Oscars 2027 India Entry: Why Marathi film Gondhal was chosen over Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar and Diljit Dosanjh’s Main Vaapas Aaunga?
The Academy Awards 2027: Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar missed India’s Oscars 2027 entry despite its huge box-office success. Jury member Vivek Vaswani reveals why Marathi film Gondhal was chosen over Dhurandhar and Main Vaapas Aaunga.
Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar may have been one of the biggest Hindi blockbusters of the year, but its box-office success was not enough to take it to the Oscars. Despite being among the films considered by the Film Federation of India (FFI) jury for India’s official entry to the 2027 Academy Awards, Dhurandhar received only four votes from the 14-member jury.
The film, directed by Aditya Dhar, and its sequel Dhurandhar: The Revenge, were both among the titles considered for the prestigious international race. However, when it came to choosing the one film that would officially represent India, the jury looked beyond popularity and commercial numbers.
Why Dhurandhar Didn't Make It To The Oscars Final Entry?Jury member Vivek Vaswani has now opened up about the decision. Vaswani was part of the 14-member FFI jury that selected the Marathi film Gondhal as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, to be held in 2027. Speaking about Dhurandhar, Vaswani revealed that the film received just four votes. When asked why the Ranveer Singh-led film did not make the cut despite its huge success, his answer was straightforward.
“Couple of people liked it but we didn't think it was Oscar material,” Vaswani said.
The comment highlights an important difference between box-office success and Oscar selection. A film can dominate theatres, attract a massive audience and become a commercial phenomenon, but the jury's task is to decide which film can work as India's representative on an international platform.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Was Also In The Final RaceAditya Dhar's Dhurandhar was not the only major Hindi film that came close. Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga was also among the final three films considered by the jury, alongside Gondhal and the Naga film Angh. Vaswani explained that Main Vaapas Aaunga dealt with the trauma of war and Partition between India and Pakistan. He stressed that the film was not intended to be anti-India or anti-Pakistan. However, the jury had concerns about whether an India-Pakistan subject would connect with audiences in the United States.
“We thought anything to do with India-Pakistan may not resonate with the audience in America,” Vaswani said, comparing the situation to Israel sending an anti-Palestine film.
He also praised the sensitivity with which Imtiaz Ali handled the subject, saying the film was about the trauma of war rather than taking an anti-Pakistan or anti-India position. Still, it did not receive enough votes.
How Gondhal Won The Jury's ConfidenceThe final decision came down to Gondhal, Angh and Main Vaapas Aaunga. Vaswani revealed that Angh received 11 of the 14 votes. Gondhal, however, ultimately received a unanimous vote from the jury.
Directed and written by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal is a thriller-drama rooted in Maharashtra's traditional Gondhal ritual and folk-performance culture. Its strong connection with Indian traditions and cultural identity became an important part of its appeal. The film stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu, while legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja's music adds another layer to the film's atmosphere.
The film's selection also gives Marathi cinema another opportunity on the international stage. Earlier, Shwaas (2004), Harishchandrachi Factory (2009) and Court (2015) had been selected as India's official Oscar entries.
Dhurandhar's Oscar Journey Is Not Necessarily OverWhile Dhurandhar did not become India's official Oscar entry, that does not automatically mean the film has no chance of reaching the Academy Awards. India's official entry is submitted through the FFI's selection process, but films can also pursue the Academy through other qualifying routes. RRR, for instance, was not India's official International Feature Film submission but eventually won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
For now, however, India's official representative is Gondhal. The jury's decision shows that when the Oscar entry is selected, a film's box-office power is only one part of a much bigger conversation one that includes storytelling, cultural identity and how the film can speak to an international audience