Gondhal: Sacred Obsession, Indian Cinema's Oscar Hope Steps onto the World Stage

From the heart of India to the world stage.

That's how Gondhal's team has introduced the film's new campaign line: Gondhal – Sacred Obsession. It's a short post, but it signals something big. India's official entry to the 99th Academy Awards is now officially in campaign mode.

Why "Sacred Obsession" works

Gondhal is a story about faith, culture and obsession, set over a single night of a traditional Maharashtrian folk ritual. Its central characters are pulled into a dangerous game where devotion and desire collide.

"Sacred Obsession" captures that in two words. For international voters who've never heard of a Gondhal, it explains the film's emotional core instantly: something holy, and something that consumes you. That's smart Oscar marketing.

The team behind it

• Writer-director-producer: Santosh Davakhar, under Davakhar Films

• Cast: Ishitaa Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu

• Music: Ilaiyaraaja

The campaign post tags every one of them, and it should. This is a small, independent regional film taking on the biggest stage in cinema.

Where things stand

• The Film Federation of India picked Gondhal on 18 September 2026 as India's entry for Best International Feature Film, from 33 submissions.

• The film premiered at IFFI in Goa in 2025, where Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director.

• It returns to cinemas across India on 13 November, in six languages.

We broke down the full story of the film and that big release in our Gondhal explainer.

What an Oscar campaign actually needs

Being selected is only step one. The next stage is getting Academy members to actually watch the film. That means screenings, buzz, press, word of mouth and a clear identity. A strong campaign line like "Sacred Obsession" is part of building that identity.

Indian audiences can help too. Big turnouts on 13 November create headlines, and headlines create curiosity.

My ask is simple. Watch it in a theatre. Talk about it. Indian cinema rarely gets this kind of shot, and a Marathi folk thriller with an Ilaiyaraaja score deserves every bit of support it can get.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gondhal: Sacred Obsession?

It is the title line used in Gondhal's Oscar campaign. Gondhal is the Marathi thriller selected as India's official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.

Who is in Gondhal?

The film is written and directed by Santosh Davakhar and features Ishitaa Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu, with music by Ilaiyaraaja.

When does Gondhal release across India?

Gondhal releases pan-India on 13 November in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.