Anuja

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.

Road to the Oscars 2025: this is nominated in 1 category best short film.

Anuja was a charming look into a sad truth. Knowing that this is real and that a foundation that helps people like Anuja exist makes you think about how our world is designed. Nonetheless we get a charming little slice of life movie with a great ending.

2 sisters who lost their parents work at a bag factory. One of the sisters are given the opportunity to start in school for only 400 rupees. The sisters try to get the money.

I really liked the cute and believable sisterhood in this movie. Anuja and Palak act believable for their age and their relation and that helps the movie a lot. This is also just a well-made film through and through.

This is a hard truth movie. While it is packed with optimism as you kind of have to in a situation like this, it is hard to think that this is something that happens every day.

I really liked the open ended ending of this movie. Really showing the complexity of the situation the sisters are in. This is not just a moral easy question, it´s hard because you know what the cost is for all the lives involved and if that is something that happens every day it´s hard.

Overall I was charmed by this short. It´s well made and good. It is the most clean Oscar film I have watched so far, but somehow that works for it. It´s nothing insane or special, just competent.

Oscar Predictions: Political undertones, check. When it comes to the academy they like to make a political statement with their choice sometimes and in this case this check a box, but shorts like "A lien"(2022) and "I´m not a robot"(2023) dies the same with a more pro what we want in America angel. This is the winner so far to me. The most clean of the short, pure Oscar bait but it works and it´s good. I root for this!

Has it got a good message? Yeah, kind of. Does it move me to act upon it? Not really. The movie is powerful for a 23-minute runtime, but it is not powerful enough to stir me. It is rather minimal and pretty in its own little way, but nothing honestly stood out to me about the work. It ends posing a dilemma-a rather huge one at that-but the rest of it? Bland. At least to me it was.

The acting is pretty fine. The characters portrayed have some depth. The screenplay is quite intelligent, to which the shots do sufficient justice. It wouldn't be a "10/10 I recommend," but one could give it a chance.

"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.

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.