Marathi film Gondhal has been chosen as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards in 2027. The selection brings a centuries-old Maharashtrian ritual performance to a global cinematic audience.

Thirty-three films were submitted, out of which 14 were in Hindi, four each in Marathi, Telugu, and Gujarati, three in Tamil and one in Malayalam and Nagamese. One was also a silent film.

Marathi film Gondhal has been selected as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. It was chosen from more than 30 contenders in the Oscar race. It's a psychological and cultural thriller centred around Suman, a trapped young bride who turns her lover Sarjerao's obsession with a sacred folk ritual into a dangerous game of deception, desire and power.