ON
← Back to feed
Marathi musical ‘Gondhal’ is India’s official entry to Oscars 2027
India🏛️ PoliticsCenter5 hr. ago

Marathi musical ‘Gondhal’ is India’s official entry to Oscars 2027

India's official entry for the 2027 Academy Awards (Oscars) is the Marathi-language film 'Gondhal,' directed by first-time filmmaker Santosh Davakhar. The film explores themes of personal freedom and cultural tradition through the story of a young bride using a local folk ritual to escape a restrictive marriage. Selected unanimously by a jury led by Kannada filmmaker P Sheshadri, 'Gondhal' features music by Ilaiyaraaja and stars several prominent actors. The film was released in Indian theaters in November 2025 and is set for a global release. Director Davakhar emphasized the film's deep roots in Indian culture while highlighting its international cinematic quality. Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound' represented India in the 2026 Oscar race.

Advertisement

2 reports

Scroll.in logoScroll.inIndependentCenter5 hr. ago
Review: India’s Oscar pick ‘Gondhal’ is a rural lust story about macho men and wily women

Gondhal, a Marathi-language film directed by Santosh Davakhar, follows the complex relationships between three individuals, Suman, a newlywed woman; Anandrao, her husband; and Sarjerao, a local man obsessed with her, during a single night centered around a traditional folk performance called Jagran Gondhal. The film explores themes of power dynamics, gender roles, and personal ambition within a rigid rural society. While praised for its visual style and cultural depth, critics note that the plot falters due to pacing issues and inconsistent storytelling. The film represents India at the Oscars and is set for a wider release in multiple languages.

Bias read (Center): While the film deals with societal structures and gender dynamics that could be interpreted through a political lens, the review does not overtly frame the content as politically charged or biased toward any specific ideology. The critique focuses more on narrative execution and artistic choices, as

Scroll.in logoScroll.inIndependentCenter19 hr. ago
Marathi musical ‘Gondhal’ is India’s official entry to Oscars 2027

India's official entry for the 2027 Academy Awards (Oscars) is the Marathi-language film 'Gondhal,' directed by first-time filmmaker Santosh Davakhar. The film explores themes of personal freedom and cultural tradition through the story of a young bride using a local folk ritual to escape a restrictive marriage. Selected unanimously by a jury led by Kannada filmmaker P Sheshadri, 'Gondhal' features music by Ilaiyaraaja and stars several prominent actors. The film was released in Indian theaters in November 2025 and is set for a global release. Director Davakhar emphasized the film's deep roots in Indian culture while highlighting its international cinematic quality. Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound' represented India in the 2026 Oscar race.

Bias read (Center): The article reports on the selection of a film for international competition, focusing on artistic and cultural aspects rather than political issues. There is no indication of political bias in the framing or content.

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories