Sandhya Suri laments Santosh Indian OTT delay: 'Lot more people are going to watch it in some other form'

Director Sandhya Suri, who just won a BFI/Chanel award, is deeply frustrated that her film Santosh's scheduled streaming release in India was abruptly cancelled due to ongoing censorship issues.

Santosh poster

Sandhya Suri, who recently won the 2025 BFI and Chanel's Filmmaker Awards, expressed her dismay at the official Indian release of her 2024 film Santosh and raised her concerns about the situation today.

Prestigious filmmaker award received amid frustration

The distinguished award comes with a cash reward of £20,000 and was presented to Suri, a seasoned documentary director who has shifted to fiction, just moments after she spoke to Deadline. She firmly directed her ire at Lionsgate Play for abruptly cancelling Santosh's scheduled streaming debut on October 17, 2025.

Santosh has been having a tough time getting distributed in India since its 2024 Cannes Film Festival premiere in the Un Certain Regard section. The film, which takes place in Northern India, was censored and never shown in theatres. But it has been distributed internationally; Vertigo released it in the UK in March 2025 and the US in December 2024.

ALSO READ: Santosh on OTT: Shahana Goswami's controversial film postponed, tumultuous journey to Indian screens continue

Sandhya Suri's summary of the situation

For Suri, "it's a real shame" was the conclusion reached.

She went into detail about the problems that delayed the film's original theatrical debut. To get a film ready for an Indian theatre run, the censor board may request cuts. The team members were not in agreement with the cuts that the censor board requested. "We could not make those cuts, as they compromised the integrity of the film too profoundly," Suri said.

Streaming release halted despite lighter regulatory climate

Even though streaming services aren't required to filter content the same way that theatres are, the film's launch on streaming was suddenly halted. "The objections I had to cuts for the theatrical release remain my objections for a streaming release," Suri added, implying that this represents a broader climate. To legally broadcast films, the streamers do not require censorship status. She went on to say that maybe this is about a world where streamers voluntarily accept some criticisms for the sake of a peaceful universe.

The filmmaker has stated her certainty that the film is receiving a large audience in India, even though it has not yet had an official release there. The "amount of feedback everyone is getting" confirms that people in the country are "100% watching" the film, she said. Suri is concerned that the recent postponement could exacerbate the issue of illegal viewing.

Demand for uncut, official Indian release

"A lot more people are going to watch it in some other form," Suri said, referring to the fact that it was disclosed and then unsaid. Put simply, she advocates for the screening of the film in its original, uncut form in India.

The protagonist of Santosh is a recently widowed woman who, after assuming her late husband's position as a police constable, becomes entangled in the investigation of a girl's murder. At the 97th Academy Awards, the film was the United Kingdom's attempt to win Best International Feature.

FAQs:

Q: Why was the Indian release of Sandhya Suri's film Santosh paused?

A: The theatrical release of Santosh was initially blocked in India due to censor board objections and demands for cuts that filmmaker Sandhya Suri and her team found unacceptable, as they would "compromise the integrity of the film." The planned streaming debut on Lionsgate Play (OTTplay Premium) was subsequently paused at the last minute, with Suri suggesting the streamer may have taken on "certain objections of their own accord."

Q: Did Santosh get a theatrical release anywhere?

A: Yes. Santosh debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was released in the U.S. in December 2024. It was also released in the UK in March 2025 by Vertigo. It has not had a theatrical or official streaming release in India.

Q: What is Santosh about?

A: Santosh is a feature film set in Northern India that follows a newly widowed woman, also named Santosh, who inherits her late husband's job as a police constable. She soon becomes involved in the investigation of a young girl's murder.

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