Oscar Winner Guneet Monga Kapoor Backs Academy-Qualified ‘Anuja,’ a Tale of Sisterhood Against Child Labor (EXCLUSIVE)

Indian powerhouse producer Guneet Monga Kapoor has boarded Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai’s short film “Anuja” as executive producer. The film recently qualified for Academy Awards consideration after winning Best Live Action Short at the 2024 HollyShorts Film Festival.

The film centers on nine-year-old Anuja, who must choose between education and factory work alongside her sister – a decision that will shape both their futures. Adding authenticity to the narrative, lead actress Sajda Pathan draws from her own experiences of surviving on the streets of old Delhi before finding support through the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), a nonprofit founded by Mira Nair’s family.

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The project brings together an unique creative team. Writer-director Graves, a philosopher-turned-filmmaker with a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, collaborated with his wife Mattai, an established visual artist whose works are featured in major museums including Crystal Bridges and the Denver Art Museum.

“Filmmakers Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai bring an extraordinary Indian story of the human spirit to the screens, and it’s an honor to be on board as an executive producer,” says Monga Kapoor, whose “The Elephant Whisperers,” directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, won best documentary short film at the 2023 Oscars. “‘Anuja’ connects with your heart and takes you on a beautifully heart warming journey of two young sisters with hopes of experiencing the joys of life, only to come face to face with exploitive realities.”

Monga Kapoor, founder of Mumbai-based Sikhya Entertainment, brings significant festival circuit experience to the project, having produced acclaimed features including “The Lunchbox,” “Masaan,” and “Gangs of Wasseypur,” all of which premiered at Cannes and played worldwide.

“Anuja” was produced in partnership with SBT and Shine Global, the company behind Sundance-winning and Oscar nominated “War Dance” and the Oscar-winning “Inocente.”

Monga Kapoor recently boarded Raam Reddy’s Berlinale title “The Fable” as an executive producer.