Ranchi citizens write to CBFC Chairman Prasoon Joshi to clear ‘Santosh’ without any cuts-OxBig News Network

Ranchi citizens, including activists, academics, lawyers, film-makers, journalists and students, of Ranchi, Jharkhand watching the film Santosh under the open sky, near Tagore Hill on May 2, 2025. Photo: Special Arrangement

More than 100 citizens, including activists, academics, lawyers, film-makers, journalists and students, of Ranchi, Jharkhand watched the film Santoshunder the open sky, near Tagore Hill on May 2, 2025.

The public screening was organised by Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM) and the screening was followed by an enlightening discussion where the viewers appreciated the film for depicting the realities of police brutality, caste discrimination and institutional islamophobia.

The JJM accused that in recent years, there are clear indications of the Board functioning as the political arm of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

“Movies that promote BJP and RSS’ ideology are passed without even a cut while others that show the realities of inequality, injustice and communalism are being censored. The viewers of Santosh screening condemned how the Certification board has become an ideological “Censorship” board,” JJM said.

The citizens also expressed surprise on why the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has denied the permission to release it when the film has been widely acclaimed abroad.

There are reports that the CBFC objected to a number of scenes, mainly pertaining to police brutality and caste discrimination, and wanted extensive cuts. This was not agreeable to the producers, so that permission was denied.

The viewers also issued an open letter to CBFC Chairman Prasoon Joshi to immediately allow the release of the film without any cuts. The open letter was signed by several renowned personalities including economist Jean Drèze and other members of JJM.

The letter mentioned that it was ironic that while the Board routinely clears extremely violent movies, full of gory scenes and often watched by children, it is unable to digest the restrained but “factually correct depiction of police brutality in Santosh.”

“The attempt of the CBFC to hide the widespread caste discrimination and untouchability in Indian society also raises questions on its own casteist bias. Reliable sources have shared that the Board even objected to the use of the word “Dalit” in Santosh,”the letter said,

The citizen also alleged that ut is a well-known fact that film industry itself is caste-ridden and most of the ‘heroes’ and heroines are from upper castes or have upper-caste names whereas Dalit and Adivasi actors are virtually excluded.

“The stories tend to revolve around the cosy lives of the privileged whereas Dalit or Adivasi characters have subordinate roles if any. Their real lives are rarely portrayed with accuracy, empathy or appreciation. Santosh broke some of these patterns at least, it needed to be supported not suppressed but CBFC is in a denial modem,” the letter said.

The people who watched the movie said that they are at a loss to understand, after watching the film, what is objectionable about it. On the contrary, they felt that this film should be viewed as widely as possible in India.

“Caste discrimination and untouchability are facts of life in India. Why should they remain hidden in a movie? Ugly as it is, the truth must be known. Even the Indian government has recently acknowledged the usefulness of learning about the realities of caste by means of a Caste Census,” the letter said.