Marathi film Gondhal has been selected as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Directed by Santosh Davakhar, the film brings a story rooted in Maharashtra’s folk traditions to the international stage.
The selection was made by the Film Federation of India (FFI) from 33 films submitted for consideration. The announcement puts Gondhal in contention for a place among the films competing for the International Feature Film Oscar.
What is Gondhal about?
Set against the cultural landscape of rural Maharashtra, Gondhal draws on the traditional Gondhal performance, a form of devotional folk theatre associated with music, storytelling and ritual.
The film follows Suman, a woman trapped in a troubled marriage whose life takes an unexpected turn after she becomes involved with a Gondhali performer. What begins as a personal relationship develops into a story involving love, obsession, betrayal and violence.
The use of Gondhal as more than simply a cultural setting gives the film a distinctly Marathi identity while providing the backdrop for its psychological drama.
Who directed Gondhal?
Gondhal is directed by Santosh Davakhar and features Ishita Deshmukh, Kishor Kadam, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu in key roles.
The film’s music has been composed by Ilaiyaraaja, while Amalendu Choudary is the cinematographer.
Davakhar’s direction has already received international recognition. The filmmaker won the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 56th International Film Festival of India, while Gondhal also received the FIPRESCI Award at the Bengaluru International Film Festival.
What does India’s Oscar entry mean for Gondhal?
Being selected as India’s official entry is an important step, but it is not the same as receiving an Oscar nomination.
The Academy will consider films submitted in the Best International Feature Film category before determining the shortlist and eventual nominees. Gondhal will therefore have to compete with international submissions from other countries before the final nominations are announced.
For Marathi cinema, however, the selection itself is significant. It gives an Indian regional-language film an opportunity to introduce an aspect of Maharashtra’s cultural heritage to audiences and Academy voters outside India.
Gondhal and the 99th Academy Awards
The 99th Academy Awards will be the next major stage in the film’s journey. The makers are expected to undertake an international campaign to build awareness of the movie among Academy members and global audiences.
The film is also being prepared for a wider release across India, with versions planned in several Indian languages.
For Gondhal, the Oscar journey is therefore about more than competing for an award. It is also an opportunity to take a Marathi story, its folk traditions and its regional perspective to a much larger audience.