Santosh, UK's official entry for Oscars, banned by CBFC for release in India

The filmmaker voiced her frustration over the CBFC’s demands, stating that the proposed cuts were so drastic that they would have completely compromised the essence of the film.

British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s thought-provoking film Santosh, which delves into complex societal issues, has been denied a theatrical release in India due to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanding extensive cuts.

The censorship board objected particularly to the film’s portrayal of police conduct and its depiction of sensitive social issues, such as caste discrimination and police brutality—both of which serve as core themes of the narrative.

Speaking about the latest development, Sandhya told The Guardian, “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. 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."

The filmmaker voiced her frustration over the CBFC’s demands, stating that the proposed cuts were so drastic that they would have completely compromised the essence of the film.

She emphasized that adhering to these changes would have stripped Santosh of its original message and vision, making it unrecognizable from its intended form.

Santosh is a film deeply rooted in India, featuring an entirely Indian cast and presented entirely in Hindi, the predominant language of North India. The filmmakers had initially submitted the script for approval to shoot in the country and encountered no objections at the time. Additionally, India's largest cinema chain had agreed to distribute the film in January.

The film premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where it received widespread acclaim. Representing the UK, Santosh was officially submitted as the country’s entry for the Oscars in the International Feature category. It later earned a nomination for Best Debut Feature at the BAFTA Awards this year, further cementing its global recognition.