The buzz that Dhurandhar would land India’s Oscar slot was louder than a drum solo at a Bollywood premiere. Yet, behind the glitter, the 14‑member jury withheld a decisive nod.
Vivek Vaswani, one of the panelists, spilled the beans on NDTV: the film got a mere four votes. That’s as light as a single clap in a stadium full of cheers.
The verdict wasn’t about box‑office numbers or fanfare. “It didn’t capture the cultural essence we were looking for,” Vaswani said, hinting that the jury sought a story that would resonate on a global stage.
Enter Gondhal, a Marathi thriller steeped in the traditional Gondhal ritual. With a score by Ilaiyaraaja and a cast that includes Kishor Kadam and Ishita Deshmukh, the film struck a cultural chord that the jury found compelling.
It’s not the first time Marathi cinema has been the chosen voice. Shwaas (2004), Harishchandrachi Factory (2009) and Court (2015) all carried India to the Oscars in their own right.
But the Dhurandhar saga isn’t over. Like RRR, the film can still pursue a separate entry for the International Feature Film category, keeping hope alive for fans.
So, while the 2027 Oscars will feature Gondhal’s folk‑drama, the high‑speed world of Dhurandhar remains in the queue, waiting for its own moment to shine on the global stage.