Marathi film Gondhal has been chosen as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2027. The Film Federation of India (FFI) announced the selection on September 18. Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, the thriller was selected from 33 films that were in contention this year. Gondhal will now represent India in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.
What is Gondhal about?
Gondhal is set against the backdrop of the traditional Gondhal ritual of Maharashtra. The film’s plot revolves around a night of a traditional ritual centred around a newlywed couple. The story explores themes of desire, betrayal, human relationships and the darker side of tradition.
The film’s official synopsis available on BookMyShow reads, “A suffocating young bride, Suman, uses her lover Sarjerao’s obsession in Gondhal ritual and turns sacred tradition into a deadly chess match.” To know more about the film’s plot and storyline, watch the trailer below:
Gondhal cast
The Marathi film Gondhal features Poonam Patil, Pravin Dalimbkar, Suresh Vishwakarma, Kailash Waghmare, Ishita Deshmukh and Madhavi Juvekar in key roles. The star cast also includes Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and several others.
Gondhal box office performance
Gondhal was released in theatres in India on November 14, 2025. While the film’s Oscar selection has brought it fresh attention, its theatrical run was modest. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film grossed around Rs 90 lakh, with its India net collection standing at around Rs 84 lakh upon its release.
Gondhal: Crew details
The film is produced by Diksha Davakhar, Santosh Davakhar, Jayesh Sawant and Ravindra Navle under the banner of Davakhar Films. The music has been composed by Ilaiyaraaja, while Amalendu Chaudhary has handled the cinematography. Ashish Mhatre has edited the film.
Gondhal IMDb rating
Despite its modest box office performance, Gondhal has received a strong response from IMDb users. The film currently holds an 8.9/10 rating from around 4.2K registered users on IMDb.
Gondhal is India’s Oscar 2027 entry
The Film Federation of India (FFI) on Friday announced that Santosh Davakhar’s film Gondhal will be India’s official entry for the Oscars 2027 in the Best International Feature Film category. Interestingly, Gondhal becomes the fourth Marathi film to be selected for the Oscars.
The earlier films selected for the Oscars were Court (2015), Harishchandrachi Factory (2009) and Shwaas (2005). Gondhal was selected for the Oscars 2027 from a list of 33 films.
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Marathi film Gondhal selected as India’s official entry for Oscars 2027
