Anuja is a story of two sisters, working at an early age to fulfill those little desires they have. The 22-minute short film is written and directed by Adam J. Graves.

Anuja earned a nomination in the live-action short film category for the 97th Academy Awards. It has already been released on netflix on 5th february 2025. The movie’s theatrical release was on 17th august 2024.

Who are the lead roles in Anuja

Anuja

The lead role is played by a child actress named Sajda Pathan. She was abandoned by her parents, she and her older sister had to live on streets and beg for living. Her life took a positive turn when social workers from the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) rescued her and introduced her to their non-formal education program at the Yamuna Bazaar center. Anuja is not her debut movie, she has already worked in a french film “The Braid (La Tresse)” directed by Laetitia Colombani. As of now, Sajda resides at SBT’s Day Care Center, continuing her education and acting pursuits.

Ananya Shanbhag

Ananya Shanbhag is a 17-year-old performing artist and actress from Mumbai, India. She is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer with over 10 years of experience. She completed her schooling at NSVK High School in Bangalore and pursued higher education at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. Anuja is her debut movie.

What is Anuja the 22-minute short film about?

Anuja is a movie on two foster sisters working in a textile factory. They earn through sewing clothes and helping in other ways. The younger sister Anuja, played by Sajda Pathaan is an exceptionaly talented and smart girl. She lives with her sister named Palak, played by Ananya Shanbhag, who sews clothes at the factory.

Nine-year-old Anuja works in a garment factory with her older sister, Palak. Their life is tough, but they support each other. One day, Anuja’s sharp mind catches the attention of a former teacher, Mr. Mishra. He offers her a chance to join a top boarding school, if she passes the entrance exam.

But there’s a problem. The factory manager, Mr. Verma, doesn’t want to lose her. He threatens to fire Palak if Anuja leaves. Now, she has to choose between her future and her sister’s future.

Palak won’t let Anuja give up. She stitches tote bags from leftover fabric and sells them for much more than expected and raises enough money to pay for the exam.

The movie ends with Anuja being unsure what to choose but watching the film you’ll understand that there are high chances of her choosing to stay back and help her sister. She won’t leave her sister alone in those unwilling situations.

What is the learning from Anuja

This 22-minute short film teaches you life lessons worth remembering forever.

• The two foster children were happy without much going on in their lives.
• Those two little sisters backed each other as strong pillars.
• The smiles on their faces were so pure, as if they had an easy and stress-free life. TRUE HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHIN.

They had dreams and were working towards them, not worrying about what would happen next. Their lives were super uncertain, but their minds were focused. This focus is something our generation has lost entirely, and getting it back seems difficult. We should learn how these two grew stronger together in those impossinnle situations.