Marathi film 'Gondhal' is India's entry for Oscars 2027
What's the story
The Film Federation of India (FFI) has announced that the Marathi thriller Gondhal will be India's official entry for the Best International Feature category at the 99th Academy Awards. Directed by Santosh Davakhar, the film triumphed over 30 other contenders such as Main Vaapas Aaunga, Border 2, the Dhurandhar films, Angh, Hanuman Ansh, and Dorothy. The announcement was made on Friday, with a jury panel comprising notable figures like P Seshadri, Vijay Patkar, and Tannishtha Chatterjee.
Film's journey
Meanwhile, know more about the film
Set against the backdrop of Maharashtra's Gondhal ritual and folk-performance form, Gondhal tells the story of Suman, a married woman whose life takes an unexpected turn as relationships, desire, and duplicity clash with each other.
The film stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir, and Anuj Prabhu, among others. It reportedly bagged awards at the Bengaluru International Film Festival and Pune International Film Festival.
Director's accolades
It won several awards in India
The film has been a major hit on the festival circuit in the past year. It helped Davakhar bag the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and later won him a FIPRESCI Award at the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival.
The film's music was composed by veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja, while Amalendu Chaudhary handled cinematography and Ashish Mhatre edited it.
Next steps
Here's what will happen next
Being chosen as India's official entry doesn't guarantee Gondhal a nomination for the Oscars. The film will now enter the Academy's selection process for Best International Feature Film along with entries from other countries.
The Academy will announce its Oscars shortlists on December 15, 2026, followed by nominations on January 21, 2027.
The 99th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 14, 2027.
Gondhal had hit theaters in November 2025.