Director Sanjay Dawkhar Discusses Making ‘Gondhal’ for Global Audiences

In an exclusive interview, filmmaker Sanjay Dawkhar opened up about his Marathi thriller "Gondhal", which has been selected as India’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 2027 Academy Awards. Dawkhar said his first priority was to craft a film that could stand alongside world cinema while staying true to Indian roots.

The narrative follows a young wife, Sumana, who feels alienated in her own marriage, set amid the rustic scenery of a Maharashtra village. Dawkhar confessed that before the film’s festival run, he was unsure whether audiences abroad would appreciate the cultural context. That uncertainty pushed him to study international screenplay structures and visual storytelling techniques.

During his time at Cannes, Dawkhar watched more than forty films in fifteen days, noting that many overseas critics tend to view Indian cinema through a narrow lens focused on social issues. "I wanted to show that India also has a proud, opulent culture worth celebrating on screen," he said. The director’s research extended to the screenplay, where he strived for a mystery that could be decoded easily while retaining the depth of Indian customs.

The film’s cast, including Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhor, Anuj Prabhu, Suresh Vishwakarma and Vitthal Kale, brings authenticity to the story. "Gondhal" now moves forward on the Oscar trail, representing a fresh voice from rural India on the global cinematic map.