Mindy Kaling Boards Her “Favorite Film of the Year” Oscar-Qualified Live Action Short film Anuja 

Emmy-nominated writer, Tony Award-winning producer, New York Times best-selling author, actor and National Medal of Arts recipient Mindy Kaling has joined the live-action short Anuja as producer. Kaling is best known for her starring role in the U.S. version of The Office, as well as her own show, The Mindy Project, and producing hits such as Never Have I Ever for Netflix and The Sex Lives of College Girls for HBO Max.  Kaling brings her expertise as a trailblazing force within the arts and entertainment industry and her work uplifting underrepresented voices, foregrounding stories of women and girls.

Anuja is the brainchild of the husband-and-wife team composed of philosopher-turned-filmmaker Adam J. Graves and the visual artist Suchitra Mattai. With Graves directing and Mattai producing, Anuja tells the story of a gifted 9-year-old girl, Anuja (Sajda Pathan), who works in a garment factory in Delhi, India. When she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend school, she is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision that will determine her and her sister Palak’s (Ananya Shanbhag) fate.

“My favorite film of the year is Anuja, the story of an extraordinary 9-year-old Indian girl and her sister. The genius filmmakers Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai have created something so special, and I’m honored to join as a producer,” said Kaling.

The film has momentum going into Oscar voting season, having won Best Live Action Short at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Audience Award at Montclair Film Festival, and the Grand Prize at the New York International Short Film Festival. In October, it was announced that Oscar-winning Indian powerhouse producer Guneet Monga Kapoor (The Elephant Whisperers, Period. End of Sentence) has also joined the film as an Executive Producer. 

“We are truly humbled by Mindy’s belief in the power of this story, and we can’t imagine a better partner to help carry Anuja forward,” said Mattai. Graves added, “We know that her own inspiring voice will help amplify the issues surrounding child labor and girls’ education and empower the film to make a more significant impact.”   

Kaling and Monga Kapoor’s support is complemented by the team from Shine Global (the nonprofit behind Oscar-nominated War/Dance and the Oscar-winning short documentary Inocente), Krushan Naik Films (Resurgence), and the India-based nonprofit Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT). Lead actress Sajda Pathan, whose own life experience parallels that of the character she portrays, currently lives in a SBT home that provides support for children who had been living and working on the streets of New Delhi. The film’s partnership with both Shine Global and SBT will support a campaign around the film focusing on child labor and girls’ education.

Along with actors Pathan and Shanbhag, the film also features popular award-winning Indian television actor, Nagesh Bhonsle, best known internationally for his supporting role as police deputy commissioner, “Vam” in Hotel Mumbai starring Dev Patel. Additional members of the producing team are Krushan Naik (Resurgence), Aaron Kopp (Saving Face, Liyana, Hunting Ground), and Alexandra Blaney (Co-CEO and Creative Director, Shine Global) who serve as producers on the film. Other team members include Susan MacLaury, Albie Hecht, Michael Graves and Ksheetij Saini.

You can make a donation to support Shine Global’s efforts using Anuja as a tool to combat child labor.

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About Shine Global
Shine Global is a non-profit media company that improves the lives of children by telling powerful stories to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about underserved children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on Capitol Hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.
Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Recent films include the documentary-animation hybrid Liyana, the hit documentary The Eagle Huntress, Through Our Eyes: Homefront which is available on HBOMax, the Ariel Award winner Home Is Somewhere Else, and Comedy Against the Odds which is currently in film festivals.

ABOUT SHINE GLOBAL’S RESILIENCE AWARDS
This annual event recognizes and celebrates the films and filmmakers that highlight the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity. The awards are open to films of any genre that showcase children overcoming challenges, such as poverty, violence, illness, and discrimination, and demonstrate their resilience, courage, and determination.