
Anuja
2025 Oscar Nominee for Best Live Action Short
Anuja follows a gifted nine-year-old girl and her 17-year-old sister, Palak, as they work in a garment factory in Delhi, India. When a teacher offers Anuja a chance to attend an elite boarding school, the sisters must navigate challenges that test their resilience and bond, culminating in a decision faced by countless young girls worldwide.
Impact
Anuja explores themes of child labor and girls’ education:
- 1 in 10 children worldwide is in child labor
- In the beginning of 2020, a total of 160 million children were in child labour – an increase for the first time in 20 years
- 79 million children were in hazardous work that directly endangers their health, safety and moral development.
- Worldwide, 129 million girls are out of school.
- When we invest in girls’ secondary education:
- The lifetime earnings of girls dramatically increase
- National growth rates rise
- Child marriage rates decline
- Child mortality rates fall
- Maternal mortality rates fall
- Child stunting drops
Anuja was researched and filmed in partnership with the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), a nonprofit founded by the family of acclaimed director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay!). SBT provides food, shelter, and education to thousands of street and working children. The lead role of Anuja is played by Sajda Pathan, who resides in a SBT home for girls who were formerly living on the streets of Delhi.
WINNER Best Live Action Short 2024 HollyShorts Film Festival
WINNER Grand Prize 2024 New York International Film Festival
WINNER Audience Award Short Film 2024 Montclair Film Festival
WINNER Best Cinematography 2024 HollyShorts London Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 deadCenter Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Indy Shorts International Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Yellow Barn Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Tasveer Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Naples International Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Sulmona International Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 St. Louis International Film Festival
Official Selection 2024 Foyle Film Festival
Credits
KEY CAST
Sajda Pathan – Anuja
Ananya Shanbhag – Palak
Nagesh Bhonsle – Mr. Verma
Gulshan Walia – Mr. Mishra
Writer & director
Adam J. Graves
Producers
Suchitra Mattai
Mindy Kaling
Guneet Monga Kapoor
Krushan Naik
Michael Graves
Aaron Kopp
Ksheetij Saini
Alexandra Blaney
Executive ProducerS
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Michael Christopher Graves
Anita Bhatia
Co-Executive Producers
Susan MacLaury
Albie Hecht
Archana M. Jain
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Akash Raje
EditorS
Krushan Naik
Adam J. Graves
Community Consultants
Sunita Bhadauria
Devika Sharma
Pankaj Gupta
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Fabrizio Mancinelli
Produced in association with Shine Global
- Netflix Acquires Oscar-Shortlisted Short Film Anuja
- Shine Global’s powerful short film ANUJA shortlisted for the 97th Academy® Awards
- Mindy Kaling Boards Her “Favorite Film of the Year” Oscar-Qualified Live Action Short film Anuja
- Shine Global Announces Daughters as Grand Prize Winner of 2024 Resilience Awards