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Diljit Dosanjh has broken his silence on speculation surrounding his reported US citizenship. The singer-actor choose to dodge the question during a recent Instagram Live session amid the ongoing controversy over his film Satluj.
During the interaction, a fan said that Diljit should apply for a US Green Card after Satluj was taken down from streaming platform ZEE5 in India. The singer responded with a smile and said, “I’ll take a card and colour it green. I’m not saying anything. Sab chhodke ye news ban jayegi (People will leave everything and make headlines out of this).”
He went on to add that he believes people should be free to travel across countries without visa restrictions. “The drama of the world will never end. But I believe everyone should be allowed to travel to any country without a visa. The whole world should become one. I am fine, but it isn’t possible like that, is it?” he said.
Diljit responds to Donald Trump remark
In another moment from the live session, a fan jokingly asked Diljit to speak to US President Donald Trump. The person asked him to help everyone secure American citizenship.
Laughing off the request, the actor replied, “What do you all think of me? I am just an artiste. How can I ask him to solve citizenship issues? His daughter follows me, but I have never spoken to her either. I never ask anyone for favours. If something is meant to happen, it happens. If it isn’t, then it isn’t.”
The remarks come months after reports claimed that Diljit had acquired US citizenship in 2022. However, the actor has never publicly confirmed or denied the speculation.
What is the Satluj controversy?
The citizenship discussion has resurfaced against the backdrop of the controversy surrounding Satluj, helmed by Honey Trehan. The film is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. It premiered on ZEE5 after years of delays and censorship hurdles. However, within 48 hours of its release, the streaming platform removed the film from its India section “until further notice.” It cited “current developments” as the reason of removal. As per reports, the film continues to remain available on some international platforms.
The project, previously titled Punjab 95, had been embroiled in a prolonged battle over certification and was reportedly asked to undergo extensive cuts before release. Its sudden removal from ZEE5 reignited debates around censorship, creative freedom and the treatment of politically sensitive films.
Honey Trehan on the row
Speaking about the controversy earlier, director Honey Trehan admitted he still has no clarity on who objected to the film. “If somebody asks me who had a problem with the film, I genuinely don’t know. I don’t have a face. I don’t have a name. Everything came through third persons or lawyers,” he told Mid-Day.
Trehan also maintained that Satluj was never intended as a political film. He said, “We’re only talking about human rights. We’re not commenting on the politics of that period. We’re talking about what happens when extraordinary powers are placed in the hands of a few people. That’s a human issue, not a political one.”
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