#IFFIWood, 27 November 2025

At the IFFI press conference today, the Marathi film ‘Gondhal’ transported the audience straight into the thundering drums, swirling skirts and divine fervour of Maharashtra’s iconic midnight ritual. Director Santosh Davakhar and actor Kishor Bhanudas Kadam shared how an ancient folk performance, usually staged as an act of devotion, became the spine of a gripping tale of desire, deception and escape.

Gondhal as the Language of Cinema

Opening the conversation, Santosh explained that the film is rooted directly in the Gondhal folklore, an artform he describes as “a culture slowly disappearing before our eyes.” For him, the movie is not just a thriller; it is an act of cultural preservation.

“We tried to hold on to a tradition that is fading,” he said. “There are countless rural cultural elements in Maharashtra, and Gondhal is one of its most powerful expressions. Despite all the obstacles during production, our team believed in protecting that heritage.”

Actor Kishor Kadam brought his own memories to the table. “I grew up taking part in Gondhal in my village. This isn’t just a dance, it’s a community coming alive,” he recalled. With nostalgia in his voice, he spoke about all-night performances where neighbours gathered, prayed, and celebrated together. Calling the film’s narrative choice “a deeply cinematic thought,” he highlighted how the rituals themselves become the vehicle of storytelling. “In a traditional Gondhal, the performance after marriage is a prayer for a trouble-free life. In the film, the story itself is told through the songs and rituals. That’s a brilliant cinematic idea and the credit goes entirely to the director.”

Kishor also opened up about the artistic process behind embodying such a rooted character. “The trick is to unlearn,” he said. “As actors, we can’t step onto the set thinking about our craft or our experience. The script tells you everything. Sometimes the director just wants you to say the line, because the emotion already lives in the words. You don’t always have to act.”

Preserving Tradition in Every Frame and Setting a Benchmark for Marathi Cinema

For Santosh, ‘Gondhal’ is deeply personal. He remembers attending the performances with his grandparents, when food was cooked collectively, the lighting was raw, and only four instruments accompanied the songs. “Today, caterers come in, keyboards play alongside traditional instruments, and the lighting is staged,” he reflected. “I wanted to capture the original Gondhal for the future generations.”

Filming the story over a single night helped keep the budget grounded, he added. “We didn’t have to change costumes, and that helped. But it also stayed true to the authentic Gondhal experience.”

Santosh also spoke candidly about the evolving taste of Indian audiences. With Marathi viewers having easy access to Hindi films, he believes regional cinema must consistently deliver quality. “We need to set a benchmark,” he said. “If the audience pays for a ticket, they deserve a film worth that value.”

He praised the Maharashtra government’s initiatives for supporting filmmakers but highlighted the limitations of stagnating budgets. “Without higher budgets, production value suffers. To tell stories well, compromises shouldn’t be made at the script level,” he said, pointing to the success of South Indian cinema as inspiration.

What emerged from the conversation was clear: ‘Gondhal’ is not merely a film. It connects past and present, ritual and realism, memory and modernity. As the director and actor peeled back layers of the creative process, the press conference felt less like a media event and more like a tribute to an artform fighting to breathe, and to a culture determined not to be forgotten.

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About IFFI

Born in 1952, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) stands tall as South Asia’s oldest and largest celebration of cinema. Jointly hosted by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), State Government of Goa, the festival has grown into a global cinematic powerhouse—where restored classics meet bold experiments, and legendary maestros share space with fearless first-timers. What makes IFFI truly sparkle is its electric mix—international competitions, cultural showcases, masterclasses, tributes, and the high-energy WAVES Film Bazaar, where ideas, deals and collaborations take flight. Staged against Goa’s stunning coastal backdrop from November 20–28, the 56th edition promises a dazzling spectrum of languages, genres, innovations, and voices—an immersive celebration of India’s creative brilliance on the world stage.

For more information, click on:

IFFI Website: https://www.iffigoa.org/

PIB’s IFFI Microsite: https://www.pib.gov.in/iffi/56/

PIB IFFIWood Broadcast Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEiBaML2AU6gnzWOm3F

X Handles: @IFFIGoa, @PIB_India, @PIB_Panaji

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PIB IFFI CAST AND CREW | Ritu Shukla/Nikita Joshi/ Sreeshma K/Darshana Rane | IFFI 56 - 094