India's official Oscars entry, Laapata Ladies, might have lost the race for Best International Feature, but there is Anuja, another Indian film which is still in the running. Netflix has now acquired the streaming rights of the film backed by Priyanka Chopra, Guneet Monga and Mindy Kaling.
Anuja is a husband-wife passion project, directed by Adam J Graves and produced by Suchitra Mattai. It centres on the nine-year-old title character who works in a back-alley garment factory with her older sister Palak. The narrative follows the young protagonist as she faces a decision that will impact both her future and her family.
The film has been shortlisted for Live-Action Short at this year's Academy Awards.
Anuja was developed in partnership with Mira Nair's Salaam Baalak Trust and features Sajda Pathan, who is herself a beneficiary of the nonprofit in a leading role.
Guneet Monga, who recently picked up an Oscar for Best Documentary Short The Elephant Whisperers, said: "Anuja is a story of unparalleled courage, a film made with a lot of heart. Director Adam J. Graves delivers a message through an empowered and entertaining lens. I'm honoured to be part of the journey ahead, alongside producers Mindy Kaling, Suchitra Mattai and Krushan Naik, and now one of the most powerful Brown voices to champion our story - Priyanka Chopra Jonas. In anticipation and hope of an Academy Award nomination, I'm thankful to Netflix for embracing Anuja and providing it with the platform and voice it truly deserves, bringing our story to a global audience, with Netflix's presence in over 190 countries." (Agencies)
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