Oscar-Shortlisted Bollywood Film Faces Ban in India Over Censorship Demands

Quick Summary

• Santosh is an international co-production set in rural north India and revolves around the story of a driven young Hindu widow, played by Shahana Goswami, who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable through a government scheme.
• The film tackles themes of institutional corruption and caste dynamics, with Shahana working alongside Inspector Sharma (played by sunita Rajwar) to investigate a murder case involving a teenage Dalit girl.
• Directed by Sandhya Suri, it is indeed the UK’s official entry to the 2025 Oscars.
• Despite receiving international recognition, Santosh has not been released in India due to difficulties in obtaining censor certification.
• Actor Sunita Rajwar expressed disappointment over its indian ban, stating that significant censor edits were demanded which hindered its release. She described her role as one of her best performances.

Indian Opinion analysis
The absence of Santosh from Indian screens poses thought-provoking questions about artistic expression and censorship in India’s film industry. The movie not only carries weight as an internationally acclaimed Oscar entry but also addresses critical social issues like caste-based violence and systemic corruption-topics that resonate within Indian society yet remain sensitive for public discourse. This scenario highlights ongoing debates surrounding creative freedom versus regulatory control under India’s censorship framework.

From an economic standpoint, releasing Santosh could have fostered greater visibility for Indian talent on global platforms while enabling domestic audiences to engage with globally recognized narratives rooted deeply in their own socio-cultural milieu. Whether efforts from the filmmakers will lead to eventual certification remains uncertain-but it serves as strong evidence that India’s censorship policies continue impacting how nuanced art reaches or misses local audiences.

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