Gondhal

Development

Davakhar previously made short films, including the caste-themed Adnyat (2017), which was screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner, and the pandemic drama Antar-19 (2020). He has said that his time at Cannes, where he watched more than 40 films in 15 days, made him reflect on how Indian cinema is perceived abroad, and that he wanted to move away from the international expectation that award-worthy Indian films must deal with poverty or caste. In 2018 he attended a 45-day screenwriting course conducted by the Film and Television Institute of India in Mumbai, and studied international films such as Roma, Birdman and 1917 before writing Gondhal.

The story of Gondhal was inspired by a ritual that Davakhar experienced during his childhood with his grandfather. He has described his aim as presenting a thriller mystery in an accessible way while also conveying the richness of Maharashtra's rituals, and said that he wanted to explore the human side of folk traditions rather than treating them as mere cultural decoration.

Casting

To prepare for the role of Sahebrao, Anuj Prabhu took part in a workshop with traditional Gondhal performers, an experience he said changed his understanding of the ritual as an act of faith and responsibility rather than mere performance.

Filming

The film opens with a single uninterrupted long take that travels from the woods at night, past the village festivities and into Suman's room, introducing the principal characters and the geography of the village along the way. The sequence was rehearsed for seven days by the entire team. According to Davakhar, the take was completed over seven nights of shooting and required more than 300 junior artists each day, a lighting setup stretching over three-quarters of a kilometre, five generators and three tankers of petrol.

The film also contains a second long take of about 13 minutes. Prabhu later recalled that during one of these extended takes he misplaced the sindoor on his forehead and lost focus, forcing the crew to restart a take that had already run for 11 to 12 minutes.

Theatrical

The teaser for Gondhal was released on 10 October 2025 and screened alongside Kantara: Chapter 1 in selected cinemas. The film premiered in the international competition section of the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa in November 2025. It was released theatrically in India on 14 November 2025. The film was also screened at the India Habitat Centre's Habitat Film Festival in May 2026.

The film is scheduled to be re-released on 13 November 2026 in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages.

Re-release and international distribution

Following its selection as India's Oscar entry, the makers announced paid preview screenings from 9 October 2026, beginning at four theatres each in Mumbai and Pune before expanding to Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The previews were held in Marathi and Hindi, ahead of a wider release in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada in India and overseas. Davakhar described the previews as a chance to return the film to the big screen, saying its atmosphere and sound were meant to be experienced collectively in a theatre.

In October 2026, Hombale Films announced that it would handle the film's overseas theatrical distribution.

Box office

Davakhar acknowledged that the film did not perform well commercially on its initial release, with the Oscar selection later giving it renewed attention.

Critical response

Santosh Bhingarde of Sakal awarded the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as an outstanding portrayal of our folk culture. He wrote, "Davkhar has given a new dimension to this mysterious story by combining his traditional folk art with his witty dialogues." Anupama Gunde of Pudhari rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, noting how "The film symbolically blends darkness, the breaking dawn, and the emergence of truth into bright light." Elizabrth Kerr of Screen Daily observed, "Though the narrative has its share of loose ends (one of which is disturbing for who it involves), Gondhal is immersive and enlightening, but also gleefully pulpy, and a breath of fresh air for Marathi cinema." The Times of India awarded the film 3.5 stars, remarking, "The plot could have been better etched but despite that, the film stands out for attempting something unusual - using a living folk tradition as the pulse around which its entire drama unfolds." Prathyush Parasuraman of The Hollywood Reporter India offered a critical perspective, "It is not that melodrama and realism cannot cohabit in subversive ways, but at some point, it begins to feel like characters are plucked from one genre and force fitted into another." Critic Keyur Seta highlighted the film's long shot, detailing and performances, observing, "Gondhal indirectly presents an irony of dark human intentions even while performing a sacred activity." Shweta Keshri of India Today rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising its performances and unusual setting, "With strong performances and an unusual setting, it makes for an intriguing watch, even if the writing does not always keep pace with its ambition."

Academy Award submission

On 18 September 2026, the Film Federation of India announced Gondhal as the country's official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards. It was chosen from 33 submissions, 14 of them in Hindi, by a jury chaired by Kannada filmmaker P. Sheshadri, who said the decision was unanimous and that the film was the one the committee believed "would resonate with critics and global audiences." Other contenders included both Dhurandhar and Hanuman Ansh. FFI president Abhay Sinha described the film as a blend of family drama, thriller and other genres.

Davakhar called the selection an emotional moment that placed the responsibility of representing the country on the team, and said he believed audiences anywhere could connect with an honest culturally rooted story because "human emotions are not very different." For the campaign, the makers engaged Tatiana Detlofson of the Los Angeles-based publicity firm MediaPlanT, and Davakhar stated that the team also intended to submit the film for Best Picture consideration. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis honoured the film's cast and crew following the announcement. The ceremony is scheduled for 14 March 2027.

Response from Anurag Kashyap

Shortly after the announcement, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap told Variety India that India had historically selected the wrong films for the Oscars, citing The Lunchbox and All We Imagine as Light as missed opportunities, and suggested that eligibility should depend on international festival exposure or American distribution. Kashyap clarified that he had not seen Gondhal and could not comment on its merits. Davakhar responded on social media that he had personally introduced the film to Kashyap on a Bengaluru–Mumbai flight in April 2026, noted that the film had not since been publicly available in Mumbai, and asked audiences to watch it before forming a judgement.

Accolades

Gondhal premiered in competition at the 56th International Film Festival of India, where Santosh Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director, the first time a Marathi film achieved the distinction. At the 10th Filmfare Awards Marathi, the film received 19 nominations and won six, making it the second most-awarded film of the ceremony after Ata Thambaycha Naay!. It also received eight nominations at the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar and six at the MaTa Sanman. In September 2026, it was selected as India's official submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.