‘Anuja’: A story that emphasizes the real struggle underprivileged slum children in the Indian capital
Anuja is not just a story of two sisters who fight for survival and education in a street defender in the capital of India. But it is a real story of several disadvantaged slum children in India’s capital, the talent and strength of which are wasted every day due to poverty and lack of educational resources. They fight for survival, education and a better future every day. Sajda Pathan is the main actor in the short film Anuja.
They fight for survival, education and a better future every day. Sajda Pathan is the main actor in the short film Anuja.
The story of Anuja is somehow connected to the real story of Sajda Pathan. Sajda is a 10-year-old girl; She was saved by Salaam Baalak Trust (Salaam Baalak Trust has been engaged to Delhi-NCR with a street and working children since 1988). She grew up with her older sister in a slum in Old Delhi. She spent her days begging in front of a Hanuman temple before she was saved by Salaam Baalak Trust.
What is the story of the Netflix short film Anuja?
Anuja is a 23-minute short film on Netflix, which was staged and written by Adam J. Graves. It is an Indian short film that was nominated for the 97th Academy Awards in the category of the best live action short film in 2025. The story of the short film is about a nine -year -old girl, Anuja (Sajda Pathan). Who fights with her older sister Palak (Ananya Shanbhag) in the Street Slum of the Indian capital for money, survival and education.
Source: IMDB
Although she has a clever mind, but due to poverty and lack of resources, she was forced to work in a clothing factory for a living. When she had a sharp and clever mind, she had the chance to attend an elite boarding school with the help of a school teacher and her older sister Palak.
The representation of Anuja in short film is the soil reality of several children who are forced to work in dangerous factories at very young years due to poverty and lack of educational resources in the capital. Anuja’s story also reminds us of the reality of child labor in India. Several children like Anuja are involved in the factory work instead of attending the school for their livelihood in the capital of India.
Anuja also emphasizes the sisterhood, the courage and the struggle of young girls in society.
Anuja also emphasizes the sisterhood, the courage and the struggle of young girls in society. The reason why this short film was nominated for an Oscar.
How does the short film Anuja emphasize the real struggle of the underprivileged street children?
Anuja is not just a story, but the reality of the many children of the streets of Delhi. They are forced to work in a factory at a very young age, which is both ethically and legally a crime in India. Nevertheless, they work instead of attending school. In the short film, the reality of child labor is emphasized when a school teacher comes to a clothing factory office and Anuja (Sajda Pathan) asks before the clothing factory manager: “How old are you?” The manager of the factory answers ’14 years’ to hide child labor in the factory.
The Kailash Satyarthi Foundation under its “Bachpan Bachao Andolan”, between 2005 and 2019, saved a total of 8,408 children from child labor in the Indian capital Delhi according to the report. The extent of child labor in the NCT from Delh and your security. This enables us to understand how many streets -Slum children work in factories at a very young age by giving false data for their date of birth. While you have sharp and bright minds, you are still forced into child labor.
Source: IMDB
After a Times of India reportA Delhi Commission survey for the protection of children’s rights (DCPCR) in Delhi shows a dark picture of street children in the city of Delhi. The DCPCR survey report shows that there are 70,000 children on the streets of Delhi. According to Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation Survey report “Street children in NCT from Delhi: A quick rating” only 29% of the entire street children surveyed in Delhi stated that they ever went to school. Anuja is the reality of this disadvantaged street children of the Indian capital, who have to deal with poverty in the streets and slums.
Sajda Pathan’s real fight
In the short film, Sajda, who plays Anuja, is not a trained children’s actor, but a slum child among the 70,000 children on the streets of Delhi. Her name is Sajda Pathan. She was saved by Salaam Balak Trust from the Yamuna Bazar Slum in Delhi. She lived with her sister and brother -in -law. Her everyday routine was to beg a few rupees from the supporters who came into the temple. She hiked around the temple complex before it was saved by Salaam Baalak Trust.
With her help, Sajda took part in the informal educational courses in the Yamuna Bazaar Center from SBT and took part in other joint activities. Because of her bright mind and her talent, Sajda Pathan made her first film The Braid. The director Laetitia Colombani threw her into the leading role. Her performance in the film was awarded by the film production house, which took responsibility for her training until it becomes an adult.
Her performance in the film was awarded by the film production house, which took responsibility for her training until it becomes an adult.
The Oscar-nominated Netflix short film Anuja is her second film, in which she again proves herself with an excellent performance. The real story of Sajda Pathan is just as inspiring as the Netflix short film Anuja. The real story of Sajda has both the inspiration for many disadvantaged slum children as well as a message to society and the political system of India that if every child has the same opportunities, amazing things can do.
Source: diversity
As our first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said: “Today’s children will do the India of tomorrow. The way we address it will determine the future of the country. ‘
Sajda Pathan currently lives in Salaam Balaak Trust Udaan Home for Girls. The Salaam Baalak Trust was founded in 1988 from the proceeds from Mira Nair’s Oscar-nominated film Salaam Bombay.
References:
https://www.netflix.com/in/82009864?s=a&trkid=13747225&trg=wha&vang=en&clip=82013022
Oscar® shortlist short film ‘Anuja’ finds his home on Netflix-over Netflix
https://salaambaalaktrust.com/assets/downloads/newsletter/Newsletter-feb-2022-Apr-2022.pdf
She has completed her master’s history in history of Lady Shri Ram
College for Women, University of Delhi with a specialization in old history. She has an enthusiastic
Interest in old texts and with their help, she would like to examine the role and status of women in women
Old households and society. Therefore, their interest lies in ancient literature, gender, in the old literature, gender,
Caste and society. With all these old texts, such as Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jain, she wants
To understand the actual rights and status of women in old households, like being a woman,
Daughter and others. What was her role in old civilization and culture and its
Unpaid post that these texts did not correctly mentioned.
