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Why Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar Missed India’s Oscar Entry
India had to choose one movie to send for the Oscars.
The jury looked at 33 films, including Dhurandhar and Gondhal.
Dhurandhar was very successful at the box office and became widely discussed.
However, only four of the 14 jury members voted for it.
Jury member Vivek Vaswani said the panel did not think it was suitable for the Oscars.
The jury also considered how well a film showed parts of Indian culture.
Gondhal was selected instead.
It is a Marathi movie based on a traditional folk-performance tradition from Maharashtra.
The film follows a woman trying to escape an unhappy marriage, leading to danger and betrayal.
Marathi thriller Gondhal was selected as India’s submission for the 99th Academy Awards on September 18.
Dhurandhar was considered by the 14-member Film Federation of India jury but received only four votes.
Jury member Vivek Vaswani said some members liked Dhurandhar, but the panel did not consider it “Oscar material.”
The jury considered how effectively films could showcase aspects of Indian culture during the selection process.
Gondhal was chosen from 33 films across several Indian languages and is rooted in Maharashtra’s Gondhal folk tradition.
- Who
- The 14-member Film Federation of India jury, including jury member Vivek Vaswani, selected Gondhal instead of Dhurandhar.
- What
- Gondhal was chosen as India’s official submission for the 99th Academy Awards, while Dhurandhar received four jury votes.
- Where
- The decision was made through the Film Federation of India’s Oscar selection process in India.
- When
- The selection was confirmed on September 18; Dhurandhar’s first installment was released in December 2025.
- Why
- Vivek Vaswani said the panel did not consider Dhurandhar “Oscar material” and also considered how effectively films showcased Indian culture.
FFI Jury’s View
Dhurandhar’s Commercial Appeal
Oscar suitability
FFI Jury’s View
The jury concluded that Dhurandhar was not “Oscar material,” according to Vivek Vaswani, and only four of 14 members voted for it.
Dhurandhar’s Commercial Appeal
Dhurandhar’s supporters can point to its box-office success, record-breaking performance and broad franchise visibility, although the article does not establish that these factors made it Oscar-suitable.
Selection criteria
FFI Jury’s View
The jury considered how effectively each film could showcase aspects of Indian culture, a factor cited in the selection process.
Dhurandhar’s Commercial Appeal
Dhurandhar became the focus of discussion because of its commercial success, while Gondhal was presented as being deeply rooted in Maharashtra’s traditional Gondhal ritual and folk-performance tradition.
Key facts
- Selected film
- Gondhal
- Oscar edition
- 99th Academy Awards
- Jury size
- 14 members
- Dhurandhar votes
- Four
- Films considered
- 33 films
- Gondhal language
- Marathi
- Gondhal runtime
- 117 minutes
- Reported franchise earnings
- Around ₹3,000 crore worldwide for the Dhurandhar franchise
Quotes
Vivek Vaswani
A member of the 14-person Film Federation of India jury that selected India’s Oscar submission
“Couple of people liked it but we didn't think that it was Oscar material.”
wionews.com
Sources
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