Who is Santosh Davakhar? Director's Marathi film Gondhal selected as India's official entry to Oscars 2027. Beats Dhurandhar, Hanuman Ansh

Marathi thriller Gondhal, directed by filmmaker Santosh Davakhar, has been selected as India's official entry for the Oscars 2027. The film will compete in the Best International Feature category at the 99th Academy Awards. Its selection comes after it emerged from a list of 33 films submitted for consideration, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Marathi titles.

The announcement has put the spotlight on Santosh Davakhar, a filmmaker whose journey has included working as a professor, project consultant and social activist.

Who is Santosh Davakhar?

As many who are wondering who is the director of Gondhal - Santosh Davakhar has worked across different fields before establishing himself as a filmmaker. According to his official website Davakhar Films, he is a project consultant and social activist who began his professional career as a professor. He also completed a short course in screenplay writing from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).


His filmmaking journey includes work on socially relevant subjects. His earlier short film Adnyat explored classism and was selected at international film festivals, where it also won several prizes. Davakhar has also directed a government advertisement related to the cashless economy.



His interest in cinema grew further through his exposure to international films and festivals. His time at Cannes, in particular, had a strong influence on his decision to make Gondhal.

Speaking about the film, Davakhar said he watched several films every day during his time at Cannes. The experience made him want to create a film that could also be viewed from an international perspective.

Why did Santosh Davakhar make Gondhal?

Davakhar told HT City that the idea behind Gondhal was influenced by what he observed at international film festivals. According to him, he wanted to create a film that could represent India's culture and heritage rather than focusing only on subjects that international audiences may commonly associate with Indian cinema.

The filmmaker said he wanted Gondhal to be made with international audiences in mind and hoped it could compete at that level. The film takes its name from the traditional Gondhal ritual, a cultural practice associated with Maharashtra.

At its core, Gondhal revolves around the themes of desire and deception, with the ritual playing an important role in the story. Davakhar has described the Gondhal tradition as a source of pride for Maharashtra and wanted to bring this cultural element into the film.

His personal experiences also played a role in shaping the characters.

He said, "Aisa hai, director ko har struggle se jaana chahiye, aisa mera maana hai. Tabhi aap character ko samajh paate ho. Yes, I have gone through a lot of struggle. It reflects in every character I designed, that’s a great thing. Experience ka joda jab khulta hai, tab achhe characters nikalte hain. Vahi Gondhal ke saath hua hai."

For him, these experiences became part of the creative process behind Gondhal.

Gondhal selected from 33 films for Oscars 2027

The Film Federation of India selected Gondhal as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. The film was chosen from 33 submissions, with Hindi films making up the largest share at 14 entries.

Marathi, Telugu and Gujarati cinema had four submissions each, while three films were in Tamil. Malayalam and Nagamese had one submission each, and one silent film was also part of the selection process.

The competing titles included Dhurandhar, Dhurandhar The Revenge, Hanuman Ansh, 120 Bahadur, Border 2, Peddi, Irumudi, Main Vaapas Aaunga, Balan The Boy, Bison: Kaalamadan, Gandhi Talks and several other films.

The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Davakhar is preparing to bring Gondhal back to audiences. The filmmaker has said that the film is expected to release in Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada after its earlier theatrical run in November last year.

He has also urged audiences to experience the film in theatres rather than on OTT or mobile screens. Stay tuned!