Mumbai, September 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Filmmaker Santosh Davakhar says his Marathi thriller Gondhal was made with a clear aim — to present India’s rich culture, heritage and traditions to international audiences through a cinematic lens.
The film has been selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars, bringing the Marathi production into the international spotlight.
Speaking about his approach to the film, Davakhar said he was initially uncertain about how audiences would respond but remained focused on creating a film with international appeal.
“To be honest, I didn’t know if people will like this film or not. My first priority was that I have to make this film internationally,” he said.
Davakhar recalled attending Cannes and other international film festivals, where he observed that Indian cinema was often associated with themes such as poverty and casteism.
“This is an important issue in India. But apart from that, India has a rich heritage, a proud culture. And I wanted to represent that culture in a cinematic way,” he said.
The filmmaker said his exposure to international cinema also influenced his approach to filmmaking. During a 15-day stay at Cannes, he watched more than 40 films, studying different styles of storytelling and filmmaking.
“When I was in Cannes, I used to watch three-four films a day. In 15 days, I have watched more than 40 films. So that page automatically develops. And if you want to make an international film, your making should also be according to that,” he said.
Davakhar also undertook extensive research while developing the screenplay, aiming to make the mystery-thriller accessible while retaining the richness of Indian rituals.
“I have done a lot of research on that. I have also done a lot of research on screenplay. And I have given people a thriller mystery in a very simple way. And along with that, I have also given a richness of rituals,” he said.
Gondhal stars Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir, Anuj Prabhu, Suresh Vishwakarma and Vitthal Kale.
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