The acclaimed Indian police drama “Santosh” is set to release in theaters across the United States on December 27th. The film was selected to premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where it received widespread critical acclaim. Metrograph Pictures acquired distribution rights for North America after its debut.

“Santosh” tells the story of the title character, played by Shahana Goswami. After her husband’s death, Santosh takes over his role as a police constable in a rural area of northern India. She must navigate her new responsibilities in a deeply traditional society. The film intensifies as Santosh gets involved in investigating the murder of a young girl from a marginalized caste. She works closely with Inspector Sharma, a dynamic feminist officer portrayed by Sunita Rajwar.

Though it follows the structure of a police procedural, “Santosh” delves deeper into complex social issues facing India. These include caste discrimination, religious intolerance, and gender dynamics. Director Sandhya Suri explained that she did not intend to directly “message” these themes. However, she wanted to portray a setting where such tensions naturally exist as part of the atmosphere.

Following its premiere, Variety magazine praised “Santosh” as a “whip-smart” film that powerfully channels “the language of a fiercely feminist empowerment saga.” Set in a fictional northern Indian state, viewers see Santosh transition from domestic life into navigating the intricate workings of law enforcement.

The film brings together an impressive international collaboration of production companies and institutions. Good Chaos from the UK led the project with Indian company Suitable Pictures. Additional support came from Razor Film in Germany, Arte in France, the British Film Institute, and BBC Film. MK2 Films will handle international distribution.