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Gondhal Chosen Over Dhurandhar for Oscars
Confirmed
In Short: Marathi thriller Gondhal was selected as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards over the popular Hindi film Dhurandhar.
Film Federation of India (FFI) member Vivek Vaswani revealed that Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, received only four votes from the 14-member jury, while Gondhal emerged as the official entry.
Vaswani explained that Dhurandhar and its sequel did not meet the jury's expectations for an Oscar submission, despite their technical excellence.
Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, was chosen for its unique representation of Indian culture and its ability to resonate internationally.
The film, set against the backdrop of Maharashtra's traditional Gondhal ritual, features music by Ilaiyaraaja, adding to its uniqueness.
Vaswani noted that Gondhal remained a top choice throughout the jury's deliberations and was seen as a film that could represent India on the global stage.
The jury considered 33 films, including high-profile releases like Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge, before selecting Gondhal.
Vaswani said, “Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2, while technically very, very good films, are not Oscar contenders.”
The final selection also included Naga-film Angh and Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga, but Gondhal was ultimately chosen.
Gondhal director Santosh Davakhar expressed confidence in the film's chances at the Oscars.
What this adds
The decision highlights the jury's focus on cultural representation and international appeal over commercial success.
While Dhurandhar was a commercial success, its narrative and cultural representation did not align with the jury's criteria for an Oscar submission.
What's confirmed
- When asked how many members of the 14-member jury voted for Dhurandhar, Vaswani replied, "Four." He also clarified that the decision was based on the jury's assessment of which film could represent India on the international platform, rather than the commercial popularity of a film.
- Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal is set against the backdrop of Maharashtra's traditional Gondhal ritual, a folk performance involving music, dance and mythology.
- Vivek shared that while Imtiaz’s film was in the running, they did not go ahead with it because they assumed that its India-Pakistan storyline might not “resonate with the audience in America.” Vivek was a member of the 14-person Film Federation of India jury that Gondhal as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards.
- FFI jury member Vivek Vaswani later said that 'Dhurandhar' received four votes from the 14-member jury.
- Santosh Davakhar's Marathi thriller 'Gondhal' has been chosen as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, where it will compete in the Best International Feature Film category.
- Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar was among the films considered for India’s official entry to the 99th Academy Awards, but the film ultimately failed to make the cut.
- Marathi thriller Gondhal was eventually chosen to represent India at the Oscars 2027.
What's still developing
- However, the Film Federation of India (FFI) eventually selected Marathi thriller Gondhal for the 99th Academy Awards.
- When asked where Dhurandhar stood during the final decision, he said, "Couple of people liked it, but we didn't think that it was Oscar material." The comments have added more context to the decision, especially since Dhurandhar was one of the year's biggest Hindi film releases and had been considered for India's Oscar submission.
- The selection also comes after considerable attention around several major contenders, including Ranveer Singh-starrer 'Dhurandhar' and 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge'.
- The list included several high-profile Hindi releases, including 'Dhurandhar', 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', 'Border 2', 'Haq', '120 Bahadur' and 'Main Vaapas Aaunga'.
- Vaswani said he was struck by how completely Gondhal held his attention and described the experience of watching it as “mesmerising”.
- New Delhi: In an exclusive conversation with News9 Digital, actor-producer and Film Federation of India jury member Vivek Vaswani described Marathi film Gondhal as one of the standout films he watched during the process of selecting India’s entry for the Academy Awards, saying it remained among his favourites throughout the jury screenings.
- According to him, the members felt that Dhurandhar did not meet that expectation.
- Gondhal was selected from a list of 33 films submitted for consideration.
- The film was chosen from a pool of 33 submissions spanning multiple languages and genres, including Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Hanuman Ansh, Ram Charan's Peddi and Farhan Akhtar's 120 Bahadur, among others.
- The comments came after the Film Federation of India (FFI) on Friday announced Marathi film Gondhal as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, which are scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 14, 2027.
- The nominations for Oscars 2027 will be announced on January 21, 2027.
- This one was.” Speaking about what led to Santosh Davakhar-directed Gondhal’s selection, he shared about the film’s uniqueness: “It’s a night of intrigue; it’s a night of murder.