Marathi film Gondhal has been chosen as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. Directed by Santosh Davakhar, the film will represent India in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.

The Film Federation of India (FFI) announced the selection on Friday, with Gondhal emerging from a field of 33 submissions. The selection marks a significant moment for the Marathi film industry as the movie heads into the international awards race.

Addressing the media at a press conference, P Sheshadri, chairperson of the FFI selection committee, said that"This year we've had four Marathi films, 14 Hindi films, and others films, all the films were good. It's a happy moment for Indian cinema, for Marathi cinema. This time the official entry is Gondhal. We've watched 33 films in last ten days of different languages. There were many other good films for which we were debating about. Angh and Ikkis were in top three list apart from Gondhal."

Written and directed by Davakhar, Gondhal is set in rural Maharashtra and unfolds over the course of a single night. At the heart of the story are the traditional Gondhal ritual and a newly married couple, around whom the film’s events unfold.

The film features Ishita Deshmukh, Kishor Kadam, Yogesh Sohani, Nishad Bhoir and Anuj Prabhu in key roles. Adding to the film’s musical appeal, veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja has scored the music for Gondhal.