus passengers, shopkeepers, government employees, labourers, and other ordinary citizens by militants in Punjab was “not depicted with the same seriousness and extent?” Just two days after it premiered on streaming service ZEE5 on July 3, Satluj, a movie based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was made unavailable in India. Later, it was also taken down from ZEE5’s international library.
Updated: Jul 10, 2026 01:56 PM IST Dhamaal 4 movie review: Indra Kumar’s inability to move forward from his creaky story-telling style sinks this fourth iteration even before it’s had time to float.In 2007, Indra Kumar came up with Dhamaal, in which a whole bunch of characters led by Sanjay Dutt, tumbled and fell into holes full of risible jokes. This was followed by Double Dhamaal and Total Dhamaal, which were more of the same, in terms of crassness. 2007 was a big year for brainless comedy, with Partner, Hey Babyy, Buddha Mar Gaya the big hitters, toplined by Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Inaneness was the name of the game, but the occasional touch of goofiness and entire starry ensembles committing to stupidity, saved these films.How do you top the last two Dhamaals? Dhamaal 4 comes up with a number, because it can’t be bothered with thinking of what comes after double and total: maybe four was better than double double or total total. But Indra Kumar’s inability to move forward from his creaky story-telling style, so stuck in the previous millennium, sinks this fourth iteration even before it’s had time to float. This time around, we get a combined knockoff of The Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones, as well as the director’s unending fascination with hidden ‘khazana’, to push its cast, led by Ajay Devgn and the doughty Dhamaal regulars (Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jafferi, and Sanjay Mishra have been at it from the first film), into a too-long-ab-bas-khatam-karo-yaar treasure hunt. The guys do what they have done in the Dhamaal films: Devgn is busy with the hero bits, leaping off ships and cliffs on rescue missions; Warsi and Jaaferi reprise their loving brother act, which they could do in their sleep; Sanjay Mishra adds a ‘Bro’ to each of his lines for coolth: you get the drift. About the only one who kept me awake was new addition Ravi Kishan as a Jack Sparrow-type samudri daku, complete with a peaked hat and kohled eyes. There are also new faces in the ladies brigade. And of course Anjali Anand’s plus size becomes a series of unfunny punchlines: a too-sudden turnaround – Riteish Deshmukh’s horror at having ‘got stuck’ with a ‘moti’ is what we get for most of the run-time — is bunged in just so the film’s blatant fat-shaming won’t get it cancelled.Story continues below this ad Actually that’s not this film’s major problem. We don’t go looking for political correctness in self-confessed cringe comedies. But is it too much to expect a little bit of perkiness? And not such an avalanche of in-your-face CGI? Tigers, crocodiles, cliffs, clouds come crowding in. A couple of annoying kids do a good job of annoying us. And the climax comes with saccharine flowing, and laughs drying. If this is your jam, the film is for you. As for me, I’m not holding my breath for Dhamaal 5. Dhamaal 4 movie cast: Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Mishra, Ravi Kishan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Upendra Limaye, Esha Gupta, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Anjali Anand Dhamaal 4 movie director: Indra Kumar Dhamaal 4 movie rating: 1 star
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