Panjab ’95, starring Diljit Dosanjh, has faced a troubled release due to numerous cuts demanded by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). For the first time, director Honey Trehan has spoken openly about the challenges and censorship hurdles he encountered. At one point, Honey revealed a startling remark from CBFC officials: “Some senior people from CBFC asked Ronnie (producer Ronnie Screwvala), ‘Why don’t you write off this film?’”
In a candid conversation with Kunal Kamra, Honey Trehan shared that the CBFC’s Examining Committee (EC) initially asked him to submit proof that the events shown in the film were based on real incidents. Honey and his team provided detailed documentation. The CBFC then issued 21 points requiring changes. Honey recalls, “I told them the film would be harmed because it’s based on a true story. They even asked us to remove references to Jaswant Singh Khalra — but my film is about him! My producer and I felt this was unfair, especially since no valid reasons were provided for these cuts.
”Faced with these demands, Honey decided to challenge the board in court, hoping for clearer justification. During the hearings, multiple senior lawyers representing the CBFC argued that the film might incite law and order issues, but they never focused on specific scenes. Honey described a surreal courtroom moment: “One lawyer asked for another date because the main counsel was retiring that day. The judge questioned why he took the case knowing this and also asked if the lawyer had seen the film — he hadn’t. The judge then ordered the lawyer to watch it and requested a copy.”Meanwhile, Panjab ’95 was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
After viewing the film, the CBFC lawyer told the judge he was so disturbed that he couldn’t sleep. The judge agreed, saying he also couldn’t sleep after watching it. The lawyer warned of worsening law and order and rising militancy, but the judge challenged him, asking for specific scenes promoting separatism. The lawyer admitted that not only CBFC but also the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting opposed the film. Shortly after, producer Ronnie Screwvala was called to Delhi, and soon after, he told Honey, “We are neither fighting the courts nor going to Toronto.
