'It Means The Whole World’: Renuka Shahane On Gondhal Being India’s Official Oscar 2027 Entry | Exclusive

India’s official entry for the Oscars 2027 is Gondhal, a Marathi film, nearly a decade after Court (2014). Renuka Shahane, in an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, has spoken about it. The first Marathi film to be India’s official entry for the Oscars was Shwaas in 2005, and ever since, only two more films went before Gondhal, which became the fourth Marathi film to be selected as India’s official Oscar entry.

Speaking about what it means for Marathi cinema,Renuka Shahane told us, “It means the whole world because phir baaki sabka nazariya badalta hai, log zyada utsahit hote hain apna kaam karne ke liye as an industry. (It means the whole world because then everyone’s perspective changes, and people in the industry become more excited to do

their work.)”

The actor further continued and shared, “So, we are rooting for Gondhal. Woh jeetegi toh maza aa jayega. (It’ll be great if it wins.)”

What Is Gondhal About?

Set in rural Maharashtra, the film revolves around Suman, played by Ishita Deshmukh. She is married to Anand, played by Yogesh Sohoni, but her marriage is far from happy. Suman is in love with Sahebrao, also known as Murali, played by Anuj Prabhu, a Gondhali performer. She wants to get out of her marriage and eventually comes up with a dangerous plan.

Anand’s cousin Sarjerao, played by Nishad Bhoir, becomes an important part of that plan. Suman uses his obsession and emotions to push him towards killing Anand, hoping this will clear the way for her escape with Sahebrao.

All of this plays out against a midnight Gondhal ceremony, where music, dance, devotion and superstition are all unfolding at the same time. So, while the ritual is going on outside, there is an entirely different kind of drama playing out within the family.

When Was Gondhal Released?

The film was released theatrically in Maharashtra on November 14, 2025. Its teaser had arrived earlier, on October 10, 2025, and was released with Kantara: Chapter 1 in selected cinemas.

It also had a strong run at the Filmfare Awards. At the Filmfare Awards Marathi 2026, Gondhal won in several technical and debut categories. The film won Best Screenplay for Santosh Davakhar, Best Background Score for Ilaiyaraaja, Best Sound Design for Jayesh Dhakan and Best Cinematography for Amalendu Chaudhary. It also won Best Debut Male for Nishad Bhoir and Best Debut Female for Ishita Deshmukh.