Sandhya Suri’s controversial cop drama ‘Santosh’, starring Shahana Goswami, is finally set for its digital release on Lionsgate Play on October 17. The film, which faced censorship issues in India and was not theatrically released, premiered at Cannes 2024 to critical acclaim. Director Suri found the CBFC’s suggested cuts ‘impossible’ to implement while retaining the film’s integrity.
Sandhya Suri’s cop drama Santosh, starring Shahana Goswami, is all set for its digital debut. For those unaware, the film was not released in India due to its controversial content. It missed its theatrical release after facing issues with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Here’s when and where you can stream the film online.The Indo-British production was originally scheduled to release in India on January 10 this year. It premiered at Cannes 2024 in the Un Certain Regard section, where it received critical acclaim for its bold exploration of caste, gender, and power. Not just that, the film also became the UK’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
When and where to watch Santosh on OTT
According to reports, the film will stream on Lionsgate Play. However, there is no confirmation yet on whether the platform will release the version with the CBFC-directed cuts. Santosh is set to premiere on October 17.It’s worth noting that the CBFC currently does not have the authority to block the release of a movie on an OTT platform like Lionsgate Play in India.
Sandhya Suri on the cuts suggested by the CBFC
In an interview with The Guardian, Sandhya Suri said that the cuts demanded by the CBFC were “impossible” to implement. The filmmaker shared that due to legal restrictions, the team could not disclose what exactly the Board had asked to remove from the film.“It was very important to me that the film be released in India, so I did try to figure out if there was a way to make it work,” Suri said, adding, “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.”
