India has chosen the Marathi-language film Gondhal as its official submission for the Oscars 2027, sending the rural Maharashtra drama into contention for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
The Film Federation of India announced the selection on Friday following a 10-day review by a jury chaired by filmmaker P Sheshadri. The film was selected from a field of 33 entries that included several major Hindi-language productions.
Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal unfolds over a single night against the backdrop of Maharashtra’s traditional Gondhal ritual. Rather than relying on a broad, multi-location narrative, the film keeps its story tightly focused on one woman, one night and a plan that could change the course of her life.
A night Of devotion and deception
The film centres on Suman, a woman living in an oppressive marriage. During the night of the Gondhal ritual, she begins plotting a murder and planning her escape with a forbidden lover.
As the traditional celebrations continue around her, Suman’s personal crisis grows increasingly complicated. The contrast between the ritual’s atmosphere of devotion and the darker events taking place within the story creates much of the film’s tension.
The midnight celebrations also give Gondhal a strong sense of place. Its rural Maharashtra setting is not simply a backdrop but an important part of the story as Suman’s plans begin to unfold.
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Santosh Davakhar’s Marathi drama
Davakhar’s film draws its central tension from the collision between tradition, personal desire and fate. The story remains confined largely to the events of one night, allowing the suspense to build as Suman moves closer to a potentially irreversible decision.
The Gondhal ritual, a traditional Maharashtrian religious performance, becomes intertwined with the film’s themes of secrecy, belief and destiny.
The Film Federation of India said the jury considered 33 films before arriving at its final selection. The competing titles included Dhurandhar, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Border 2, Haq, Main Vaapas Aaunga, Peddi and 120 Bahadur.
India’s Oscar 2027 submission
With Gondhal now selected, the Marathi film will enter the international awards process as India’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category.
Its selection also puts a regional Indian production in the spotlight ahead of the 99th Academy Awards. The film’s rural setting, Marathi-language storytelling and focus on a traditional cultural ritual give it a distinct identity as it begins its Oscar campaign.
The Oscar submission is an important step, but the selection does not automatically mean the film will become one of the Academy’s final nominees. Gondhal will first have to go through the Academy’s international feature film selection process.
