Oscar selection Santosh to finally release in India after months-long censorship battle and unofficial ‘ban’

Sandhya Suri's Santosh, which stars Shahana Goswami, will finally release in India, but not theatrically.

Hindi film Santosh, which was Britain's official entry to the Oscars last year, is finally getting a release in India after almost a year-long battle over censorship and certification. The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year, could not secure a theatrical release in India and will now be released digitally on Lionsgate Play.

Sunita Rajwar and Shahana Goswami in a still from Santosh.

Santosh gets its India release

Directed by Sandhya Suri and starring Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, Santosh willbe out on Lionsgate Play on October 17. The actor described the film as very 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. All the actors in Santosh are brilliant, but I will especially speak of Sunita Rajwar, who has done an excellent job playing a very complex character. 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,” the actor shared.

Santosh is the story of a young widow who inherits her late husband's police job, but her symbolic placement quickly turns into a reckoning when she is assigned to the investigation of a Dalit teenager's rape and murder. The film, which has won acclaim worldwide, has been praised for its sensitive handling of caste-based crime and policing in India.

Santosh's delayed release due to CBFC objections

The film was supposed to release in India late last year and then earlier in 2025, but was stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which refused to certify it without several cuts. Describing it as a ban, Sunita Rajwar told PTI, “We all want the audience should at least get to see it (the film) and see what we’ve done in it. It is banned. They (makers) are trying, but they (censor board) are asking for so much edit that it's not possible.”

Directed by Sandhya Suri and produced by Good Chaos, Cinefrance Studios, and MetFilm Production, Santosh was Britain's official entry to the 2025 Oscars and made it to the December longlist, but was not nominated.