Priyanka Chopra and even Guneet Monga came onboard Anuja later – Beyond Bollywood

The unheralded actor believes backing from such esteemed entities will only help spread the word about Anuja better. He downplays the usual criticism of foreign films exploiting India’s underbelly.

By Mayur Lookhar

While no certified Indian film has made it to the Oscars, a few Indian language films backed by international productions came close to getting a nomination. All We Imagine As Light and Santosh, the United Kingdom’s official entry to the Oscars, are out of the race. However, Indian fans will be cheering for the American film Anuja, which has been nominated for Best Live Action Short. Directed by filmmaker Adam J. Graves, Anuja is a Hindi-language American film.

The short film tells the story of a nine-year-old girl, Anuja, who works in a garment factory in Delhi. When offered the chance to attend school, she faces a critical decision that impacts her future and that of her sister, Palak. The film explores themes of opportunity, sacrifice, and the power of education. The cast consists of Sajda Pathan, Ananya Shanbag, and Nagesh Bhonsle.

Bhonsle is a respected name in Marathi cinema and has also appeared in a few Hindi films. He’s also worked in an international film Hotel Mumbai (2018) that starred Anupam Kher, Dev Patel. Most Indian viewers have not seen Anuja yet, but it is expected to arrive on a top OTT platform soon. Bhonsle plays the character of the garment factory owner where Anuja works.

Beyond Bollywood reached out to Bhonsle, who remained humble in this hour of joy. Sharing his reaction to Anuja’s Oscar nomination, Bhonsle says, “Happy, as usual. Not every actor is fortunate to experience this. I’ve done nothing extraordinary; I was just an actor, and it’s fortune that came to the makers and to me. Merely being part of such a film is an achievement beyond acting”.

Anuja is a cause-driven film. Films on issues like child labour and education are impactful. Did that mean that the language didn’t matter?

Bhonsle replies, “A film with a social reform angle, even if it is a short one, holds significance. Cinema has no language. It’s not about a specific issue; cinema itself speaks a universal language. Iranian films, for instance, leave a lasting impression through their storytelling and style,”

The actor is yet to see the complete film having just seen a few snippets, when he went to dub for the film, which has runtime of 15-20 minutes.

Though short, making great short films is perhaps the most difficult thing to achieve. Echoing this, Bhonsle said, “A good web series really sticks in your mind. Imagine if you were asked to make the same in 20 minutes, with the same power, intensity, story, and message. Everything should be clear to the viewer. It’s like giving the viewer the experience of a novel, series, or a granth within those 20 minutes.”

Elaborating further on this challenge, he says, “It’s like a writer being asked to tell their script in just four lines. To create those lines, they must know their 100-page story well. So, it’s very tough to tell short stories.”

When Anuja was shortlisted, the one name that was doing the rounds was that of producer Guneet Monga. A day before the nomination was announced, it emerged that India’s international superstar Priyanka Chopra was also now a co-producer.

Bhonsle shed light on how these big names weren’t associated with the film before. He, however, welcomed their support.

“I reckon you need such people to help promote the film, especially after your film is nominated for the Oscars,” Bhonsle reveals. “I feel Guneet Monga, too, wasn’t there before because she wasn’t in the picture when we were shooting. Obviously, Guneet has great experience with film festivals; she is influential, respected in the global circuit, and won the Oscar for The Elephant Whisperers (2022). She does a great job of taking our films to a global audience. We’ve got the right people backing this film.”

A film based on India, shot in India, and in an Indian language, bagging an Oscar nomination is a matter of pride. However, such social films often face the familiar criticism of Western filmmakers exploiting India’s underbelly. Bhonsle, though, downplays this criticism. 

He says, “This talk of them deriving pleasure in showing our poverty in our country is not true. What matters is that you must have a good story.” 

Bhonsle reminded everyone that one mustn’t forget that these are their awards.

“No matter how good a film we make, we’ll mostly be considered for the Foreign Film category only. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the Oscars are deemed the biggest award; they have a status. We shouldn’t pay heed to the criticism. It is, after all, their award. You just make a good film, and maybe you might get selected,” quipped Bhonsle. 

The unheralded actor is keen but not sure whether he would be part of the Anuja team travelling to the Oscars. One reason is that the seats may be limited for the Best Live Action Short Film category. Besides, with big names like Priyanka Chopra now backing the film, he expects them to be in the limelight. Bhonsle may not get to travel, but he along with crores of Indians will be cheering for Anuja.