Santosh

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Santosh

R

2024

2h 5m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

100%

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59 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A government scheme sees newly widowed Santosh inherit her husband’s job as a police constable in the rural badlands of Northern India. When a lowcaste girl is murdered, Santosh is pulled into the investigation by charismatic feminist inspector Sharma.

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Critics Consensus

Shahana Goswami bristles with unforgettable intensity in Santosh, a nervy procedural that asks the hard questions about a culture's social hierarchy.

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Bedatri D. Choudhury

Sight & Sound

It’s a broad sweep of ideas, but when you set out to make a film on the police, you must address systemic corruption. Suri largely succeeds.

Nov 5, 2025

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Jonathan Romney

Financial Times

As well as working rivetingly as a procedural thriller and a psychological study, Santosh has a hard, documentary-like edge, exploring Indian social phenomena with intense analytical focus.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 24, 2025

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

A tough, sinewy, satisfying film.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 22, 2025

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Ishmeet Nagpal

Common Sense Media

'Santosh" doesn't offer hope or liberation, instead leaving viewers with a sense of burning outrage at the inequities shown.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 29, 2025

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Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

The main character initially jubilates with her desire for freedom, only to confront the deeply embedded social ills of modern India: a rigid caste system, the demonization of Muslims, femicide, systemic corruption, and toxic patriarchy.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 23, 2025

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Anna Hoang

Boston Hassle

The core of a good movie is in here, but Santosh feeling like she’s being passed through makes it feel like we are watching a ghost of someone, with only a small glimpse of life revealed at the end to make it feel like we missed out on a lot.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 13, 2025

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Susan

This is a brilliant film, enlightening subtle, and disturbing, with an amazing performance by the lead actress, Shahana Goswami. I attended a matinee performance on Friday and the theater was empty. This film deserves to be experienced by everyone!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/11/25

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Vince Q.

Indian film built in the emerging cinema verité style of Mumbai production features actress Shahana Goswami with Sandhya Suri directing. Fascinating story about a female investigator in a small village in the rural north of the country. The protagonist not only has to face societal taboo regarding women’s roles, but also overcome ingrained departmental malaise. Some small technical issues, but the locations contribute to the film’s genuine voice and make it worth the watch.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

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Evan C

A bit late to this, but #Santosh is an incredibly eye-opening look at caste, police corruption & sexual abuse in rural India. Its deliberate pace & intermittent brutality can be a lot. But Shahana Goswami is such a compelling lead, deftly guiding us through this layered mystery.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Sandhya Suri's Santhosh raises many uncomfortable questions with no straight answers. The film presents a grim scenario with little to be happy unlike the title. The plot covers various topics ranging from police brutality, the everyday struggles of the marginalized section among others. The scenes of police brutality and the misuse of power are very raw and disturbing in nature. It's not a surprise that Santhosh has made both the censor board and government uncomfortable. My review of the movie available in own website rigoberthareviews.com

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

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Naresh S

Perfectly written and Made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

Full Review

Harshvardhan A

Santosh is a raw and honest portrayal of rural India, capturing the everyday struggles, resilience, and cultural authenticity often overlooked in mainstream cinema. The film’s simplicity and genuine emotions make it impactful, though its slow pace may test the patience of viewers accustomed to fast-paced storytelling. It’s a heartfelt depiction of life’s harsh realities and the strength found in simplicity.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/25

Full Review

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Sandhya Suri

Director

Shahana Goswami

Santosh

Sunita Rajwar

Sharma

Nawal Shukla

Inspecteur Thakur

Pratibha Awasthi

Priya

Prashant Kumar

Inspecteur Mundi

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Synopsis

A government scheme sees newly widowed Santosh inherit her husband’s job as a police constable in the rural badlands of Northern India. When a lowcaste girl is murdered, Santosh is pulled into the investigation by charismatic feminist inspector Sharma.

Director: Sandhya Suri
Producer: Mike Goodridge, James Bowsher, Balthazar de Ganay, Alan McAlex
Screenwriter: Sandhya Suri
Distributor: Metrograph Pictures
Production Co: Haut et Court, Good Chaos, Razor Film Produktion GmbH
Rating: R (Violent Content|Some Language)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Hindi
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 27, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 2h 5m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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