The filmmaker is hoping to come back next year to the National Film Awards with the Ranveer Singh film as Article 370 gets a lot of recognition, he says.
Mumbai: Aditya Dhar, the director of the blockbuster movie Dhurandhar, has said that his film might make a comeback at the National Film Awards next year, after his Ranveer Singh-led movie was unable to secure the nomination as India’s official film for the 99th edition of the Academy Awards in 2027.
Dhar made the remark while attending the 72nd National Film Awards in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, alongside his wife and actor Yami Gautam Dhar, who received the Best Actress honour for her performance in Article 370.
Asked about Dhurandhar at the ceremony, Dhar kept the focus on Article 370 while indicating that there could be another occasion to discuss his blockbuster film at the National Awards.
“We are here for Article 370. We will discuss Dhurandhar, hopefully, if we come next year also, but today it’s all about Article 370,” Dhar said.
His remark has drawn attention to Dhurandhar’s prospects at the next edition of the National Film Awards, for which the film is expected to be eligible.
Article 370 Earns Major National Recognition
The occasion was particularly significant for Dhar and Gautam, with Article 370 receiving major recognition at the National Film Awards.
The political action drama won Best Feature Film, while Yami Gautam Dhar was named Best Actress for her performance. Composer Shashwat Sachdev also received recognition for the film’s music.
For Gautam, the honour marked her first National Film Award.
Speaking about the recognition, the actor described the National Award as one of the highest forms of validation an artist can receive and said she was still absorbing the significance of the moment.
The recognition also adds another National Award milestone to Dhar’s career. He had earlier received the National Film Award for Best Director for Uri: The Surgical Strike.
Dhurandhar Misses India’s Official Oscar Entry
Dhar’s comments come shortly after Dhurandhar was considered in the selection process for India’s official entry to the 2027 Academy Awards.
The Film Federation of India ultimately selected filmmaker Santosh Davakhar’s Marathi film Gondhal as India’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
The selection committee considered 33 films across multiple Indian languages before choosing Gondhal.
According to jury member Vivek Vaswani, Dhurandhar received four votes from the 14-member jury during the selection process.
Vaswani said that while some jury members liked the film, the panel did not consider it suitable for India’s official Oscar submission. His remarks represented the jury’s assessment during the selection process rather than a broader judgment on the film.
Gondhal Chosen to Represent India at Oscars 2027
Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, Gondhal is set against the backdrop of the traditional Gondhal folk ritual in rural Maharashtra.
The film had previously premiered in the Indian Panorama section at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), where Davakhar received the Silver Peacock for Best Director.
Its selection means Gondhal will represent India in the race for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
Focus Now Shifts to Dhurandhar’s National Awards Prospects
While missing India’s official Oscar submission ended one awards route for Dhurandhar, Dhar’s latest comments have shifted attention towards the film’s potential presence at the National Film Awards in 2027.
No National Film Award nomination or win for Dhurandhar has been announced, and Dhar’s remark was an expression of hope rather than confirmation of future recognition.
For now, the filmmaker is celebrating the National Award success of Article 370, while Dhurandhar remains among his most prominent recent projects.
With Dhar saying he hopes to return to the ceremony next year, attention will now turn to whether Dhurandhar features when the next National Film Awards are announced.
