Gondhal OTT release details: Where to watch Santosh Davakhar’s Marathi film, India’s official Oscar 2027 entry

Marathi film Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, has been selected as India’s official entry for the International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2027. The thriller, which was released in theatres in November 2025, will now represent India at the 99th Academy Awards.The Marathi thriller, which first arrived in theatres in November 2025, has now earned the opportunity to represent Indian cinema on one of the world’s biggest film stages.

For viewers wondering where they can watch Gondhal online, there is currently no OTT option available. As of September 19, 2026, the film is not streaming on any major OTT platform in India. An official streaming partner and OTT premiere date have also not been announced. Current streaming trackers list the movie as unavailable to stream, rent or buy online.

Gondhal selected as India’s Oscar 2027 entry

The Film Federation of India (FFI) announced Gondhal as India’s selection on Friday. The film was chosen by a 14-member FFI Selection Committee made up of professionals from different parts of the Indian film industry. Filmmaker P Sheshadri served as the chairman of the committee.


The selection places Gondhal in the race for the International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The film was chosen from the entries submitted to the Film Federation of India for consideration.

For Marathi cinema, the selection marks an important moment as the film now gets a chance to take a story rooted in Maharashtra to an international audience. The committee included filmmakers, actors, producers, cinematographers, editors and other professionals associated with Indian cinema.

What is Santosh Davakhar’s Gondhal about?

Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal is set in rural Maharashtra. The film uses the traditional Gondhal folk ritual as an important part of its setting while exploring themes of desire, deception, personal ambition and escape.

Ishita Deshmukh plays Suman, a woman caught in a difficult marriage. Kishor Kadam, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu are also part of the cast. The movie has a runtime of approximately two hours, with its story unfolding against the cultural and social landscape of rural Maharashtra.

The film also features music by veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja, adding another notable name to the project.

Gondhal was released in theatres on November 14, 2025. Since its theatrical release, the film has also travelled through the festival circuit and received recognition at several film festivals.

Gondhal’s festival journey and Oscar reaction

Before being selected as India’s Oscar entry, Gondhal received recognition at events including the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Bengaluru International Film Festival, Pune International Film Festival and the Third Eye Asian International Film Festival.

Following the Oscar announcement, the makers shared their reaction on the film’s official Instagram page. The team described the selection as a “proud and historic moment for Indian cinema” and expressed gratitude to the Government of India, the Film Federation of India, the selection committee and members of the Indian film fraternity.

The makers also credited the entire cast and crew for the achievement, saying the milestone belongs to every artist, technician and member of Team Gondhal.

Will Gondhal release in Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada?

While an OTT release has not yet been announced, director Santosh Davakhar has spoken about plans to make the film available in more Indian languages. According to the director, Gondhal will be released in Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada as well.

Davakhar has also encouraged audiences to experience the film in theatres instead of watching it on mobile screens or OTT platforms. One of the reasons he has highlighted is the film’s opening sequence, which reportedly runs for around 26 minutes in a single take.

For now, however, audiences looking to watch Gondhal online will have to wait for an official announcement from the makers or its eventual streaming partner.