The 2026 Oscar selection season has brought another major moment for Indian cinema. Marathi film Gondhal, written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, has been selected as India’s official submission for the 99th Academy Awards, which will take place in 2027.
The film was selected from 33 Indian films submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category. The announcement was made by the Film Federation of India on September 18, 2026.
For movie fans searching for the India Oscar films list 2026, Indian films submitted for Oscars 2027, or the best Indian films that made it to the Oscars, here is the complete picture.
India Oscar 2026: Which Film Was Selected?
Gondhal
Gondhal is India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards, competing for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category.
Directed and written by Santosh Davakhar, the Marathi film is set in rural Maharashtra and unfolds over a night during the traditional Gondhal ritual.
The story follows Suman, a woman trapped in an oppressive marriage, whose relationship with a forbidden lover leads to a dangerous plan involving murder, escape and deception.
The film had its world premiere at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 2025, where Davakhar received the Silver Peacock for Best Director.
Importantly, being India’s official submission does not mean Gondhal is already an Oscar nominee. It must first go through the Academy’s International Feature Film selection process. The Academy will announce a shortlist before the final nominations.
Full India Oscar Films List 2026
The Film Federation of India considered 33 films for India’s submission for the 2027 Oscars.
The reported list included films from multiple Indian languages and industries, showing the range of Indian cinema that entered the selection process this year.
The 33 Films Submitted for Oscar 2027 Consideration
- Gondhal
- Dhurandhar
- Dhurandhar: The Revenge
- Haq
- 120 Bahadur
- Border 2
- Hanuman Ansh
- Main Vaapas Aaunga
- Peddi
- Ikkis
- Angh
- Balan The Boy
- Gandhi Talks
- Bison: Kaalamadan
- Shape of Momo
- Governor
- 2020 Delhi
- Pravas
- Man Aatale Manaatle
- Obsess
- Egwa
- Dug Dug
- Bhamardo
- Sing Geetham
- Tera Mera Nata
- Ladoo
- Ohh My Dog!
- Deool Band 2
- Tighi
- Irumudi
- Dorothy
- Khoonta
- Commando Vin Love Story
The selection field included films in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam and other Indian languages, along with a silent film. Reports differ slightly in how they classify some of the language categories, but the Film Federation of India confirmed the overall field at 33 submissions.
Which Indian Film Was Chosen for the Oscars 2027?
Gondhal was selected as India’s official submission.
The selection committee was chaired by P Sheshadri. After reviewing all 33 films, the committee selected the Marathi film for the International Feature Film category.
P Sheshadri said that the committee had watched all 33 films over a period of around 10 days. He also mentioned Angh and Ikkis among the other films discussed near the final selection.
Gondhal Oscar Journey
The Oscar journey for Gondhal can be understood in four stages:
India’s selection: Gondhal
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Academy International Feature Film shortlist: Pending
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Final Oscar nominations: Pending
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99th Academy Awards: March 14, 2027
The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled for March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Indian Films That Have Been Nominated for the Oscars
India has submitted films to the International Feature Film category for decades, but only three Indian submissions have received nominations in this category:
1. Mother India
Mother India, directed by Mehboob Khan, became the first Indian film to receive an Oscar nomination in the category in 1957.
Starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Raj Kumar and Raajendra Kumar, the film follows Radha, a woman who struggles to raise her family through poverty, hardship and social pressures.
It was India’s first major Oscar milestone in the International Feature category.
2. Salaam Bombay!
Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! became India’s second nominated film in the category.
Released in 1988, the film focuses on children living on the streets of Mumbai and follows Krishna, a young boy navigating an extremely difficult environment.
The film received international critical recognition and earned India’s second nomination in the category.
3. Lagaan
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Aamir Khan, became India’s third and most recent film to receive a nomination in the International Feature Film category.
The 2001 film combines colonial-era history, village life and cricket. Its story follows Indian villagers who challenge British officers to a cricket match to avoid an oppressive tax.
Lagaan received its Oscar nomination at the 74th Academy Awards.
Has Any Indian Film Won the Best International Feature Oscar?
No Indian submission has won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
India’s three nominated submissions, Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan, did not win the category.
However, Indian filmmakers, performers and technicians have won Academy Awards in other categories.
This distinction is important because headlines sometimes describe India as having “Oscar-winning films” when discussing films connected with Indian talent, but that is different from winning the International Feature Film category.
Indian Films and People Who Have Won Oscars
Indian cinema has nevertheless produced several Oscar-winning achievements.
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle, was a British production set in Mumbai rather than an Indian submission in the International Feature category.
The film won eight Oscars at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009.
Indian composer A.R. Rahman won two Oscars for the film:
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song for “Jai Ho”
Gulzar shared the Best Original Song award for “Jai Ho”, while Indian sound designer Resul Pookutty won for Best Sound Mixing.
The Elephant Whisperers
The Indian documentary short The Elephant Whisperers, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards.
The film follows the relationship between an indigenous couple and an orphaned elephant calf in Tamil Nadu.
RRR and Naatu Naatu
RRR, directed by S.S. Rajamouli, was not India’s International Feature submission.
However, its song “Naatu Naatu”, composed by M.M. Keeravaani with lyrics by Chandrabose, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 95th Oscars in 2023.
Indian Oscar History: Important Films
For readers searching for the best Indian films at the Oscars, it is useful to separate official International Feature submissions from films that won awards in other categories.
| Film | Year | Oscar connection |
|---|---|---|
| Mother India | 1957 | International Feature nominee |
| Salaam Bombay! | 1988 | International Feature nominee |
| Lagaan | 2001 | International Feature nominee |
| Slumdog Millionaire | 2009 | 8 Oscar wins |
| The Elephant Whisperers | 2023 | Documentary Short winner |
| RRR / Naatu Naatu | 2023 | Original Song winner |
| Gondhal | 2026 | India’s official submission for Oscars 2027 |
The Film Federation of India maintains the official historical list of India’s submissions to the Academy’s International Feature category.
Indian Oscar Submissions in Recent Years
India has sent films from several regional industries in recent years, showing how the country’s Oscar submissions have increasingly represented languages beyond Hindi.
Some recent official submissions include:
- Laapataa Ladies – Hindi, 2024
- 2018: Everyone Is a Hero – Malayalam, 2023
- Chhello Show – Gujarati, 2022
- Koozhangal – Tamil, 2021
- Jallikattu – Malayalam, 2020
- Gully Boy – Hindi, 2019
- Village Rockstars – Assamese, 2018
- Newton – Hindi, 2017
- Visaranai – Tamil, 2016
- Court – Marathi, 2015
These are official Indian submissions, not necessarily Oscar nominees. The distinction matters because selection by India is only the first stage of the Academy process.
Marathi Cinema and the Oscars
With Gondhal, Marathi cinema has now had four films selected as India’s official Oscar submission:
- Shwaas – 2005
- Harishchandrachi Factory – 2009
- Court – 2015
- Gondhal – 2026 for the 2027 Oscars
This makes Gondhal part of a longer history of Marathi films representing India at the Academy Awards.
Why Gondhal’s Oscar Selection Matters
Gondhal’s selection is notable for its distinctly regional setting and subject.
The film is rooted in rural Maharashtra and uses the traditional Gondhal ritual as a central narrative element. Instead of using the cultural practice simply as background, the film builds its story around the ritual and the characters participating in it.
Its selection also continues the recent pattern of India’s Oscar submissions coming from different regional film industries.
The current submission follows films from Malayalam, Gujarati, Tamil, Assamese, Marathi and other Indian-language cinemas in recent years.
India Oscars 2027 FAQs
Which Indian film has been selected for Oscars 2027?
Gondhal, the Marathi film written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, is India’s official submission for the 99th Academy Awards.
How many films were submitted for India’s Oscar selection in 2026?
The Film Federation of India considered 33 films for the 2027 Oscar submission.
Is Gondhal nominated for an Oscar?
Not yet. Gondhal is India’s official submission. The Academy still has to complete the International Feature Film shortlist and nomination process.
How many Indian films have been nominated for Best International Feature?
Three Indian submissions have received nominations in this category: Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan.
Has India won the Best International Feature Oscar?
No Indian submission has won the Best International Feature Film Oscar so far.
Which Indian movie has won the most Oscars?
Slumdog Millionaire won eight Academy Awards in 2009, although it was a British production and was not India’s International Feature submission.
Did RRR win an Oscar?
Yes. Naatu Naatu from RRR won Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023.
Did The Elephant Whisperers win an Oscar?
Yes. The Elephant Whisperers won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film in 2023.
Final Take
The 2026 India Oscar selection is led by Marathi film Gondhal, which has been chosen from 33 submissions as India’s official entry for the 2027 Oscars. Its selection adds another regional-language film to India’s long Oscar history.
Looking back, Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan remain India’s three International Feature nominees, while films and Indian talent associated with Slumdog Millionaire, The Elephant Whisperers and RRR have produced Oscar wins in other categories.
The next major milestone for Gondhal will be the Academy’s International Feature Film shortlist, followed by the final nominations. The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled for March 14, 2027
