India's Oscar Entry Gondhal To Have Exclusive Preview Screenings In 6 Cities Ahead Of Worldwide Release

Mumbai: "Gondhal", the Marathi psychological thriller selected as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, will have exclusive preview screenings in six cities from October 9, ahead of its worldwide theatrical release in six languages, the makers announced on Friday.

Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, the film will be previewed in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

The screenings will begin on October 9 at four theatres each in Mumbai and Pune, followed by the other cities. The previews will be held in Marathi and Hindi.

After the previews, the film will release more widely in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada in India and overseas, the makers said in a statement.

A date for the wider release was not announced.

Set against the backdrop of Gondhal, a traditional ritual of rural Maharashtra featuring music, dance and mythology, the film revolves around a newlywed couple.

According to the official synopsis, the film follows Suman, a suffocating young bride, who uses her lover Sarjerao's obsession in Gondhal ritual and turns sacred tradition into a deadly chess match.

"Gondhal" stars Ishita Deshmukh, Kishor Kadam and Yogesh Sohoni in key roles.

"For us, these previews are more than just early screenings; they are an opportunity to bring 'Gondhal' back to audiences for whom the theatrical experience was always at the heart of the film," Davakhar said.

"This is a story born from Maharashtra's cultural soil, and we have always believed that its atmosphere, sound and visual world should be experienced collectively in a theatre. After the honour of representing India at the Oscars, it feels especially meaningful to open the doors of the film to audiences. I hope viewers enter the theatre without preconceived notions and allow the story, the culture and its psychological journey to speak for themselves," the director added.

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