Gondhal: India’s Oscar Entry to Get Exclusive Previews From October 9
India’s official Oscar entry Gondhal will have exclusive preview screenings in six cities from October 9 ahead of its wider multilingual theatrical release.
India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, Gondhal, is set to return to theatres with exclusive preview screenings from October 9. The Marathi psychological thriller will be screened in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru ahead of its wider theatrical release.
Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal draws inspiration from Maharashtra’s traditional Gondhal folk ritual, which combines devotional storytelling, music, percussion and dance. The film places this cultural tradition within a psychological thriller exploring human emotions, desire and hidden tensions.
The previews will be presented in Marathi and Hindi, giving audiences an early opportunity to experience the film on the big screen.
Gondhal features Ishita Deshmukh, Kishor Kadam and Yogesh Sohoni in key roles. The film has also had a festival run, with Davakhar receiving the Silver Peacock for Best Director at IFFI, while the film won the FIPRESCI Award at the Bengaluru International Film Festival.
Following the special screenings, Gondhal is scheduled for a wider worldwide release in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
The film originally released in Indian theatres on November 14, 2025, and its selection as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards has brought renewed attention to the Marathi production.
