New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) Filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s “Santosh”, a police procedural thriller that ran into trouble with the censor board and missed its theatrical release in January, will finally reach Indian audiences with its digital premiere on Lionsgate Play on October 17.
Starring Shahana Goswami in the titular role alongside Sunita Rajwar of “Panchayat” fame, the Indo-British production had its world premiere at Cannes Films Festival in 2024 under the Un Certain Regard category and earned critical praise for its unflinching portrayal of caste, gender and power dynamics.
The film was later chosen as the United Kingdom’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Oscars.
“Santosh” traces the journey of Santosh, a young
widow who inherits her late husband’s job in the police department through compassionate appointment.
“What begins as a symbolic placement quickly turns into a reckoning when she is assigned to the investigation of a Dalit teenager’s rape and murder. Partnered with Inspector Sharma (Rajwar), Santosh is forced to navigate a landscape where evidence is buried under prejudice, power shields perpetrators, and the law bends in the direction of those who write it,” reads the official plotline.
Produced by Good Chaos, Cinefrance Studios and MetFilm Production, “Santosh” was initially slated for a release in Indian theatres on January 10. However, the plan was stalled following a standoff with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Reports suggested that disagreements between the filmmakers and the CBFC over proposed edits delayed the release.
At the time, a CBFC member told PTI it was “a classic case of gross disagreement”, with the producers insisting on no cuts while the board sought certain modifications.
Suri, a British-Indian filmmaker, told The Guardian newspaper in an interview that the censor board had demanded radical cuts so lengthy and wide-ranging that they would be impossible to implement.
Goswami, known for her performances in movies and shows such as “Rock On!!”, “Gali Guleiyan” and “Bombay Begums”, called “Santosh” a film that is close to her heart.
“A beautifully written story, depicted truthfully, holding up a mirror to us of the world we live in, that we have all helped create. Sandhya Suri, the writer and director, has crafted something so meaningful and touching. The film has been shown all over the world, starting its journey at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, and has been greatly appreciated by critics and the public alike,” the actor said in a statement.
All the actors in “Santosh” are brilliant, she added, while particularly praising Rajwar for delivering an outstanding performance in a deeply complex role.
“It was a joy working with her and watching her become Geeta Sharma. You will see her in a completely new avatar. I cannot wait for everyone in India to finally be able to watch the film,” Goswami added. PTI RB MIN RB RB
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-175973003883381002.webp)
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-175960757814967315.webp)
