Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj Isn’t Alone: Here Are 10 Movies That Were Banned And Forced Off Screens

Movies That Were Banned: Global cinematic history is full of intense clashes between creativity and the control of institutions. In Hollywood’s case, this involves tackling sensitive issues within geopolitics while the Indian filmmakers are forced to deal with the crude taboos of society. After the sudden ban on Diljit Dosanjh’s biographical movie Satluj in the space of only two days since its launch, global debates about the repression of artistry have been revived once again. Below are ten controversial movies selected from Indian and international film.

1. Satluj (2026)

The biopic film based on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra by director Honey Trehan faced years of delays due to India’s Central Board of Film Certification which wanted 127 cuts in the movie. Trying to maintain the storyline without any changes, it was released directly onto digital platforms in July 2026 but was withdrawn by the platform after just two days.

• The Shock Factor: The film exposes the systemic forced disappearances and illegal mass cremations of unidentified youth during Punjab’s militancy era.

• Why Governments Prohibited It: Officially restricted over concerns regarding national security and regional communal harmony, the sudden removal sparked widespread debates over the erasure of historic collective memory.

2. The Cat Kursi Ka (1977)

Amrit Nahata’s political satire is unique not just for being banned, but for being physically eradicated by the state.

• The Shock Factor: The movie was an unvarnished, thinly veiled parody of Indira Gandhi’s Emergency regime and Sanjay Gandhi’s political overreaches, portraying a power-hungry politician manipulating the populace.

• Why It Was Prohibited: The ruling government banned the film instantly. During the Emergency, all master prints and negatives were confiscated from the censor office and burned at a factory in Gurgaon. It was entirely re-shot and released only after a change in leadership.

3. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Italian horror film directed by Ruggero Deodato regarding a documentary filmmaking team who went missing in the Amazon rainforest proved too realistic and hence got banned in over 50 countries.

• Shock Factor: The highly realistic scenes of animal killing, as well as human killings, fooled the Italian officials into believing that Deodato directed a snuff film. The director was arrested on grounds of murder and brought his actors into court to prove that they were still alive.

• Reason For Its Ban: Universally banned due to excessive cruelty and sadism.

4. Black Friday (2004)

“Black Friday” directed by Anurag Kashyap was an excellent documentary based on the investigative book written by S. Hussain Zaidi on the 1993 Bombay serial bomb blasts incident.

• The Shocking Factor: The film had accurately mentioned names of people, shown how the underworld and police worked together, and made both the criminals and policemen more human.

• Reasons for Its Banning: Just prior to the release of the movie, the Bombay High Court banned it with an absolute ban order. As the case of 1993 bomb blasts was going on then, the court said that the film might affect the final decision.

5. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

The dystopian classic by Stanley Kubrick was an adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel, which examined issues of free will, state manipulation, and human evil using the ultra-violent character, Alex.

• The Shock Factor: The ultra-violence that was extremely stylishly depicted – including a scene of violence set to “Singin’ in the Rain” – shocked the world audience.

• Why It Was Prohibited: Forbidden in Ireland, Singapore, and certain regions of the United Kingdom. Strangely enough, it was Kubrick himself who withdrew the movie from the UK theaters, since the prosecutors claimed it inspired violent copycats.

6. Bandit Queen (1994)

Raw, biographical take on the story of Phoolan Devi directed by Shekhar Kapur continues to be one of the most controversial and powerful movies ever made in the Indian film industry.

• Shock Factor: The storyline contains very harsh scenes of gang rapes, caste discrimination, and nudity of the main character. These are not meant to uphold the norms of conservative moviemaking in 1990s India.

• Reason for Being Banned: The High Court of Delhi prohibited the movie from airing due to legal challenges filed by Phoolan Devi regarding the violation of her privacy rights. Also, it was banned by CBFC for being “vulgar.”

7. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Scorsese’s adaptation of the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis portrayed Jesus Christ’s struggle against human traits such as lust, doubts, and fears.

• The Shock Factor: The movie had a long dream scene wherein Jesus dreams of living the common life of a man, marrying Mary Magdalene, and avoiding the crucifixion.

• The Reason for Ban: Called a blasphemy by the religious community, it was banned in countries such as Greece, Turkey, Mexico, and Chile for more than three decades.

8. Fire (1996)

Deepa Mehta’s pioneering movie featuring Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das became the first Indian movie to openly focus on a lesbian relationship.

• The Shock Factor: In a strict and orthodox middle-class family, the movie examined the intimate relationship between two women who were sisters-in-law and were neglected.

• Why It Was Banned: Although it was approved by the Censor Board in the first place, it sparked violent protests against the movie by right-wing organizations during its screening in theatres.

9. Salò/120 Days of Sodom (1975)

Pasolini’s last movie moves the literature of the Marquis de Sade to fascist Italy in its final days, where libertine rascals torture teen prisoners both physically and psychologically.

• The Shock Factor: The constant portrayal of sexual violence and degradation and coerced consumption of feces continues to be extremely shocking to today’s audiences.

• Why It Was Censored: Censored throughout Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and the UK for obscenity, this movie was meant by Pasolini to be a critique of the consumer and fascist societies that degrade humanity.

10. Water (2005)

This was the last part of Deepa Mehta’s elements trilogy dealing with systematic neglect, isolation, and discrimination suffered by widows in Varanasi, India in 1938.

• Shock Factor: This film openly attacked age-old religious doctrines with regard to the status of marginalized women in holy cities.

• Why it was banned: This film did not receive an official board ban; it was a pre-emptive closure due to local rioting. The right-wing mobs set the sets ablaze on the ghats of Varanasi which led to the closure of the filming operations for security reasons. It took Mehta five long years to shoot the movie in Sri Lanka using a pseudonym.

ALSO READ: What Did Diljit Dosanjh Say After Satluj Was Removed From ZEE5? Actor Shares Emotional Post

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