Santosh: The U. K. ’s Oscar Hopeful Finally Finds a Home

"Santosh, " a critically acclaimed crime drama from India, has found a distributor in the U. K. Vertigo Releasing, in partnership with Civic Studio, will bring the film to British theaters on March 21, 2025. Directed by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri, the story follows a widowed police constable named Santosh in rural northern India. After a young girl from a lower caste is murdered, she gets involved in the investigation led by a charismatic feminist inspector. The film, which premiered at Cannes, has been part of official selections at festivals like Telluride, Toronto, and London. It has won several awards, including best first feature at the Jerusalem Film Festival and best screenplay at the Seville European Film Festival. "Santosh" has already been successful in France and is set for a U. S. release soon. Despite its accolades, the film faced difficulties finding a U. K. distributor, reflecting the challenges of indie film distribution today. The film is produced by Good Chaos, Suitable Pictures, Haut Et Court, and Razor Film, with backing from the BFI and BBC Film. MK2 handles world sales. Rupert Preston, CEO of Vertigo Releasing, expressed excitement about bringing the film to U. K. audiences. Anushka Shah, founder of Civic Studios, highlighted the film's importance in addressing critical social issues in India.