Anuja

Anuja begins with a girl telling her tween sibling a Panchatantra story about how a faithful mongoose saved a farmer’s child from a poisonous snake yet was mistaken for an attacker because of his master’s impetuous impulses. Making a thoughtful decision is central to writer-director Adams J Graves’ Oscar-nominated live-action short film – backed by the likes of Guneet Monga, Mindy Kaling and Priyanka Chopra Jones – about a pair of orphaned sisters inhabiting Delhi’s grimy, shabby slums.

On paper, Anuja is a noble project. It’s made in association with Salaam Baalak Trust, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation that supports street kids. It stars one of its children, Sajda Pathan, as a gifted nine-year-old garment factory worker who is conflicted between earning a livelihood and getting an education. It’s an Indian American production. It is backed by diaspora-global celebrities like Mindy Kaling, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Guneet Monga Kapoor. And it’s about spirited orphans in a big bad world. Which is to say: Anuja is so noble that it’s only a project. At its best, it’s a creative presentation slide. At its worst, it’s less of a short film and more of a look-poor-people-hungry-people aesthetic. It brings back memories of the famous and infamous Slumdog Millionaire (2008) — and not in a good way.

Written and directed by Adam J Graves, Anuja is one of five shorts nominated for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Backed by producers Guneet Monga, Mindy Kaling, and Priyanka Chopra, it gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of two young girls trying to survive in the city without much support. There is hope for the younger girl Anuja, and the film highlights the hard choice the little one must face: choosing herself or supporting her beloved sister Palak. In just 22 minutes, the short film takes us on an emotional journey. The short film focuses on two orphaned sisters, Anuja (Sajda Pathan) and Palak (Ananya Shanbhag), who work in a garment factory in Delhi. Child labour is illegal, but the owner, Mr Verma (Nagesh Bhonsle), flaunts the rules by lying about the ages of the younger children. An educator, Mr Mishra (Gulshan Walia), comes to the factory with the opportunity of a lifetime for the bright Anuja. If she can take and pass an admission test for a boarding school, she’ll receive a scholarship. But the fee for the test is Rs 400, which is a large sum for the sisters. Writer-director Graves straddles both the fictional and real worlds in this story. Made in conjunction with the Salaam Baalak Trust, which supports the street children of Delhi, Anuja turns a spotlight on the still-persistent issue of child labour. Poverty and a lack of education give rise to the problem that has been prevalent in India for decades. Still, Graves gives us a touching story about the unbreakable bond between the two sisters. The film begins with a fable about a farmer’s family and a pet mongoose, highlighting the virtues of bravery and sacrifice.