Director Santosh Davakhar recently spoke about his vision for Gondhal following its selection as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards. His primary objective was to highlight India’s diverse and vibrant cultural identity to viewers worldwide.
Davakhar noted that his past participation in international film festivals heavily influenced how he approached the project. Through the medium of cinema, he sought to bring traditional Indian customs and cultural depth to the forefront.
The Marathi-language thriller uniquely weaves together suspenseful mystery elements and age-old Indian rituals.

