Critically acclaimed crime thriller ‘Santosh’, which had made a mark on the film festival circuit, is all set for its cinematic release in the UK on March 21.
Written and directed by award-winning British Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri, the film was Britain’s official entry to the Oscars and also received a British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) nomination for the debutante director.
Suri said: “There was an image of a huge crowd of angry female protestors, faces contorted with rage, and a line of female police officers, forcing them back. One of these police officers had such an enigmatic expression.
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“I became fascinated with her. What separates her from those protesting, and what power does her uniform wield over those without it? Exploring this violence and this woman’s power within it felt exciting.”
Starring Shahana Goswami in the lead role of Santosh and Sunita Rajwar, the film is produced by Mike Goodridge, James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay and Alan McAlex and distributed by Vertigo Releasing and Civic Studios.
The story revolves around a government scheme which sees newly widowed Santosh inherit her husband’s job as a police constable in the rural badlands of Northern India. When a low-caste girl is murdered, Santosh is pulled into the investigation by charismatic feminist inspector Sharma.
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‘Santosh’ earned a nomination at Cannes Film Festival 2024 in the Un Certain Regard category. It was also nominated for the Sutherland Award for Best Film Feature at BFI London Film Festival before becoming the UK's official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards, advancing to the top 15 films long list. It has bagged seven wins including a British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) for Best Screenplay and recognition by the National Board of Review within the Top 10 Independent Films of the Year.
‘Santosh’ marks the feature film debut of writer-director Sandhya Suri, following her documentaries ‘I for India’ and ‘Around India With A Movie Camera’. Her short film ‘The Field’ won Best International Short at Toronto International Film Festival in 2018 and was BAFTA nominated for Best Short Film in 2019.
