India's Oscar Choice, Gondhal, Slates Previews Ahead Of Re-Release

Gondhal, the Marathi psychological thriller selected as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, is set to have exclusive preview screenings in six cities from October 9, ahead of its worldwide theatrical release in six languages, the makers announced on Friday.

The film is directed by Santosh Davakhar and stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu in the lead roles. It will have exclusive preview screenings beginning October 9 across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Speaking to ANI about the film’s selection as India’s official entry, director-producer Santosh Davakhar stressed confidence in what he and his team have created “We were confident that the entire Gondhal team had made a good product. For the last year, we have been preparing for this. We were going to attempt the Oscars one way or the other,” he said.

The film is backed by Diksha Davakhar under the banner of Davakhar Films. Santosh Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), while Gondhal also received the FIPRESCI Award at the Bengaluru International Film Festival.

Davakhar Films posted the update on their Instagram handle on Thursday.

Gondhal To Have Paid Previews

They wrote, “Gondhal, India’s Official Submission to the 99th Academy Awards, ahead of its worldwide release later, opens its doors for cinephiles and lovers of cinema with special Paid Previews from 10th October across select cities and theatres. A Marathi cerebral psychological thriller rooted in culture and driven by the complexities of the human mind.”

Santosh Davakhar also addressed the previews, “For us, these previews are more than just early screenings; they are an opportunity to bring Gondhal back to audiences for whom the theatrical experience was always at the heart of the film. This is a story born from Maharashtra’s cultural soil, and we have always believed that its atmosphere, sound and visual world should be experienced collectively in a theatre.”

As per the director, the months ahead will witness an intensive campaign to introduce the film to members of the Academy. “The next few months are going to be full of hard work, as we will need to gain at least 6,000 to 7,000 votes,” he said.

According to the official synopsis, the film trails Suman, a suffocating young bride, who uses her lover Sarjerao's obsession in Gondhal ritual and turns sacred tradition into a deadly chess match

A date for the wider release is yet to be announced. Gondhal originally released in Indian theatres on November 14, 2025.