Filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s social drama Santosh, UK’s official entry for the 97th Academy Awards, is set to hit OTT after missing theatrical release in India over CBFC cuts.
The film, starring Shahana Goswami in the lead, will premiere on Lionsgate Play on October 17.
“This Diwali, Santosh finally speaks - A story India has been waiting for. There are silences heavier than words, silences that can bury truth like a shallow grave. #Santosh steps into that silence, refusing to look away,” the streamer wrote on Instagram alongside a film poster.
“This is not a tale of heroism, but of survival. A story of women who find strength not all at once, but one quiet choice at a time. From standing ovations at Cannes to its digital premiere, Santosh makes its powerful debut on 17th October, only on Lionsgate Play,” the caption further read.
CBFC stalled the release of Santosh in Indian theatres over concerns regarding its depiction of the Indian police force, UK-based news portal The Guardian reported.
Sandhya Suri described the CBFC’s decision as “disappointing and heartbreaking”. “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,” she had said in an interview.
Written and directed by Suri, Santosh is set in north India and follows the story of a young widow who joins the police force and investigates the murder of a young Dalit girl.
The film offers an unflinching portrayal of deep-rooted misogyny, discrimination against Dalits, and the normalisation of mistreatment and torture within the police force. It also addresses issues of sexual violence against lower caste women and the alleged anti-Muslim prejudice in the country.
“I couldn’t be happier to say that Santosh is releasing in India,” wrote actress Shahana Goswami on her Instagram Stories, sharing the news.
Santosh received widespread international acclaim following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. It was the UK's official entry for the Oscars' International Feature category and secured a BAFTA nomination for Best Debut Feature this year.
Santosh also stars Sunita Rajwar, Kushal Dubey, Sanjay Bishnoi, Shashi Beniwal and Nawal Shukla in pivotal roles.
