Anuja: Film Screening & Discussion

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The Dairy Arts Center is proud to present this screening of Ajuna in tandem with our Go West exhibition.

ANUJA, crafted by husband and wife team, Adam J. Graves (director) and Suchitra Mattai (producer), tells a hopeful tale of two sisters struggling to find joy and opportunity in a world intent on their exploitation and exclusion. This powerful short follows Anuja, a gifted nine-year-old girl and her 17-year-old sister, Palak, as they work in a back-alley garment factory. When a teacher offers Anuja a chance to attend an elite boarding school, the sisters must navigate challenges that test their resilience and bond, culminating in a decision faced by countless young girls worldwide. ANUJA has won numerous awards, including BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT at the 2024 HollyShorts Film Festival, and has been nominated for the 2025 Oscars®. Mindy Kaling serves the team as a Producer and Priyanka Chopra as Executive Producer.

BACKGROUND: ANUJA was researched and filmed in partnership with the Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT), a nonprofit founded by the family of acclaimed director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay!). SBT provides food, shelter, and education to thousands of street and working children. The lead role of Anuja is played by Sajda Pathan, who resides in a SBT home for girls who were formerly living on the streets of Delhi. ANUJA was produced in association with the Academy Award-winning media company, SHINE GLOBAL, which focuses on stories that highlight the resilience of children in the face of adversity. Their past project includes War/Dance (2007 Oscar Nominee, Emmy Award Best Documentary) and Inocente (2013 Oscar for Best Documentary Short)

ADAM J. GRAVES (Writer/Director): Is a philosopher-turned-filmmaker, who holds a B.A. in South Asian studies and a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Religion from the University of Pennsylvania. Adam is author of The Phenomenology of Revelation and a professor of philosophy at MSU Denver, where he teaches film & philosophy. He has lectured in over a dozen countries on the nature of freedom, agency and narrative identity, themes which figure prominently in his films and screenplays. Adam wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning short film Cycle Vérité (2021) and produced and edited the documentary short The Other Side of the Sun (2024). He is married to the acclaimed visual artist Suchitra Mattai (producer of ANUJA).

SUCHITRA MATTAI (Producer): Suchitra Mattai is a multi-disciplinary artist of South Asian descent, whose work celebrates the power of women, reimagines historical narratives, and explores her family’s history of indentured labor. Suchitra received an MFA (studio art) and an MA in South Asian Studies (Art) from the University of Pennsylvania. She has had solos at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (DC), the ICA San Francisco, the Seattle Museum of Art, the Tampa Museum of Art, and Socrates Sculpture Park, NYC. Her works are represented in collections including Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, the MCA San Diego, and the Tampa Museum of Art.

MINDY KALING (Producer): An Emmy-nominated writer, Tony Award-winning producer, New York Times best-selling author, director, and actor. In 2023, The White House honored Kaling with the National Medal of Arts, the highest civilian honor given to artists by the United States government. She is also the recipient of Producers Guild of America’s prestigious Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television. In 2022, Kaling International was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Companies. In 2012, Kaling was named to the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World list. Kaling is best known for her starring role in the U.S. version of The Office, as well as her own show, The Mindy Project, and producing hits such as Never Have I Ever for Netflix and The Sex Lives of College Girls for HBO Max. She is set to produce and write the new Netflix show “Running Point”, starring Kate Hudson, scheduled for release in 2025.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS:
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a multi-hyphenate talent and New York Times bestselling author who has captivated global audiences for nearly 25 years. Chopra Jonas also Executive Produced Oscar Nominated and award-winning feature documentary “To Kill A Tiger,” and she starred in and Executive Produced Netflix’s Oscar-nominated film “The White Tiger.” Through her production company Purple Pebble Pictures, Chopra Jonas is partnered with Amazon Studios on a First Look deal to develop a slate of features and TV content that spotlight diverse talent and stories from India and around the world. She is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, serving on the Executive Committee of the Actors Branch, and is also a member of the Producers Guild of America. In 2016, Chopra Jonas was honored with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards. She has graced the cover of Time magazine’s “Time 100” issue as one of the “Most Influential People” in the world, and has been listed among Forbes’ “Most Powerful Women.”