Hollywood stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Mindy Kaling, and Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga are elated at the Academy Award nomination of their short film 'Anuja' in the Live Action Short category.
The film, set in New Delhi, is directed by Adam J Graves and Suchitra Mattai. It is nominated along with "A Lien," "I'm Not a Robot," "The Last Ranger," and "The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent" in the category at the Oscars 2025.
The nominations for the upcoming award ceremony, which were twice postponed earlier this month due to wildfires in Los Angeles, were announced by comedians Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott on Thursday.
"Anuja" follows a gifted nine-year-old Anuja, who must make a choice between education and factory work alongside her sister — a decision that will shape both their futures. It stars Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag. Monga serves as an executive producer on the film, with Mindy Kaling taking on the role of producer. Recently, Priyanka Chopra Jonas also came on board as an executive producer.
"Yaaaay! 'Anuja' is heading to the 2025 Oscars as a nominee for Best Live Action Short Film! Incredible! Thank you to @theacademy for the amazing honour," Priyanka posted on Instagram.
"It's an honour for @purplepebblepictures and I to be a small part of this film’s journey alongside our amazing partners @suchitramattaistudio, @mindykaling, @guneetmonga, and @shine.global," she added.
Kaling hailed "Anuja" as a story of "resilience, sisterhood, and hope." "We're incredibly honoured to be nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Academy Awards 2025... It has been such an honour to produce this short film and learn from the artists involved. So proud @kalinginternational gets to be a part!" she wrote on Instagram.
"Anuja" is produced in collaboration with the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), a non-profit founded by filmmaker Mira Nair's family to support street and working children, alongside Shine Global, and Krushan Naik Films.
Monga, who earlier produced the 2023 Academy Award-winning documentary short film "The Elephant Whisperers," said "Anuja" is an ode to the "unbreakable bond between two sisters who dared to dream beyond their circumstances." "Ultimately it is a celebration of all the beautiful children who face dire circumstances every day around the world. Even through unimaginable odds, they show us there is reason to smile. We are endlessly grateful to our team, partners and audiences — who believed in Anuja and carried its message across the globe.
"This nomination is a testament to how a story made with all heart can transcend all borders, sparking meaningful conversations about education, child labour rights, and the dreams of young children everywhere," Monga said.
Monga had also executive produced "Period. End of Sentence," which won the 2019 Academy Award for documentary short film.
The 2025 Academy Awards will be held on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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