Gondhal Chosen as India’s Oscar 2027 Entry

Gondhal Selected for the Oscars

Gondhal Chosen as India’s Oscar 2027 Entry: Marathi thriller Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, has been selected as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. The decision was announced by the Film Federation of India (FFI) on 18 September 2026.

The film has been submitted for consideration in the International Feature Film category. However, being selected as India’s official entry does not automatically mean that the film will receive an Oscar nomination.

A total of 33 films were considered by the selection panel. The submissions represented several Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam and Nagamese, along with a silent film.

Story and Cultural Setting

Directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal combines a thriller narrative with elements of Maharashtra’s traditional Gondhal folk performance. The story revolves around Suman, a married woman caught in complicated circumstances involving relationships, desire, deception and betrayal.

The film uses the cultural setting of Gondhal to connect an established folk tradition with contemporary human relationships. Its narrative therefore combines regional cultural identity with themes that extend beyond a single community or location.

Static GK fact: Gondhal is a traditional folk performance associated particularly with Maharashtra. It has historically been performed in honour of deities and forms part of the state’s distinctive folk-cultural traditions.

Cast and Recognition

The film features actors including Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu. Veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja has provided the music for the film.

Gondhal received recognition at the Bengaluru International Film Festival and the Pune International Film Festival. Davakhar’s earlier directorial work also received the Silver Peacock Award at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025.

The film was released in India on 14 November 2025, before being selected as the country’s official Oscar entry.

Oscars 2027

The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled to be held on 14 March 2027 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

India’s official selection enters the Academy’s consideration process for the International Feature Film award. The Academy subsequently evaluates eligible submissions before determining the films that progress through its longlist and nomination stages.

Static GK Tip: The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States.

India’s Oscar Journey

Selection as India’s official entry is an important stage, but it should be distinguished from an actual Oscar nomination. The national selection process identifies one film to represent India, after which the Academy follows its own international selection procedure.

The previous Indian entry mentioned in the source was Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, featuring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa. The film did not progress to the Oscar longlist.

The selection of Gondhal highlights the continued role of regional Indian cinema in representing the country’s cultural diversity on an international platform.

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