CBFC blocks release of 'Santosh'; director asked to make 'extensive cuts' on police brutality and societal issues

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has halted the Indian theatrical release of the film 'Santosh', the UK's official Oscar entry. The critically acclaimed film directed by Sandhya Suri stars Shahana Goswami as a police officer navigating institutional corruption.
According to various news reports, the CBFC has demanded 'extensive cuts' before granting the film a release certificate in India. Scenes depicting police brutality were reportedly among the list of scenes asked to be edited out of the film, leading to a deadlock between the filmmaker and the Censor Board.
Reacting to the CBFC’s demands, director Suri expressed her disappointment in an interview with The Guardian, calling the situation "heartbreaking."
“It was surprising for all of us because I didn’t feel that these issues were particularly new to Indian cinema or hadn’t been raised before by other films,” she said, revealing that she received multiple pages of suggested edits, most of which focused on police conduct and broader societal issues.
She also stated that she was willing to go the legal way and challenge the decision in court rather than comply with the board’s demands.
Actress Shahana Goswami backed her director and the team's decision and said in a statement to India Today that "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.”
Expressing her frustration, she further 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.”
Last year, Dev Patel's film Monkey Man faced similar challenges with the CBFC. Reports indicate that the critically acclaimed film was initially set for a theatrical release in India on April 19, 2024, but missed the release window as it has been waiting for a screening by the CBFC for its Examining Committee.