Censor board blocks release of Santosh over portrayal of police brutality, director refuses to make cuts suggested by CBFC

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The film, starring Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to widespread acclaim and was the UK’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars in the International Feature category. Santosh was also nominated for a BAFTA for Best Debut Feature this year. Additionally, the film’s lead, Shahana Goswami, won the Best Actress award at the Asian Film Awards.

Following the CBFC’s decision to block the release of Santosh in India, director Sandhya Suri expressed her disappointment, calling the order “heartbreaking.” In an interview with The Guardian, she said, “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.”

According to the British-Indian filmmaker, the censor board suggested multiple cuts spanning several pages. Most of these edits focused on concerns related to police conduct and broader societal issues.

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“It was just too difficult to make those cuts and have a film that still made sense, let alone stayed true to its vision,” said Suri.

Sandhya Suri, however, plans to fight it out in the court.