DIljit Dosanjh's Panjab 95 Co-Star Neeta Mohindra On CBFC Conflict: Very Sad That Such Lovely Work... | EXCL

Honey

Trehan’s Panjab 95 is ready to release in theatres, but the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) hasn’t issued a certificate. Demanding over 120 cuts due to its political subject, the makers and the censor board are locked in a legal battle. It stars Diljit Dosanjh in the lead along with Arjun Rampal, Neeta Mohindra and others. While Panjab 95 is awaiting an official release date, Zoom spoke to Neeta, who was recently seen in Border 2. She played Diljit’s on-screen mother in the war drama. The veteran Punjabi actress reacted to CBFC delaying the certificate for Panjab 95 and demanding the cuts.

Panjab 95 actress Neeta Mohindra reacts to delay

In an exclusive interview with Zoom, Neeta said, “I am not involved in the rest of the things, but as an actor, I know this is a story to be told. I have lived in Punjab during those days. I have seen it all, and the story has been told very creatively. Honey Trehan has done a fantastic job. He is from Tarn Taran. It is not easy to make a film. Such lovely work has been put in, and then it doesn’t release; it is very sad. I am not getting into the legality of it, but hoping it releases soon. The film was to participate in film festivals, but it got pulled down. It is really sad. Hoping the audience gets to watch it soon.”

What is Panjab 95 about?

Panjab ’95 is set in the period following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when over 2,000 people were killed and cremated unlawfully in Punjab's Tarn Taran district. Jaswant Singh Khalra, the director of a bank in Amritsar, uncovered the evidence of the horrific murders. In 1995, he was abducted and killed after his investigation had sparked worldwide protests and the Supreme Court of India and the National Human Rights Commission had also backed the findings.

Protests and censor board

According to Mid-Day’s report in September 2024, CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi, along with the Revising Committee, watched Panjab 95 in August and the cuts drastically scaled up from 85 to 120. Apart from changing the character’s name, the board reportedly instructed the makers to modify the title from Panjab 95 to Sutlej. As of now, the title hasn’t been changed.

In December 2024, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee consulted a group of historians to study the accuracy of Panjab 95 and the final verdict was that the film does not target anyone and shows the truth of Punjab in an unadulterated manner. Panjab 95 had secured a February 2025 release in countries except India. However, the film is yet to see the daylight.