Gondhal Selected as India’s Official Entry for Oscars 2027

Marathi cinema is heading back into the international spotlight, with Gondhal selected as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. The Film Federation of India announced the selection in Mumbai on Friday, choosing the Santosh Davakhar film from 33 submissions.

The film draws heavily from the traditional Gondhal ritual of Maharashtra. Set in rural Maharashtra, the story uses the centuries old folk performance as the backdrop for a narrative involving relationships, personal ambitions and human emotions.

Gondhal was chosen after a selection process involving a 14 member jury. The films entered for consideration included titles from several Indian languages, with Gondhal eventually emerging as the official choice for the International Feature Film category.

Santosh Davakhar has written and directed the film. The cast includes Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu, among others. The movie was released in November 2025 and has also received recognition at film festivals.

The selection also gives Gondhal a place in a small group of Marathi films that have represented India in the Oscars process. Earlier, Shwaas, Harishchandrachi Factory and Court were selected as India’s official entries. Gondhal is now the fourth Marathi film to receive that distinction.

The film’s connection with Maharashtra’s folk traditions is one of its central features. Rather than using a familiar commercial setting, Davakhar has built the story around a cultural practice that has been part of the state’s social and religious traditions for generations.

The selection came from a competitive field that included several widely discussed Hindi films. Among the submissions were Main Vaapas Aaunga, Border 2 and Dhurandhar. The jury ultimately chose Gondhal after reviewing the films submitted for this year’s Oscar consideration.

Gondhal has also built a record on the festival circuit. Davakhar received the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 56th International Film Festival of India in 2025, while the film has also received recognition at other film festivals.

Being selected as India’s official entry does not automatically mean the film has secured an Oscar nomination. Gondhal will now enter the Academy’s International Feature Film process, where the submitted films go through further voting and shortlist stages before the final nominations are announced.

The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The Academy has announced January 21, 2027 as the date for the nominations announcement. Conan O’Brien is also set to return as host for the third consecutive year.

The announcement gives Marathi cinema another opportunity to reach a global audience. For the Gondhal team, the next stage will involve presenting the film to Academy voters as the Indian selection moves through the international feature film race.