Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:26pm on 18 Sep 2026,Friday Entertainment
Marathi psychological thriller Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, has been selected as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, the Film Federation of India announced Friday. Set in rural Maharashtra, the film uses the Gondhal ritual to explore tensions between cultural traditions, personal desires and human vulnerability. It follows Suman, an unhappy married woman drawn into a dangerous plan involving her husband and a Gondhali performer. The film stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni and Nishad Bhoir. Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director at IFFI 2025. Released theatrically in Maharashtra on November 14, 2025, Gondhal is the fourth Marathi film to represent India in the Oscars race.
