Marathi psychological thriller Gondhal, India’s selection for the 2027 Academy Awards, is scheduled to screen November 13 at the Indica Dallas Film Utsav, following a private screening in New York, according to a statement.
The Dallas festival is organized by the Center for Indic Films (CIF), an initiative of INDICA. Chief Curator and Festival Director Danji Thotapalli, Programming Head Nikita Hattangady and Filmmaker Liaison Head Christian Frost are working to host the film’s writer and director, Santosh Davakhar, at the opening night gala, the statement said.
Davakhar recently became the first Marathi filmmaker to receive the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), according to the statement.
Produced by Davakhar Films, with Diksha Davakhar as co-producer, Gondhal was made on a modest budget. The statement said the Film Federation of India’s selection panel praised its ability to combine a universally relatable story with a culturally rooted setting.
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Unfolding over a single night, the film follows Suman through a story of forbidden love, obsession, deception and faith. Its setting centers on Gondhal, a traditional ritual folk art form from Maharashtra performed during significant occasions, including weddings. The ritual provides the backdrop for the film’s mounting psychological tension.
During a private question-and-answer session after the New York screening, Davakhar described Gondhal as an important expression of Maharashtra’s diverse rural traditions. According to the statement, he said the film also seeks to preserve an ancient art form facing the threat of disappearance.
Texas-based filmmaker Sumathy Ram, a cultural envoy for Gondhal and a festival jury member alongside film enthusiasts Josh Hurtado and Sid Rallapalli, highlighted the story’s cultural significance. She also praised the production values achieved within its limited budget, the statement said.
“Director Santosh Davakhar’s technical prowess and bold narrative reinterpret a central Maharashtrian wedding tradition, a crucial cultural pillar, as the literal foundation for an engaging psychological thriller. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja’s emotive score, intricately crafted, enhances the technical achievement, enhancing the ancient ritual’s tension and bringing it to life powerfully through his revered tunes,” Ram remarked.
“This signifies a notable shift in the influence of Indian regional cinema, which boasts cultural depth, on the broader global stage.”
The film is also scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release November 13 in seven languages: Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and English, according to the statement.
