A new movie about police violence in India has been banned from releasing in the country. Why? Because it tells a story that some people don’t want to talk about.

The movie, Santosh, is about a young female police officer who investigates the murder of a Dalit girl. It was filmed in India, is in Hindi, and has won big awards like a BAFTA. But India’s censors said it could “disrupt social harmony” and demanded so many cuts that the movie couldn’t be released here.

But here’s the twist: a real-life survey just confirmed that the movie is telling the truth.

A report by Common Cause-Lokniti-CSDS in 2025 surveyed over 8,000 police officers across India. The results were shocking:

  • 1 in 4 cops thought mob violence was okay if someone was accused of sexual harassment.

  • Almost 1 in 3 said police torture was fine.

  • 22% believed it’s better to kill “dangerous criminals” than wait for a trial.

  • 50% of cops thought Muslims were more likely to commit crimes—same as in 2019.

  • The police rarely arrested public officials or those who commit crimes against Dalits and tribal communities.

Many Indians already know this from experience. The police often use force without consequences. The system allows it. And instead of fixing the problem, what happens? A movie that talks about it gets censored.

So, what should we be doing? Serious police reforms.
 What are we getting instead? Silence.

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Views expressed above are the author's own.

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