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‘Santosh’ is a Heartbreaking Tale
The investigation into a young girl’s death leads to horrific consequences.
Santosh (Shahana Goswami) is a widow who is able to inherit her husband’s job as a police constable. When a young girl is found dead, she is forced to make some difficult decisions.
This is such an interesting premise. I had no idea that this practice, called compassionate appointment, existed. That’s such a fascinating concept and is a great way to explore so many different facets of Indian culture.
At first, Santosh is doing entry-level work, mainly working to ensure that people aren’t engaging in pre-marital sex. At one point, she has to break up two people who are making out in a secluded yet public place. She is then ordered to watch the male do squats while others look on as a punishment. While this work is paying the bills and providing a place for her to live, this is likely not the type of task that she signed on to do.
Santosh also touches on the caste system in India. We go into Dalit villages and see how the lowest caste is treated. Many of them are illiterate, and there is no hope for them to advance. They are mistreated and mocked by both the police and the upper classes. So, when a teen girl goes missing, she is dismissed. The police ignore the case, assuming that she’s…
