Anuja

Anuja has been attracting a lot of attention recently due to its Oscar shortlisting and Priyanka Chopra's fame. As expected, it's a heart-wrenching story that reflects the struggle of a 9-year-old girl who is not even mature enough to make those choices. Perhaps that uncertainty is what makes it special.

The short film tells the story of a nine-year-old girl, Anuja (Sajda Pathan), who works in a factory. When questioned about her age by a school teacher who wants to take the opportunity to help her get an education, she claims that she is 14. Despite lying to his face, the teacher still gives her the choice to come back to school and take her exam. Anuja has a caring sister, Palak (Ananya Shanbhag), who is the only person Anuja might listen to.

Palak wants Anuja to become educated and build a bright future that she couldn't achieve for herself, which is also what their mother desired. Yet, she is unable to persuade Anuja to go and take the exam, but who knows if Anuja might listen to her. As promised to her sister, Anuja has to go to the exam, albeit reluctantly. At the same time, the factory owner offers her a job after noticing her remarkable talent for math. Will Anuja be able to make a choice at such a young age?

Anuja ends abruptly, feeling somewhat incomplete, but that uncertainty about Anuja's character actually makes it a complete film. It runs for 20-21 minutes and, therefore, feels short, which may explain why I couldn't feel any significant impact. Yet, it is absorbing enough to make you think about it for a moment.

The main reason for this age is that the story resonates with millions of girls across the world. They are too small to make choices, and maybe that's why they have remained backward and poor for years. Some girls don't even get that rare chance, and those who do fail to understand what it means. There is not much special about it other than mirroring some bitter facts of society.

Sajda Pathan was natural, and it is not a typical act that can be judged as a "performance." She is not even an actor, so it would be unfair to assess her acting. It's all about her screen presence, and the same goes for Ananya Shanbhag. Nagesh Bhosle was fine as the factory owner, and Gulshan Walia was decent in the two or three frames in which he appears. The rest of the cast hardly appears enough to be noticed.

Adam Graves' simple formula of human emotions without dramatic conflicts makes it a decent watch. There is a lot of hype surrounding this project in India, so I'd like to say, "cool down, guys. There is nothing out there for you to hype." Watch Anuja just to understand the problem that has existed for years, and many of us are already familiar with it. We have had many independent shorts and documentaries about the same. It's just that one "burning" moment at the end that might stay with you. You can skip the rest of the show, but what's there to skip in 20 minutes?

A comparably shorter review should suffice for this extremely well made short film of 20 minutes or so. It transmits its message with amazing artistic clarity and leaves a strong impact on the audience through the sheer simplicity of its narrative. It has an authentic feel and vibe to it. Go ahead and watch it.

The plot is fairly simple. Anuja is a nine year old girl from the slums who works in a garment factory along with her elder sister. They share an affectionate bond and seek happiness from small things of everyday life. Watch them eating sweets or watching a movie over popcorn. Anuja is good in maths and her factory manager offers her a better paying position in his office. At around the same time the local school teacher asks her to join school. She has to now choose money through employment or education through school. A tough choice for her to make.

Everything about this movie is first rate without doubt and no surprises if it picks up the Oscar next month.

"Anuja" is a short film that, even with its brief 23 minutes, manages to leave a deep mark. It doesn't rely on big speeches or melodrama to make an impact; it trusts the strength of its simple narrative and the authenticity of the emotions it carries. What makes it so powerful is precisely that simplicity: by focusing on the relationship between two orphaned sisters working in a garment factory, it creates an intimate, honest portrait of the fight for survival in a world where childhood is a luxury few can afford.

The film's biggest strength lies in how it builds the bond between Anuja (Sajda Pathan) and Palak (Ananya Shanbhag). Their dynamic feels genuine, full of small gestures that reveal the affection and deep connection they share, even in the face of adversity. It's in the little things-the joy of sharing a jalebi, the excitement when talking about movies, the quiet care woven into the harsh routine of the factory-that the story gains depth. Their relationship isn't idealized; it's raw, real, built on sacrifices and tough choices, which makes the drama hit even harder. Pathan and Shanbhag's performances are stunning, especially considering they come from outside the professional acting world. They carry the film with a natural ease that avoids the trap of over-rehearsed performances, making the pain and hope of their characters feel almost tangible.

Narratively, "Anuja" makes an interesting choice by focusing more on the protagonist's internal conflict rather than on big external confrontations. The factory supervisor, while clearly an antagonist, isn't portrayed as a caricature. He's less of a standalone villain and more of a symbol of a system that keeps the cycle of poverty and exploitation going. The real struggle is inside Anuja's mind: choosing between an uncertain future full of possibilities or the fragile security of the present, where she can stay close to her sister. The film never forces an answer on the viewer, which is one of its greatest strengths. The open ending isn't lazy storytelling; on the contrary, it forces the audience to carry that choice with them, reflecting on the weight of decisions that many children are forced to make every day.

Visually, the film embraces a restrained, almost documentary-like aesthetic. The camera stays close, with minimal movement and simple compositions, which reinforces the intimate tone. The color palette is muted, reflecting the oppressive environment of the factory, but there are moments when the warmth of natural light-like in outdoor scenes or when the sisters share small moments of joy-hints at a spark of hope amid the harshness of daily life. This minimalist approach keeps the film from slipping into visual sensationalism that could undercut the story's emotional weight. The realism is there to serve the narrative, not to glamorize the suffering.

What also stands out is how the script handles the theme of child labor. "Anuja" isn't a film trying to deliver an obvious moral lesson or offer simplistic solutions to a complex problem. It shows, without filters, how the system fails these children-but it does so through their lived experience, not from some distant, condescending viewpoint. The specific focus-the tension between the right to education and the need to work-is universal, but it never feels generic. Every decision, every line of dialogue feels grounded in the concrete reality of these characters, making the story both specific and universally relatable.

Ultimately, there's something profoundly human in how the film deals with the idea of hope. Instead of presenting it as some abstract concept or an easy reward, "Anuja" shows hope as a difficult choice, one that demands courage and, often, sacrifice. It's a film that embodies the kind of cinema that understands emotional impact doesn't come from grand gestures, but from the honesty with which a story is told. That said, "Anuja" is a reminder that cinema can be powerful even when it whispers-and that sometimes, the smallest films carry the loudest voices.

I think it's important that people from the west see movies or stories like this. Not to feel sorry or superior but It gives a better understanding of the life of poor people in India. For many people here in the west it's very hard to understand why the people are in a situation like this and stories like this help to get an idea of true life India and how hard it can be for the not fortunate ones. Helping the poor in India might increase if more people with money and a conscience would understand. Thank you for this movie and your awesome work. All the best to the organisation and its protégés!

An exceptional short that focuses on child labour in India. The writing was so good from the starting point until the last shot. The ending is left for us to choose what Anuja should do. Obviously she should go attend that exam. That moment could be life changing.

This short also depicts sisterhood, moral agency and difficult choices born of poverty.

The Cinematography of this short creates a very authentic visual that is raw and natural. Kudos to Akash Raje.

The acting performances were top-notch. Sajda Pathan was outstanding. A real-life former child laborer discovered by the Salaam Baalak Trust. Huge respect. Ananya Shanbhag was amazing too. A real-life factory worker. Huge respect to her too.

Excellent short but the ending could have been straight forward though so that many people get motivated from it.