Director Santosh Davakhar Hits Back at Anurag Kashyap Over Oscar Pick

Santosh Davakhar, the director of India's official Oscar entry Gondhal, has hit back at filmmaker Anurag Kashyap after Kashyap criticized the selection. Davakhar revealed on social media that the two met on an April 26 flight from Bengaluru to Mumbai, where Kashyap admitted he had not seen the film. Davakhar noted the movie has not been publicly available or screened in Mumbai since then, asking viewers to watch the psychological thriller in theatres rather than judging it early.

Kashyap's Objections

Anurag Kashyap questioned the choice by arguing India misses chances to send films with better global reach, citing movies like The Lunchbox and All We Imagine as Light as past snubs. Kashyap argued that an Oscar contender needs prior international festival exposure or an American distributor to avoid wasting money on screenings and ads. He suggested the National Film Development Corporation should help send regional winners to global festivals first, noting Gondhal won the Silver Peacock for Best Director at the 2025 International Film Festival of India.

Film Details

Written and directed by debut filmmaker Davakhar, Gondhal blends Marathi culture with a global appeal as a psychological thriller set over one night during a traditional Gondhal ritual. The movie features a cast including Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, and Yogesh Sohoni, with music scored by Ilaiyaraaja. Originally released on November 14, 2025, the film is planning a theatrical re-release to build support before its Academy Award campaign for the 99th Oscars.