Marathi thriller Gondhal has been selected as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, but the decision has also sparked discussion around Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar, which was among the films in contention. Vivek Vaswani, a member of the Film Federation of India (FFI) jury that selected India’s Oscar entry, revealed how Dhurandhar fared during the selection process. According to him, the film received four votes from the 14-member jury.
Speaking to NDTV, Vivek was asked where Dhurandhar stood when the jury was making its final decision. He said, “Couple of people liked it but we didn't think that it was Oscar material.”
Vivek further explained that the jury was looking for a film that represented Indian culture in a particular way, and felt that the Dhurandhar films did not meet that expectation.
When asked exactly how many jury members voted in favour of Dhurandhar, Vivek replied, “Four.”
How Gondhal was selected
Gondhal was selected from a field of 33 films that were submitted for consideration. The entries included films in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam and other languages. The final three films considered by the jury were Gondhal, Angh and Maine Vaapas Aaunga, with the Marathi thriller eventually emerging as India's official submission.
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. The cultural setting of the film was among the aspects that appealed to the jury.
The film has also received recognition on the festival circuit. Davakhar won the Silver Peacock Award for Best Director at the 56th International Film Festival of India in 2025. The film stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
More about Dhurandhar
Ranveer Singh leads the Dhurandhar franchise, directed by Aditya Dhar. The first instalment was released in December 2025, followed by Dhurandhar: The Revenge in March 2026. The franchise also features Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan and Sara Arjun, among others.
Gondhal will now represent India in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 14, 2027.
