Gondhal Is India's Oscar Entry for 2027, and Why the Naga Film Angh May Also Get a Shot
The Marathi drama, scored by Ilaiyaraaja, was picked from 33 films. Separately, Theja Rio's Konyak-language debut Angh won a Toronto festival award that may open its own route to the Academy.
India has picked its film for the 2027 Academy Awards. The Film Federation of India (FFI) has chosen Gondhal, a Marathi drama, as the country's official entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. It was selected from 33 films submitted this year.
And in an unusual twist, a second Indian film, the Naga-language debut Angh, may also get a chance at Oscar consideration through a different route. Here is what both films are and how the process works.
Quick answer
- Official entry: Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, with music by Ilaiyaraaja.
- Chosen from: 33 films, by a committee chaired by filmmaker P. Sheshadri.
- A second contender: Angh, by Naga filmmaker Theja Rio, won the Platform Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 20, 2026, which may qualify it under a separate Academy rule.
- Next milestone: the Academy's shortlist of 15 films is due on December 15, 2026.
What is Gondhal about?
The film is named after the gondhal, a traditional ritual performance from Maharashtra, with song, drumming and storytelling, often held to honour the goddess at family celebrations. Set in rural Maharashtra, the film explores the clash between ritual tradition, personal ambition and human vulnerability, according to IANS.
It stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu, runs about two hours, and was released in cinemas on November 14, 2025. Its music is by Ilaiyaraaja, one of India's most celebrated composers. Before its Oscar selection, it won prizes at several festivals, including IFFI in Goa and the Pune and Bengaluru international film festivals.
FFI president Abhay Sinha described it as a family film that blends several genres, and said everyone on the committee liked it.
A rare honour for Marathi cinema
Gondhal is reported to be only the fourth Marathi film chosen as India's official Oscar entry, after Shwaas (2005), Harishchandrachi Factory (2009) and Court (2015). Marathi cinema has a strong reputation for realistic, rooted storytelling, and the selection gives it a global showcase.
Why Angh may also be considered
Normally, each country can submit only one film for the international feature category. But the Academy's rules also allow a non-English-language film to qualify if it wins one of six specified awards at major international film festivals, according to Brut India.
Angh, the first feature by Theja Rio, a filmmaker from Nagaland, is in the Konyak language. It won the Platform Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 20. That win may give it a separate route into Oscar consideration, even though it is not India's official entry. The Academy will first check its eligibility. It has not been shortlisted or nominated.
What happens next
- Screenings: Academy members watch the submitted films.
- Shortlist: 15 films from around the world will be announced on December 15, 2026.
- Nominations: five films are then nominated, early in 2027.
- Ceremony: the Oscars are scheduled for March 2027.
India's Oscar story so far
Only three Indian films have ever been nominated in this category: Mother India (1957), Salaam Bombay! (1988) and Lagaan (2001). None has won. India's biggest recent Oscar moment came in 2023, when "Naatu Naatu" from RRR won Best Original Song. Every year, India's selection sparks debate, because so many strong films are made in so many languages.
Why regional films keep getting picked
Recent official entries have come from several languages, reflecting the variety of Indian cinema. Smaller films with a distinct cultural setting often stand out to international audiences, who may not know Indian stars but respond to a powerful story told in its own language and place. Gondhal, rooted in a Maharashtrian ritual, and Angh, from Nagaland, both fit that pattern.
Where to watch
Gondhal had a theatrical release in 2025. Check streaming platforms for availability, as films selected for the Oscars often get renewed attention and new releases.
For more on what Indian audiences are watching now, read about Ramayana: Part 1 and the films in theatres this October.
Related reading
Sources
This article draws on the following reporting. Dates are when each source was originally published.
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Source: <a href="https://www.thedailymagazine.in/entertainment/gondhal-india-oscar-entry-2027-angh">Gondhal Is India's Oscar Entry for 2027, and Why the Naga Film Angh May Also Get a Shot</a>, The Daily, 14 Oct 2026.Written by
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