Marathi film 'Gondhal' is India's Oscar 2027 entry, CM Fadnavis congratulates team
Santosh Dawkhar's 'Gondhal' was picked from 33 films by the Film Federation of India as India's official Oscar 2027 entry.
Big news for the Marathi film industry. 'Gondhal', written and directed by Santosh Dawkhar, has been chosen as India's official entry for the Oscars 2027. The selection committee of the Film Federation of India picked the film out of a total of 33 entries.
Last year's film 'Dhurandhar' had drawn a lot of attention, and given its story it was widely expected that it would be the one to go to the Oscars. But surprising everyone, 'Gondhal' secured the spot instead.
The film depicts the relationship between Maharashtra's folk traditions and its social and cultural life. It has also been praised by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. CM Fadnavis, on his social media account on Twitter, congratulated the entire team on 'Gondhal' being selected for the Oscars.
In a tweet posted on 18 September 2026 from the Maharashtra government's official Twitter handle, CMO Maharashtra, it was said that this was a proud moment for Marathi cinema. It said Santosh Dawkhar's 'Gondhal' had been chosen as India's official entry for the Oscars 2027, and that the Film Federation of India's selection committee had picked it from among 33 films. The film would now represent India on the international stage while drawing on Maharashtra's rich folk traditions and culture. The tweet also warmly congratulated the entire team of 'Gondhal', saying that this story, rooted in the soil of Maharashtra, was now reaching new heights across the world.
The film's director, Santosh Dawkhar, said his aim was to bring Indian tradition and cultural richness into the film's story. He said India has inherited a rich and proud culture, and that his intent was to represent that culture through cinema. 'Gondhal' has been written and directed by Santosh Dawkhar himself, and it attempts to portray psychological and cultural intensity.
The film's story revolves around a newly married woman named Suman, set against the backdrop of Maharashtra's traditional religious-cultural ritual of 'Gondhal'. Suman marries Anand, but after the wedding her life takes an unexpected and tragic turn. The film portrays human fear, unease, psychological struggle and the complications of relationships. The traditional 'Gondhal' ritual is presented not merely as spectacle but woven into the story's emotional core.
