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Santosh OTT premiere paused, director Sandhya Suri calls it “a real shame”

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Filmmaker Sandhya Suri has voiced strong disappointment after the last-minute decision to pause the digital premiere of her film Santosh in India, calling the move “a real shame”. The film set to debut on Lionsgate Play in India on Friday, October 17 was suddenly pulled. The delay follows persistent conflicts with India’s censorship system. Suri said, “The process in India is that the censor board (CBFC) may ask you to make cuts for a theatrical release. The cuts they asked for were not acceptable to me or my team. We could not make those cuts as they compromised the integrity of the film too profoundly.”She further insisted that her objections to mandated cuts for theatrical release remained the same for a streaming run and stated, “The objections I had to cuts for the theatrical release remain my objections for a streaming release. The streamers don’t need, by law, to have censorship status to show films. But perhaps this is about an environment in which streamers take on certain objections of their own accord for a harmonious universe.”Suri also flagged the unintended consequence of pulling the premiere: potential piracy. “It was announced and now we’re un-announcing, so a lot more people are going to watch it in some other form,” she remarked. “My wish is for the film to be distributed legitimately and uncut in India.”Santosh revolves around a widowed police constable, Santosh (played by Shahana Goswami), who steps into her late husband’s job and ends up investigating the murder of a young girl. Produced by Good Chaos with co-producers Razor Film and Haut et Court, it was backed by BFI and BBC Film. The film also represented the UK’s submission for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards. Also Read : Santosh Release halted by CBFC over depiction of police brutality and caste issues; director Sandhya Suri REACTS!.

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Zubeen Garg Death: Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival postponed as Assam mourns its cultural icon

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In the wake of the tragic demise of Assam’s celebrated singer Zubeen Garg, the organisers of the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF) have announced the postponement of its 10th edition. The film festival, originally scheduled for December 4-7, 2025, will now be held in 2026, as a gesture of respect during a period of collective mourning. According to the festival statement, “It is with a heavy heart that the 10th edition of the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival, originally scheduled for December 4-7, 2025, has been postponed to a later date in 2026. This decision comes as Assam mourns the loss of its most beloved cultural icon Zubeen Garg, whose voice and vision defined generations. BVFF stands in solidarity with the people and the creative community.”They further added, “As a festival deeply rooted in the cultural and emotional fabric of this land, we feel it is only right to pause our celebrations this year, in remembrance and respect. We are deeply grateful to our filmmakers, partners, and audience for their continued support and understanding. Refunds for all submissions will be processed in due course. BVFF Team.”The decision has resonated deeply in Assam, where Zubeen Garg was considered more than an artist he was a symbol of cultural pride. His passing earlier this year in Singapore has triggered widespread grief, protest, and intense scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding his death. Meanwhile, the legal and investigative fronts have seen swift actions. Authorities have arrested five individuals including the festival organiser, Garg’s manager, his cousin (a police officer), and his security personnel and sent them into 14-day judicial custody. Tension flared outside Baksa District Jail when crowds gathered and reportedly hurled stones and sandals at the police convoy, with several vehicles in the vicinity set ablaze. The BVFF organisers’ move to defer the festival underscores the magnitude of the loss: the creative community in Assam is not simply pausing an event, but collectively mourning a figure whose legacy transcended the stage. More details on the rescheduled dates and refunds are expected in the coming months. Also Read : Zubeen Garg’s manager arrested in singer’s death caseb.

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