Sandhya Suri’s film Santosh has found itself in an unusual situation. Despite being celebrated abroad and earning her the 2025 BFI and Chanel Filmmaker Award, the movie remains unseen officially in India. The censor board demanded cuts for its theatrical release, which Suri refused to make, believing they would destroy the film’s honesty. Later, when the film was ready to stream on Lionsgate Play, that too was cancelled without a clear explanation.
Suri’s frustration reflects a deeper problem. In an age where digital access is widespread, people will find a way to watch what is denied to them. Just as Monkey Man was banned and yet widely pirated, Santosh is already being watched unofficially. The filmmaker herself admits that she is aware of the growing viewership in India, even without a release. This is piracy winning over art, not because audiences don’t care about legality, but because they crave stories that speak the truth.
When Sandhya Suri says that “a lot more people are going to watch it in some other form,” she is pointing to a truth many filmmakers dread. When official channels fail to release a film, audiences find ways around it, whether through piracy or unofficial screenings.
When bold films are silenced or censored, the message to artists is clear: play safe or risk invisibility. And when that happens, storytelling suffers. What should be celebrated as creative courage instead becomes an act of defiance. Suri’s plea is simple: let Santosh be seen as it was made. Otherwise, the loss is not just hers but of every filmmaker who fears making the next honest film.
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