What Is Gondhal? The Centuries-Old Marathi Ritual Behind India’s Oscar Entry

Long before it became India’s official entry to the 99th Academy Awards, Gondhal was simply a promise kept. A family would perform well in an exam, survive an illness, or celebrate a wedding, and that night, a group of hereditary performers called Gondhalis would arrive to sing the household’s gratitude to its kuladevata, or family deity, until dawn.

That ritual now sits at the heart of a Marathi thriller that, on 18 September 2026, was named India’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, chosen unanimously by a Film Federation of India jury from 33 submissions across languages.

A ritual passed down through generations

Gondhal is one of Maharashtra’s oldest living folk art forms, its origins traced variously to the worship of the goddesses Bhavani and Renuka, to references in 13th century Mahanubhava literature, and to a Bhutamata Utsava, or ghost-mother festival, recorded as early as 1240 AD.

Whatever its exact roots, the practice has survived largely unchanged: performers called Gondhalis, dressed in vivid colour and often tossing lit torches between them, sing mythological stories to the beat of the sambal drum, tal cymbals, and chipli clappers, while women in the gathering let their hair down and join the swirl, said to resemble the whirling of Sufi dance. 

For certain families in Maharashtra, hosting a gondhal after a wedding or other ceremonies remains a binding family custom, and the role of Gondhali has been passed down within specific households for generations, much like many of India’s other endangered folk art forms.

From village courtyards to a festival stage

Director Santosh Davakhar, making his first feature, built his story around this very ritual. The film follows Suman, a suffocated young bride whose lover Sarjerao is obsessed with the Gondhal tradition, and who turns his devotion into what the official synopsis calls “a deadly chess match.” 

Starring Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohani, Nishad Bhoir, and Anuj Prabhu, Gondhal was released in Indian cinemas on 14 November, 2025, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, only his second Marathi soundtrack in a career that last touched the industry 14 years earlier, with Hello Jai Hind! in 2011. 

The film is reportedly the first Indian production to feature a single continuous shot lasting 25 minutes, a technical feat that helped it win the Best Director award in the Silver Peacock category at the 56th International Film Festival of India, alongside a nomination for the Golden Peacock.

A historic honour, decided unanimously

The Film Federation of India’s announcement, made in Mumbai and led by jury chairman P Sheshadri, put Gondhal ahead of high-profile contenders including both Dhurandhar films, Homebound successor picks like Ikkis, and Haq. 

Sheshadri called it the one film the jury was certain “would resonate with critics and global audiences,” praising its technical execution and its fusion of style with substance. 

Gondhal is only the fourth Marathi film to earn this national recognition as India’s Oscar entry, following Shwaas in 2005, Harishchandrachi Factory in 2009, and Court in 2015.

For Davakhar, the moment carried weight beyond the film itself. 

“This is a historic honour for the film as well as for Maharashtra and Marathi cinema,” he said in an official statement, adding that the selection recognised “Maharashtra’s vibrant folk traditions” and a story rooted in the state’s own soil.

What happens next

Gondhal is expected to be re-released in Indian theatres and rolled out internationally as its Oscar campaign builds toward the 99th Academy Awards ceremony, scheduled for 14 March 2027, in Los Angeles. 

Whether or not it reaches the final nominee list, the film has already achieved something the Gondhali community rarely receives: a global spotlight on a ritual that, for centuries, was performed quietly, one family’s courtyard at a time, in gratitude to a goddess.

Sources:

‘Marathi Film ‘Gondhal’ Selected as India’s Official Entry for Oscars 2027‘: for Drishti IAS, Published on 19 September, 2026

‘Marathi musical ‘Gondhal’ is India’s official entry to Oscars 2027‘: by Scroll Staff for Scroll.in, Published on 18 September, 2026

‘Gondhala- More than a source of entertainment‘: for Dhaara Magazine, Published on 7 January, 2021

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