Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Gondhal Chosen Over Dhurandhar As India’s 2027 Oscar Entry
Gondhal is a Marathi movie from India.
It was chosen to represent India at the 2027 Oscars.
The story takes place in rural Maharashtra during a traditional Gondhal ritual.
Its main character, Suman, is unhappy in her marriage.
She makes a dangerous plan with her lover to escape.
A committee chose the movie from 33 Indian films.
Another movie, Dhurandhar, received four jury votes but was not selected.
The jury said Gondhal’s cultural setting helped it stand out.
The Film Federation of India selected Marathi thriller drama Gondhal as India’s submission for the 99th Academy Awards.
Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal is set during a traditional midnight ritual in rural Maharashtra.
The film follows Suman, a newlywed woman who plans murder and escape from a troubled marriage with her lover.
Gondhal was selected from 33 submissions, including Dhurandhar, Hanuman Ansh, Ikkis, Haq and Border 2.
Jury member Vivek Vaswani said Dhurandhar received four votes but was not considered “Oscar material” or sufficiently reflective of Indian culture.
- Who
- The Film Federation of India selected Gondhal, written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, with Ishita Deshmukh in the lead.
- What
- Gondhal was named India’s official submission in the Best International Feature category for the 99th Academy Awards.
- When
- The selection was announced on Friday, September 18, 2026; Gondhal premiered at the International Film Festival of India in 2025.
- Where
- The film is set in rural Maharashtra and premiered in Goa.
- Why
- The jury selected Gondhal from 33 films, citing its cultural setting and portrayal of Indian traditions; one jury member said Dhurandhar was not considered Oscar material.
Cultural Representation
Commercial Visibility
Why Gondhal was selected
Cultural Representation
The jury favored Gondhal’s portrayal of Maharashtra’s traditional Gondhal ritual and broader Indian cultural elements.
Commercial Visibility
Dhurandhar had strong commercial visibility and was described as a major box-office success, but jury member Vivek Vaswani said it was not considered Oscar material.
Jury support for Dhurandhar
Cultural Representation
The jury ultimately chose Gondhal after considering cultural representation among its criteria.
Commercial Visibility
Vaswani said a couple of jurors liked Dhurandhar and that it received four votes, although it did not win the selection.
- Official submission
- India’s entry for the Best International Feature category at the 99th Academy Awards
- Film language and genre
- Marathi thriller drama
- Writer-director
- Santosh Davakhar
- Plot setting
- A traditional midnight Gondhal ritual in rural Maharashtra
- Selection field
- 33 films were submitted
- Jury detail
- Dhurandhar received four votes from the 14-member jury
- Festival recognition
- Santosh Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 2025 International Film Festival of India
- Music
- Ilaiyaraaja composed the film’s music
