 "Santosh, Shahana Goswami")
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has denied certification for the theatrical release of Santosh, the United Kingdom’s official entry for the Oscars. The film, which explores themes of caste discrimination, police brutality, sexual violence, and Islamophobia, has been deemed potentially disruptive to social harmony by the CBFC, a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Citing concerns over the film’s portrayal of the police, the CBFC has reportedly demanded a long and wide-ranging list of cuts, according to media reports.
Written and directed by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri, Santosh is set in North India and follows the journey of a young widow who joins the police force and is assigned to investigate the murder of a Dalit girl. The film gained international acclaim at global festivals and was selected as the UK’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
According to a report by The Guardian, Suri called the CBFC’s decision “disappointing and heartbreaking,” stating, “It was surprising for all of us because I didn’t feel that these issues were particularly new to Indian cinema or hadn’t been raised before by other films.”
Suri said she had tried to comply with the board’s requirements but found it “impossible” to make the cuts while preserving the film’s integrity. “It was very important to me that the film is released in India, so I did try to figure out if there was a way to make it work,” she told The Guardian.
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Santosh’s lead actor, Shahana Goswami, echoed the director’s sentiment. Speaking to India Today Digital, she said, “The censor has given a list of changes they require for the film to release, and we as a team are not in agreement with the cuts as they would change the film too much. So it is in a deadlock where it probably won’t release theatrically in India.”
She added, “It’s just sad that something that has gone through censor approval at the script level should require so many cuts and changes for it to be considered okay to release in India.”
Starring Sunita Rajwar alongside Goswami, the film had its world premiere in the 'Un Certain Regard' section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival earlier in 2024.
According to a post on X by PVR INOX Pictures in January, the film was originally scheduled for theatrical release in India on 10 January, but the release did not take place as planned.
Justice has a new name - Santosh! From the Oscars shortlist to your hearts, this powerhouse story lands in theatres on January 10th. Get ready to be moved, inspired, and blown away!#Santosh #SandhyaSuri #ShahanaGoswami #AcademyAwards2025 #Oscars2025 #PVRINOXPictures… pic.twitter.com/PLUaUPxh6O
— PVR INOX Pictures (@PicturesPVR) December 24, 2024
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