What is Gondhal pooja? Kantara-like Marathi ritual behind India's 2027 Oscar film entry where people dance in a night-long celebration to invoke deities

Marathi cinema is heading to the Oscars with Gondhal, a thriller built around one of Maharashtra's distinctive traditional ritual performances. The film, written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, has been selected as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards in 2027. It was chosen from 33 films considered by the Film Federation of India.

The title comes from Gondhal, a ritual folk tradition involving music, dance, devotional singing and deity worship. The tradition is particularly associated with night-time performances and is often connected with important family occasions, including marriages. Maharashtra's historical Gazetteer records Gondhal performances being held at night after joyful family events, with dancers singing and performing before an image of the goddess and a lamp.

What is Gondhal?

Gondhal is a traditional Maharashtrian ritual performance in which Gondhalis sing, dance and play traditional instruments while invoking and worshipping deities.


The performance has a strong night-time character. Historical accounts describe Gondhal dancers performing after a family celebration, with drums, a tuntune, metal instruments and a torch forming part of the ritual setting. The performance ends with aarti before the deity.

The tradition can be associated with family celebrations such as weddings. Actor Kishor Kadam, who stars in Gondhal, has recalled growing up with the ritual in his village and described it as a community gathering where people prayed and celebrated through the night.

Can Gondhal be compared with Kantara?

The comparison with Kantara comes from the way both films place a regional ritual tradition at the centre of their storytelling.

Kantara brought the Bhoota Kola tradition of coastal Karnataka to a much wider audience. The film's cultural setting and ritual performances became a major part of its identity. The Press Information Bureau has described Kantara as a film rooted in the traditional Kola dance and the community that performs it.

Gondhal is a different tradition and should not be confused with Bhoota Kola. The comparison is mainly useful for understanding the cinematic idea. Both films use a deeply rooted regional ritual as an important part of their world rather than treating the tradition simply as background decoration.

Marathi coverage has also directly drawn a comparison between Gondhal and Kantara because both films bring local cultural traditions into mainstream cinema.

What happens during a Gondhal?

A traditional Gondhal performance can involve devotional songs, dancing, drums, a torch or lamp and ritual objects associated with the deity being worshipped.

Historical Maharashtra Gazetteer accounts describe Gondhal dancers performing before an image of the goddess, with instruments including a drum and tuntune. The dancers sing and move with a lighted torch before the performance concludes with aarti.

The exact form of the tradition can vary, but its combination of music, movement, storytelling and devotion gives it a distinctive atmosphere.

The ritual's night-time setting also explains why the tradition lends itself so naturally to cinema. Darkness, firelight, drums, crowds and devotional performance can create a visually intense setting without separating the ritual from its cultural purpose.

How does Gondhal feature in the Oscar entry?

Santosh Davakhar's film uses the ritual as much more than a visual backdrop.

The official IFFI synopsis places the story during a midnight Gondhal celebration in rural Maharashtra. Suman, played by Ishita Deshmukh, is trapped in a wealthy marriage and becomes involved with Saheba, a charismatic Gondhali performer. Her attempt to escape leads to manipulation, deception and a murder plot involving her husband's cousin.

As the night-long ritual progresses, the film brings together devotion, relationships, deception and danger.

The director has said the Gondhal tradition was central to the conception of the film. At IFFI, Davakhar explained that he had seen Gondhal performances from childhood and decided to build the story around the ritual.

Ilaiyaraaja's music adds another layer

The film also features music by veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja. The Central Board of Film Certification's official film record lists Ilaiyaraaja as the music composer for Gondhal.

The film's connection with the ritual therefore extends beyond its setting. Its music and soundscape are part of a story built around the atmosphere of a traditional Gondhal night.

The film had already received recognition at the International Film Festival of India, where Santosh Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director. The IFFI jury praised the film for combining cultural tradition with its narrative.

Why the ritual matters to Maharashtra

Gondhal is not simply a dance performance staged for entertainment. Its traditional form is connected to devotion, family celebrations and the invocation of deities.

That connection gives the word a very different meaning from the everyday Marathi use of “gondhal”, which can also refer to confusion or commotion.

For the film, the ritual provides a setting where celebration and tension can exist at the same time. A night meant for devotion and community becomes the backdrop for a story involving love, deception, danger and an attempt to escape.

That contrast is central to Gondhal. The drums, dancing and divine invocations continue while the characters face increasingly dangerous choices.

From Maharashtra to the Oscars

The Film Federation of India selected Gondhal from 33 contenders as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards in 2027. The film now takes a distinctly Maharashtrian cultural tradition onto India's Oscar stage.

Whether or not the film eventually reaches the final Oscar nominations, its selection has already placed Gondhal itself before a much wider audience.

For viewers who remember how Kantara introduced millions of people to the ritual world of Bhoota Kola, Gondhal offers another example of Indian cinema turning a regional tradition into the centre of a feature film. The two rituals are distinct, but both show how local faith, performance, music and storytelling can become powerful cinematic subjects

Where to watch Gondhal, is India's 2027 Oscar entry available on any OTT platform?

Gondhal is not currently streaming on any major OTT platform in India. Current streaming trackers list the 2025 Marathi film as unavailable to stream, rent or buy online.

Inputs from PTI