Santosh Davakhar’s ‘Gondhal’ Earns International Recognition

Filmmaker Santosh Davakhar’s journey from working as a child labourer for ₹45 during 12-hour shifts to taking his Marathi film to the international stage has become an inspiring story of perseverance. His film ‘Gondhal’, rooted in Maharashtra’s traditional folk ritual and performance culture, won him the Best Director award at the Pune International Film Festival. Earlier, Davakhar also received the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 56th International Film Festival of India in 2025.

‘Gondhal’ has now been selected as India’s official entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The Film Federation of India selected the film from 33 submissions. Set in rural Maharashtra, the thriller unfolds against the backdrop of the traditional Gondhal ritual. For Davakhar, who built his filmmaking career through determination and self-learning, the Oscar selection marks a major milestone and gives regional Indian storytelling a global platform.