Jaipur: Producer Guneet Monga expressed gratitude for the recognition 'Anuja' received at the Oscars despite not winning.
Priyanka Chopra and Guneet Monga-backed 'Anuja, ' a short film set in New Delhi, was nominated in the Live Action Short Category at the Oscars 2025 but lost the prestigious award to the Dutch-language film 'I'm Not a Robot. '
However, Guneet shared that getting nominated is also a "big thing". Directed by Adam J. Graves, 'Anuja' had secured a nomination for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards, putting it in the race against other notable contenders such as 'Alien', 'I'm Not a Robot', 'The Last Ranger', and 'A Man Who Would Not Remain Silent'.
In a conversation with ANI, she said, "...It is a beautiful film by Adam J. Grave and Suchitra Mattai..Adam is the director, and Suchitra is the producer. I joined their journey to be able to celebrate the film. We are very happy to get nominated. It is also a big thing to be in the top five in the world."
She continued, "The journey is beautiful, and the team is beautiful. We were able to bring the girls to America..It was surreal, magical, I was there for seven days and part of the celebration. We really enjoyed a lot...'jeet jaatte to lagta sab worth it hai nahi jeete to lagta hai sab exhaustion hai itna door gaye the..' but we have to keep putting our stories out, there is no option. Everything is not about the win, it is also about the effort that you put it and it is great to be nominated"
The short film entered the Oscar race after receiving acclaim at prestigious festivals such as the HollyShorts Film Festival, New York Shorts International Film Festival, and Montclair Film Festival.
The narrative of 'Anuja' revolves around a nine-year-old girl called Anuja, who works alongside her older sister, Palak, in a back-alley garment factory.
The plot follows Anuja as she faces a life-altering decision that will impact both her future and her family's well-being.
For Guneet Monga, 'Anuja' marks her third Oscar nomination. Her previous projects, 'The Elephant Whisperers and ''Period: End of Sentence', have both won Academy Awards.
Being a woman producer, she said there are a lot more opportunities in India and the US now. "It is a time to think how far I can go and explore. It's the beginning of a new chapter and time to fulfill all the dreams I have seen."
On talking about establishing Women in Film India, she said, "It is a new chapter we are starting...an an organisation which several foundations support...In this, we are trying to find out the gaps in skill development and will try to fill those gaps..."
The 25th edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The festivities started on Saturday, March 8, with the Sobha Realty IIFA Digital Awards Co-Presented By NEXA as they make their debut, celebrating the innovative brilliance of OTT and digital entertainment and underscoring IIFA's embrace of the industry's evolving landscape.
The grand finale will be held on Sunday, March 9. It will honour cinematic excellence and celebrate Indian cinema's profound impact on the global stage. This year, the audience see Kartik Aaryan as the host of the IIFA Awards.
The 25th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) is bound to make all cinema buffs nostalgic with a special celebration of Ramesh Sippy's iconic film 'Sholay'. (ANI)