Santhosh (15)

Hard hitting doesn’t do this film justice. “It hits like a train” is nearer the mark. This searching and compelling crime drama gives so much more to its audience than the extraordinary unravelling of its own mystery. The film is also anunforgiving expose of blatant sexism, institutional violence and wanton corruption embedded within India’s contemporary rural justice system.

Newly widowed Santosh inherits her husband’s job as a police constable and quickly finds herself enmeshed in the murder investigation of a young “Dalit” girl. In her quest for the“truth” underlying the case, Santosh is forced into facing down centuries old external cultural barriers as well as facing up to her own inner trial and this leaves her (and us as her audience) questioning the very possibility of justice in the circumstances within which this story unfolds. Director Sandhiya Suri’s brave film cries out to be watched.

Already a BAFTA-nominated writer-director, Suri makes her feature debut with Santosh. Premiering in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2024, the film earned critical acclaim and was developed with support from the Sundance Screenwriters and Directors Labs.

Hindi with English subtitles. 2h. Directed by Sandhya Suri