Marathi filmmaker Santosh Davakhar, whose thriller 'Gondhal' has been selected as India's official entry for the Oscars, says his overriding ambition while making the film was to reframe how international audiences perceive Indian cinema — moving past the familiar lens of poverty and casteism and toward the country's rich cultural heritage.

The Vision Behind Gondhal

Davakhar admitted to considerable uncertainty during the film's development. 'To be honest, I didn't know if people will like this film or not. My first priority was that I have to make this film internationally,' he said. The decision to target a global audience from the outset shaped every creative and structural choice the director made.

The impulse, he explained, grew directly from his experiences at international film festivals. 'When I was in Cannes and other festivals internationally, that time I got to know about the representation of Indian films, and how people think that the films here are about poverty and casteism,' Davakhar said. While acknowledging these as legitimate social concerns, he was clear about the gap he saw: 'This is an important issue in India. But apart from that, India has a rich heritage, a proud culture. And I wanted to represent that culture in a cinematic way.'

An Education in International Cinema

To bridge that gap, Davakhar undertook an intensive study of world cinema — particularly during his time at Cannes. 'When I was in Cannes, I used to watch three-four films a day. In 15 days, I have watched more than 40 films. So that page automatically develops. And if you want to make an international film, your making should also be according to that,' he said.

The preparation extended well beyond viewing habits. Davakhar invested heavily in screenplay research, with a deliberate aim to deliver complex material accessibly. 'I have done a lot of research on that. I have also done a lot of research on screenplay. And I have given people a thriller mystery in a very simple way. And along with that, I have also given a richness of rituals,' he said.

What the Film Offers

'Gondhal' blends mystery and thriller elements with the texture of Indian rituals and cultural traditions — a combination the director clearly sees as a corrective to the dominant image of Indian storytelling abroad. The film stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir, Anuj Prabhu, Suresh Vishwakarma, and Vitthal Kale.

India's Oscar Representation

The selection of a Marathi-language film as India's official Oscar submission is itself notable, underscoring the growing visibility of regional-language cinema on the global stage — a trend accelerated by the international success of films like RRR and The Kerala Story in recent years. With 'Gondhal' now carrying the country's flag at the Academy Awards, Davakhar's bet on cultural richness over social realism will be tested before the most scrutinising audience in world cinema.