The 97th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre, saw Anuja, the Hindi short film backed by Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling, lose to the Dutch film I’m Not a Robot in the Best Live Action Short Film category. The event, hosted by Conan O’Brien, celebrated the best in cinema, and the competition in this category was particularly fierce.

Oscars 2025: Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling-backed Anuja misses out on Best Live Action Short Film as I’m Not a Robot wins the category

Directed by Adam J Graves, Anuja was among the five nominees competing for the prestigious award. The other contenders included A Lien (English), I’m Not a Robot (Dutch), The Last Ranger (English and Xhosa), and The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Croatian). Despite its strong presence in the festival circuit, Anuja fell short as I’m Not a Robot clinched the award.

Anuja was one of the two films with Indian connections nominated at this year’s Oscars. The other, I Am Ready, Warden, directed by Indian filmmaker Smriti Mundhra, also did not win, with No Other Land securing the Best Documentary Short Film award. Anuja had previously gained acclaim at film festivals such as the HollyShorts Film Festival, New York Shorts International Film Festival, and Montclair Film Festival.

With a strong team of backers, Anuja was supported by two-time Academy Award winner Guneet Monga, alongside Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling. Expressing her thoughts on the film’s Oscar nomination, Priyanka had earlier said: “Anuja being nominated for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short Film category is such an incredible moment. This film is a beautiful reminder of the power of storytelling—how it can shine a light on love, family, and resilience in the most authentic way. I’m so proud of Adam J Graves for his vision and deeply moved by the brilliant performances of Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag, who have poured their hearts into bringing these characters to life.”

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