Santosh Release halted by CBFC over depiction of police brutality and caste issues; director Sandhya Suri REACTS!

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has stirred controversy by blocking the theatrical release of the internationally acclaimed film Santosh in India. Directed by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri and starring Shahana Goswami, the film has been lauded globally for its raw depiction of police brutality, sexual violence, caste discrimination, and misogyny within the Indian police force. However, these very themes have led to its rejection by the CBFC.

Why did the CBFC block Santosh? Santosh, set in a fictional north Indian town, follows the journey of a young widow (played by Shahana Goswami) who joins the police force and investigates the murder of a Dalit girl. The film doesn’t shy away from exposing systemic issues like police brutality, sexual violence against lower-caste women, and institutional biases such as Islamophobia. While these themes earned Santosh critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival and a nomination as the UK’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars in the International Feature category, they have proven too provocative for the CBFC.

According to reports, the CBFC demanded extensive cuts to the film, citing concerns over its “negative portrayal” of the Indian police force. Director Sandhya Suri revealed that the suggested edits spanned several pages and targeted core elements of the narrative, making them “impossible” to implement without compromising the film’s integrity. Santosh director REACTS to CBFC blocking the film In an interview with The Guardian, Suri said, “It was 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. But in the end, it was just too difficult to make those cuts and have a film that still made sense, let alone stayed true to its vision. I don’t feel my film glorifies violence in a way that many other films focusing on the police have done. There’s nothing sensationalist about it.”

For now, Indian audiences hoping to see Santosh in theaters may be out of luck.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Salman Khan’s Sikandar faces CBFC scissor – ‘Home Minister’ reference scrapped, political hoarding visuals blurred

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