★ 6 / 10
Recently widowed and facing the loss of her
CinemaSerf
Recently widowed and facing the loss of her home, the eponymous woman (Shahana Goswami) is offered a chance to take over her late husband's job as a police…
Recently widowed and facing the loss of her home, the eponymous woman (Shahana Goswami) is offered a chance to take over her late husband's job as a police officer. Having basically inherited his post without any training, her first task is to work with the no-nonsense "Insp. Sharma" (Sunita Rajwar) on an horrific case in which a young girl has been brutally raped and unceremoniously dumped in a fairly lawless area of Northern India. Disgusted by the crime and by the societal attitudes of many of those the investigations touches - who mostly couldn't care less - we alight on a candidate for the crime and what ensues tests not just her mettle as a police officer but her own morals as the methods of interrogation employed by her new boss are not exactly court-ordered. That's the potent thrust of this film for me, and I didn't find that to sit so easily. The atrocity of the crime is symptomatic of cultural attitudes amidst a society where women are little better than chattels to be used and disposed of by men as required. The question of ethics starts to loom large, though, when the suspect is treated with a brutality that asks whether two wrongs make a right. It's a sort of vigilante justice that pays scant, if any, regard for due process and begs huge questions which are addressed quite poignantly at the very denouement of this quite harrowing and thought-provoking drama. The acting itself is all adequate enough but I thought Goswani relied too much on long pauses and silences to convey the sense of conflict faced by her character as the plot developed. She's not helped by the staccato writing that can hit some potent notes at times, but for the most part seems content to let what we are seeing do the work - and that left me feeling a little uneasy about the retributive elements of the drama. There's no doubt that it does provoke a conversation about women's rights in India and about their appalling position within a male-dominated hierarchy, but is throwing the rule of law under the police bus the answer?
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★ 8 / 10
a good cinema showing reality of society
pranay_misra
There are 2 type of untouchables: one no one wants to touch. Second no one can touch them.Above dialogue aptly shows the indian society structure or we can say…
There are 2 type of untouchables: one no one wants to touch. Second no one can touch them.Above dialogue aptly shows the indian society structure or we can say the power structure of our country. There is no justice for the poor.Acting wise , both lead actresses are damn good. I wouldve loved to see them in a web series together.Plot was good, but the main important point of film is its tone. It no where uses too much of filmy tropes, remains simple, and tries to show more of raw and real scenes from such stories.After seeing such films i feel, we are sill very behind. Power is still with few people while rest just survive and live somehow. They dont expect anything from police or from government. No one wants them except at the time of elections.
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★ 7 / 10
Silent Strength
pinkmanboy
"Santosh," directed by Sandhya Suri, is a film that leaves you uneasy. Not because it delivers groundbreaking revelations, but because of the weight of its…
"Santosh," directed by Sandhya Suri, is a film that leaves you uneasy. Not because it delivers groundbreaking revelations, but because of the weight of its narrative in a world ruled by corruption, sexism, and caste inequality. It's a deeply political and painfully human work, anchored by a silent protagonist whose eyes say it all. However, despite its initial impact and technically impeccable execution, the film falls short of delving as deeply as it should into the themes it tackles.The story follows Santosh Saini, portrayed with restraint and nuance by Shahana Goswami. Widowed at 28, Santosh is forced to make an unthinkable choice: between destitution and a police career in a male-dominated system that despises her very presence. It's a pragmatic decision, but one loaded with emotional heft. The job that should represent security comes at a steep cost, and Goswami plays her with a constant tension, as if she's carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders in every scene.Suri, as a director, creates a visual universe that's as stunning as it is oppressive. The bustling streets of Mumbai and the dusty alleyways of rural villages act as mirrors for the social disparity the film critiques. The camera doesn't just observe-it accuses, highlighting the glaring contrasts between mansions and slums, the privileges of the powerful, and the vulnerability of the marginalized. It's a visually rich and carefully crafted portrait, finding beauty even in the most devastated spaces.But where "Santosh" truly shines is in the dynamic between the protagonist and her more seasoned colleague, Geeta Sharma, played with grit by Sunita Rajwar. Geeta is everything Santosh is not: confident, outspoken, feared, and respected. Their relationship feels like a generational clash, with Geeta embodying the strategic conformity of someone who has learned to survive within the system, while Santosh, quiet and watchful, seems to wrestle internally with what she's witnessing. This connection, loaded with subtle tensions, could have been the film's heart. However, Suri stops short of fully exploring this potential, hinting at deeper layers without fully unraveling them.The biggest issue with "Santosh" is precisely this: the sense that the film is always on the brink of saying something profound but never quite gets there. The choice to keep the protagonist silent might be a critique of the system that stifles her, but it also limits the audience's emotional engagement. The atrocities Santosh witnesses-from the torture of suspects to the blatant manipulation of truth-are shocking, but without a verbalized response, these moments often feel like visceral observations rather than truly impactful reflections.Another notable aspect is the way the film addresses gender and caste issues. While these themes are present in nearly every scene, they rarely receive the nuance they deserve. The subplot of the murdered girl, which should serve as the narrative thread, ends up taking a backseat to scenes that prioritize atmosphere over narrative depth. It feels like the film wants to say everything at once but struggles to articulate any of it clearly.Even so, it's impossible to ignore Suri's talent for creating visually arresting scenes. The moral tension that permeates the film is mirrored in the meticulously composed frames, where the clarity of urban landscapes contrasts with the ethical darkness inside the police station. This aesthetic choice creates an interesting duality but feels more like a visual provocation than a fully developed commentary.What truly saves "Santosh" from drowning in its own ambition is Goswami's performance. Even with few lines, she crafts a complex protagonist-someone who clearly wants to do good but is lost in a system that turns good intentions into liabilities. It's impossible not to empathize with Santosh, even as she remains passive in the face of the injustices around her.Overall, "Santosh" is a film that provokes but doesn't overwhelm. It makes you think, but it doesn't transform you. Still, it's an important portrayal of a society riddled with contradictions, where women are forced to find strength amid oppression and silence. Suri may not have delivered a perfect film, but she's certainly given us something to chew on-even if, by the end, we're left feeling like we're still hungry.
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