What is Gondhal pooja? Kantara-like Marathi ritual behind India's 2027 Oscar film entry where people dance in a night-long celebration to invoke deities

Marathi thriller Gondhal has been selected as India's official entry for the 2027 Oscars. The film is set during a night-long Gondhal ritual in rural Maharashtra, a traditional form of music, dance and deity worship. Here's what Gondhal pooja is, how the ritual is performed and whether the film can be compared with Kantara.