Gondhal selected as India's official entry for 2027 Oscars

The Film Federation of India (FFI) has selected the Marathi psychological thriller ‘Gondhal’ as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards in 2027. Directed and written by Santosh Davakhar, the film was chosen from a pool of 33 submissions representing various Indian languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Gujarati.

Set in rural Maharashtra, the film centers on the traditional midnight ‘Gondhal’ ritual. The narrative follows Suman, a young bride navigating an unhappy marriage, whose life becomes entangled in a dark web of desire, betrayal, and murder during the sacred folk performance. Davakhar stated his intention was to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and move beyond international perceptions of Indian cinema often limited to themes of poverty and casteism.

The film features music by veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja and stars Ishita Deshmukh, Kishor Kadam, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir, and Anuj Prabhu. ‘Gondhal’ marks the fourth Marathi film to represent India at the Oscars, following ‘Shwaas’, ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’, and ‘Court’. The selection has sparked discussion following the exclusion of the high-profile film ‘Dhurandhar’, which jury members noted did not meet the specific criteria for ‘Oscar material’ regarding cultural representation.