UK’s Oscar Entry Santosh Faces A CBFC Roadblock In India, Shahana Goswami Reacts

New Delhi:

Actress Shahana Goswami’s film Santosh has hit a roadblock in India. The crime drama was UK’s official entry to the Oscars. 

The CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) has demanded a long list of cuts in Santosh, directed by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri.

In an interview with India Today, Shahana Goswami shed light on the matter. 

The actress said, “The censor has given a list of changes they require for the film to release, and we as a team are not in agreement with the cuts as they would change the film too much, and so it is in a deadlock where it probably won’t release theatrically in India.”

She added, “It’s just sad that something that has gone through censor approval at the script level should require so many cuts and changes for it to be considered okay to release in India.” 

Once a film is rejected by the CBFC, there is no direct process to appeal. The only way for filmmakers to contest the ruling is to go to court, which may be costly and time-consuming, with no guaranteed success.

Santosh is a thought-provoking crime drama which revolves around a newly widowed housewife (Shahana Goswami) who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable and becomes embroiled in the investigation of a young girl’s murder. The film explores the themes of caste discrimination, police brutality, and adult violence. 

Santosh had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024. The film is available to stream on the OTT platform MUBI in India.