Marathi film Gondhal selected as India's official Oscar entry for 2027

It is a proud moment for Marathi cinema. Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davkhar, has been selected as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, that is, the 2027 Oscars. The Film Federation of India made the announcement on September 18. A total of 33 films were submitted from across the country, from which Gondhal was chosen for the Best International Feature Film category.

Before making a name for himself as a filmmaker, Santosh Davkhar worked in various fields. According to information on the official website of his production house, Davkhar Films, he has also worked as a project consultant and social activist. His career began as a professor.

After gaining varied experience before turning to cinema, he completed a short course in screenplay writing at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). He then began working in the field by making films and short films based on social themes.

Davkhar's early short films include the project Agyaat, which dealt with the subject of class discrimination. The film was selected at international film festivals and won several awards. Davkhar has also directed a government advertisement related to the cashless economy.

Exposure to international cinema and festivals further deepened Davkhar's interest in filmmaking. He said that the time he spent at the Cannes Film Festival had a major influence on the making of Gondhal. Davkhar said that while at Cannes, he would watch several films every day. This experience inspired him to make a film that could be viewed through an international lens.

Speaking about the thinking behind Gondhal, Davkhar said it was influenced by the films he had watched at international festivals. He wanted to create a story that presented India's culture and heritage to an international audience.

The Film Federation of India selected Gondhal as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. A total of 33 films were submitted this year for the Oscar selection process. Of these, the largest number, 14, were Hindi films. There were four films each in Marathi, Telugu and Gujarati. There were also three Tamil films, one Malayalam film and one Nagamese film in the process. Notably, the list also included a silent film.

Attention from Marathi cinema and film lovers alike is now on how far Santosh Davkhar's film travels on the international stage through Gondhal.