Gondhal has been selected from a 33-film field that included Dhurandhar, Angh, Ikkis and other Indian films considered for India’s Oscar 2027 entry. Check what gave Gondhal the edge over these films.
Marathi cinema has secured a place in India’s Oscars 2027 journey, with Gondhal selected as the country’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. The Santosh Davakhar-directed thriller will compete for a place in the Best International Feature Film shortlist, but its selection by India is only the beginning of the Oscar process.
Set against the backdrop of rural Maharashtra, Gondhal was chosen from 33 Indian films considered for Oscars 2027 by the Film Federation of India (FFI) jury. The Marathi-language film will now enter the Academy’s international feature film selection process for the Oscars 2027.
The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 14, 2027, in Los Angeles.
What is Gondhal, the film chosen for Oscars 2027?
Gondhal is a Marathi thriller written and directed by Santosh Davakhar. The story is set in rural Maharashtra and revolves around the traditional Gondhal ritual.
The film follows a newly married woman whose life becomes complicated by questions surrounding marriage, desire, deception and fate.
The cast includes Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu. Veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja has composed the film’s music.
The FFI considered 33 films from different Indian languages before selecting its official entry. The submissions included films in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam, Konyak and Nepali.
The 14-member jury was headed by filmmaker P. Sheshadri.
For Marathi cinema, the selection adds another chapter to its Oscar journey. Gondhal becomes the fourth Marathi film to be selected as India’s official Oscar entry, following Shwaas, Harishchandrachi Factory and Court.
What happened to Dhurandhar in the Oscar selection?
Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar was among the films considered by the FFI jury but was not selected as India’s official entry.
FFI jury member Vivek Vaswani said Dhurandhar received four votes from the 14-member panel. He also said that some members appreciated the film but did not consider it the appropriate choice for India’s Oscar submission.
There have been differing accounts about the final stage of the jury’s deliberations. FFI chairman P. Sheshadri identified Gondhal, Angh and Ikkis as the three films in the final consideration, while Vaswani separately described Gondhal, Angh and Main Vaapas Aaunga as the final three during his account of the voting process.
The key point is that Gondhal ultimately received the jury’s selection as India’s official submission.
The Oscar selection is also separate from a film’s box-office performance or popularity. The FFI jury was choosing the film to be submitted to the Academy for consideration in the International Feature Film category.
What happens after Gondhal becomes India’s Oscar entry?
India’s selection does not automatically make Gondhal an Oscar nominee.
The film now moves into the Academy’s International Feature Film process, where eligible submissions from countries around the world are considered.
The Academy’s deadline for International Feature Film submissions is September 30, 2026. After the submissions are evaluated, the Academy is scheduled to announce a shortlist of 15 films on December 15, 2026.
The final Oscar nominations are scheduled to be announced on January 21, 2027.
If Gondhal makes the shortlist and then reaches the final nominations for the Oscars 2027, it will become one of the films competing for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
India’s Oscar journey with Gondhal
| Stage | What happens |
| India’s selection | FFI selects Gondhal as India’s official entry |
| Submission | The film enters the Academy’s International Feature Film process |
| Eligibility and consideration | The Academy considers eligible international submissions |
| Shortlist | 15 films are shortlisted |
| Nominations | Final Oscar nominees are announced |
| Awards ceremony | The 99th Academy Awards take place |
Which international films are in the Oscar 2027 field?
The international field is still developing, with countries announcing their submissions at different stages.
Among the films announced so far are Romania’s Fjord, France’s Minotaur, Poland’s Fatherland, Germany’s Everytime, Spain’s La Bola Negra, Chile’s The Meltdown and South Korea’s Possible Love.
Other announced submissions include Japan’s All of a Sudden, Hungary’s Silent Friend, Slovakia’s Flood, Nepal’s Elephants in the Fog, Thailand’s 9 Temples to Heaven and Ukraine’s Traces.
These films should not be confused with the final Oscar nominees. The Academy’s International Feature Film process will narrow the eligible field before the shortlist and nominations are announced.
Therefore, Gondhal is currently part of a developing international submission field rather than a confirmed group of Oscar nominees.
Has an Indian film ever won the Best International Feature Film Oscar?
India has not yet won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Three Indian films have previously reached the final five nominees in the category: Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan. None of them won the award.
India has, however, had several major Oscar successes in other categories.
Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Academy Award when she shared the Costume Design Oscar for Gandhi at the 1983 ceremony.
In 1992, filmmaker Satyajit Ray received an Honorary Academy Award for his contribution to cinema.
The 2009 Oscars brought several wins associated with Indian talent through Slumdog Millionaire. The film won eight awards, including Best Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Original Song and Sound Mixing.
A.R. Rahman won the awards for Original Score and Original Song for “Jai Ho”, while sound engineer Resul Pookutty won for Sound Mixing.
Indian cinema returned to the Oscar winners’ list in 2023. The Elephant Whisperers won Documentary Short Film, while “Naatu Naatu” from RRR won the Academy Award for Original Song.
India’s major Oscar wins and milestones
| Year | Film/person | Achievement |
| 1983 | Bhanu Athaiya | Costume Design win for Gandhi |
| 1992 | Satyajit Ray | Honorary Academy Award |
| 2009 | Slumdog Millionaire | Eight Oscar wins |
| 2009 | A.R. Rahman | Original Score and Original Song |
| 2009 | Resul Pookutty | Sound Mixing |
| 2023 | The Elephant Whisperers | Documentary Short Film |
| 2023 | “Naatu Naatu” from RRR | Original Song |
What does Gondhal’s selection mean for Marathi cinema?
The selection for Oscars 2027 gives a Marathi-language film an opportunity to reach an international audience through one of the world’s most recognised film awards.
It also extends Marathi cinema’s history of representing India at the Oscars. Shwaas, Harishchandrachi Factory and Court were previously selected as India’s official entries.
With Gondhal, attention now shifts from India’s internal selection to the Academy’s international process.
The film’s next major milestone will be the Academy’s International Feature Film shortlist announcement in December.
When are the Oscars 2027?
The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled for March 14, 2027, in Los Angeles.
The key dates in the current Academy calendar are:
- September 30, 2026: Deadline for International Feature Film submissions
- December 15, 2026: Oscar shortlists announced
- January 21, 2027: Oscar nominations announced
- March 14, 2027: 99th Academy Awards ceremony
For Gondhal, the immediate focus is now on making it through the Academy’s international feature film selection process and securing a place on the December shortlist.
You can check its trailer here:
What happens next for Gondhal?
For now, Gondhal has India’s backing. The next challenge is making an impression in the Academy’s international feature film process.
The shortlist announcement in December will provide the first major indication of whether India’s Marathi entry advances further. Until then, the international field will continue to grow as more countries announce their submissions.
For Marathi cinema, however, the Oscar journey has already begun.
India has chosen its film. Now Gondhal takes that story beyond Maharashtra and into the global awards race.
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