Oscars 2025: Guneet Monga’s ’Anuja’ Shortlisted for Best Live-Action Short Film, India’s New Hope After ‘Laapataa Ladies’ Exit

India's hopes at the 2025 Oscars now rest on Anuja, a live-action short film produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor, after Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies did not make it to the next round in the International Feature Film category. ‘Santosh’ Selected As UK’s Entry to Oscars 2025: All You Need To Know About Shahana Goswami’s Cop Drama About Caste Politics.

On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlists for 10 categories for the upcoming 97th Academy Awards.

'Anuja' Shortlisted for Best Live-Action Short Film at Oscars 2025

Laapataa Ladies, which was India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category, could not advance further, leaving many fans and filmmakers disappointed.

However, India still has a reason to hope. Monga's Anuja has been shortlisted in the Best Live-Action Short Film category. The film sheds light on the important issue of child labor in the garment industry and features actor Nagesh Bhonsle in a key role.

This is Monga's third nomination at the Oscars. Her earlier projects, The Elephant Whisperers and Period: End of Sentence, won Oscars, bringing glory to Indian cinema.

Apart from Anuja, another film that remains in the Oscars race is Santosh, a British-Indian film directed by Sandhya Suri. Featuring actress Shahana Goswami, Santosh is the United Kingdom's official entry for the Oscars. The film premiered earlier this year in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Oscars 2025: Denmark Selects Magnus Von Horn’s ‘The Girl With the Needle’ for Best International Feature Race.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced 30 shortlisted films in contention for the Best Live Action Short and Best Animated Short Oscar categories. Some other shortlisted contenders include Clodagh , The Compatriot, Crust Dovecote, Edge of Space and The Ice Cream Man.