Why Santosh (2024) Falls Short: A Controversial and Unfair Portrayal of Indian Policing
When Santosh premiered at Cannes in 2024, it was hailed by international critics as a bold, politically charged crime drama. But back home in India, the response was far more complex—and rightly so. Far from being a balanced exploration of social issues, Santosh has sparked legitimate criticism for unfairly generalizing the Indian police force and portraying rural India through an overly cynical and one-dimensional lens.
Let me be clear: no institution is above criticism, and artistic freedom is a cornerstone of any democratic society. However, there is a fine line between critique and caricature—and Santosh walks dangerously close to crossing it.
A Narrow Lens Masquerading as Reality
The film centers on Santosh Saini, a widow turned police constable, navigating a corrupt and caste-ridden police system. While the character’s journey is portrayed with nuance, the institution she works within is painted in the broadest possible strokes—corrupt, brutal, indifferent. This portrayal, though dramatized for cinema, sends a problematic message: that this is what all police stations, especially in rural India, look like.
In a country as vast and diverse as India, such sweeping generalizations are not only unfair—they're irresponsible. Every region, every state, every station has its own dynamics, reforms, challenges, and victories. To suggest that the entire Indian police force operates under the same oppressive and casteist blueprint is to erase the thousands of officers who serve with integrity, compassion, and discipline.
Dismissing Progress and Reform
What Santosh also fails to acknowledge is the steady—if imperfect—progress within Indian policing. Community policing initiatives, modernization efforts, gender sensitization programs, and special units for marginalized groups are being implemented across states. While there's always more to be done, the film chooses to focus exclusively on institutional rot, offering no space for hope or reform.
By ignoring these nuances, the film sends a skewed message to international audiences: that India's law enforcement is a monolith of oppression. This does a disservice not just to the police, but to the countless civil society organizations, bureaucrats, and reformers working to improve the system from within.
The Dangers of Global Applause, Local Alienation
There’s also an uncomfortable pattern in how some Western film circuits embrace stories of Indian "suffering" while showing little interest in complexity or cultural context. Santosh fits neatly into that pattern—appealing to global audiences with its dark portrayal of caste and gender injustice, while alienating the very people it claims to represent.
This is perhaps why the film has faced strong opposition in India—not because the themes it addresses are unimportant, but because of how carelessly it handles them. The CBFC's decision to deny certification might be viewed as censorship, but it also reflects broader public discomfort with a film that many see as accusatory rather than analytical.
When Art Becomes a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail
In Santosh, the system is the villain. Every officer is either apathetic or abusive. Every institution fails. And the protagonist—though performed beautifully by Shahana Goswami—is left in a space of moral collapse. There is no redemption, no resistance, no internal conflict within the force. It’s a bleak worldview, and while such stories deserve space, they shouldn't be mistaken for representative truths.
Yes, we need films that raise uncomfortable questions. But we also need those questions to be asked with responsibility. Santosh might be a conversation starter, but it is not the definitive statement on Indian policing it pretends to be.
Conclusion: Critique, Don’t Condemn
India’s police system is far from perfect. It has deep-rooted issues of caste, gender, and power imbalances. But it is also made up of human beings—many of whom work under immense pressure, with limited resources, and for little recognition.
Films like Santosh are valuable in sparking dialogue, but they must be accompanied by accountability. The line between art and advocacy is thin, and when crossed without care, it can reduce complex institutions into simplistic villains.
As viewers, we must watch Santosh not as a reflection of Indian reality, but as one filmmaker’s interpretation—one that should be challenged, questioned, and placed in a broader, more truthful context.
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