‘Santosh’ awaiting censor clearance in India, likely to miss January 10 release -OxBig News Network

Shahana Goswami in ‘Santosh’

British-Indian director Sandhya Suri’s Santosh is unlikely to release in India on January 10 as the film is awaiting censor clearance. Featuring Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, Santosh is a police thriller set in rural Uttar Pradesh. An international co-production, the Hindi-language film has been shortlisted as the UK entry for the Best International Feature Oscar.

According to a report in Mid-Day, the film is yet to get a nod from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). While the film’s trailer was cleared by censor authorities on January 1, the main film is yet to be certified. A source told Mid-Day that CBFC board members haven’t watched the film yet owing to the year-end holidays.

Given the film’s socio-political context, the reaction of the board members is uncertain, the source suggested.

“Unless the film is watched, the board cannot be certain. Sure, the film’s essence should not be compromised, but it has to (align with) local sensibilities,” the source was quoted as saying.

The film, going by international reviews, tackles pertinent issues of caste, systemic misogyny, and Islamophobia.

Santosh premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard. The film is being distributed in India by PVR Pictures India. A marketing representative told Mid-Day that the film may get delayed by a few days, but will release in January: “There is a big release called Game Changer out soon. For Santosh, there is a need for dedicated screens in select areas. Once the film is certified, we will schedule it.”