Stories
Two Indian Films Eye Oscars: Gondhal is Official Entry, Angh Qualifies via TIFF Win
- •India's official Oscar entry for the 2027 Academy Awards is the Marathi film Gondhal, selected by the Film Federation of India.
- •Another Indian film, Angh, has also qualified for Oscar consideration in the International Feature Film category due to a new Academy rule.
- •Angh, a Naga film directed by Theja Rio, won the Platform Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 20, 2026, providing a separate qualification route.
- •The Academy's updated rules for the 99th Oscars allow non-English films winning specific festival awards, like TIFF's Platform Award, to be considered without being a country's official submission.
- •Both Gondhal and Angh can potentially be considered for the International Feature Film category, with the 15-film shortlist to be announced on December 15, 2026.
Key Questions Answered
Angh qualified for Oscar consideration after winning the Platform Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 20, 2026. Under the Academy's updated rules for the 99th Oscars, winning the Platform Award provides a separate route to international feature film eligibility alongside traditional country submissions.
The Film Federation of India selected the Marathi film Gondhal, directed by Santosh Davakhar, as India's official submission for the 99th Academy Awards on September 18, 2026. The film takes its name from a traditional all-night Maharashtrian ritual involving music, drumming, and dance.
Yes, two Indian films can be in contention at the same time. Gondhal remains India's official submission, while Angh qualified separately through its TIFF festival win, allowing both films to be considered in the International Feature Film category without competing against each other for the country nomination.
