New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS): Ivan Arys directorial debut "Soni" will release digitally on streaming platform Netflix. The director hopes the digital release will take the film to a "large and diverse audience base eloquently".

"I am excited that my film 'Soni' will premiere on Netflix, which is accessible to millions of people around the world. We live in a society that has accepted to adjust and bear patriarchal norms and gender biases, and I believe that the release of the film on a global service like Netflix will help the voices of my characters reach a large and diverse audience base eloquently," Ary said in a statement.

A crime drama chronicling the life of two policewomen, "Soni" has been screened at festivals such as the 75th Venice Film Festival, the Mumbai Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival. It will be available on Netflix, to 130 million members across 190 countries, on January 18.

The story revolves around Soni, a young policewoman, and her superintendent, Kalpana, who have collectively taken on a growing crisis of violent crimes against women in the capital city of Delhi. Their alliance suffers a setback when Soni is transferred for alleged misconduct on duty.

It stars Geetika Vidya Ohlyan as Soni and Saloni Batra as Kalpana.