Stand-up comedian and satirist Kunal Kamra has stirred public discourse with his powerful review of the unreleased biographical film Panjab 95, based on the life and martyrdom of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a noted human rights activist from Punjab. Kamra’s review, shared on social media, doesn’t just critique the film—it questions the very systems that appear intent on erasing Khalra’s memory from collective consciousness.
“I don’t think they want anyone to celebrate a hero that hails from a minority community today,” Kamra began, reflecting on what he called the systematic silencing of narratives like Khalra’s, whose fight for justice exposed mass human rights violations in Punjab between 1984 and 1995.
The Film and Its Message
Directed by Honey Trehan, Panjab 95 traces the life of Jaswant Singh Khalra, who uncovered the illegal cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies during the peak of militancy in Punjab. According to Kamra, the film offers a deeply humane portrayal of a man who “was trying to give closure to every such mother” waiting endlessly for news of their missing loved ones.
Kamra described the film as an “unexaggerated corroboration of facts” and praised its unflinching gaze at a dark chapter in Indian history. He also credited Trehan for being an “empathetic witness” to a Punjab he knew firsthand.
A Scathing Critique of the Censor Board
The most scathing part of Kamra’s review, however, was reserved for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). He alleged that the board had demanded a staggering number of cuts—21, 35, 85, even 127 at different points—yet was still undecided on whether to clear the film for release.
Kamra revealed that the board objected to calling the police force depicted in the film “Punjab Police” and even objected to the use of Jaswant Singh Khalra’s real name—a move Kamra branded “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,” he wrote.
A Call to Action
In a heartfelt conclusion, Kamra called on the public to raise their voices in support of the film and its creators. “Either we find Jaswant Singh Khalra through this movie. Or… we allow him to be abducted yet again. This time by the censor board,” he warned.
The review has since gone viral, with supporters from across the political and creative spectrum echoing his concerns about freedom of expression, censorship, and historical erasure. Kamra urged people to stand in solidarity with the makers of Panjab 95, calling it “a struggle of memory against forgetting.”
Background: The Legacy of Jaswant Singh Khalra
Khalra’s revelations about illegal cremations carried out by the Punjab Police in the 1990s made global headlines. His courageous activism led to his abduction, torture, and eventual death—a murder for which several police officials were later convicted. His legacy is still revered, particularly in Sikh and human rights communities.
With Kamra’s emotional and urgent appeal, pressure is likely to mount on the authorities and the CBFC to reconsider their position and allow the film’s release in its unaltered form. Whether or not that happens, one thing is clear: Panjab 95 has already ignited a powerful conversation—and Kunal Kamra’s review is at the heart of it.
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