Producer Guneet Monga has reacted to the Oscar snub for her live-action short film Anuja, also backed by Priyanka Chopra and Mindy Kaling, saying that the makers of the movie will “return again soon”.

“Celebrating independent cinema at the 97th Academy Awards is a testament to the idea that dreams do come true! We attended the event with our short film Anuja, but this is just the beginning. As long as we continue to dream and create, we will return again soon”, the 41-year-old filmmaker wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.

“Anuja is a 22-minute love letter to girls who refuse to be defined by their circumstances, and it aligns perfectly with the vision and mission of the Salaam Baalak Trust, where our young lead, Sajda Pathan, resides,” Guneet, whose documentary film The Elephant Whisperers won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film back in 2022, added.

Heaping praise on Anuja crew members, Guneet wrote, “Every effort made by our incredible team—Sajda Pathan, Ananya Shanbhag, Adam Graves, Suchitra Mattai, Mindy Kaling, Priyanka Chopra, Bela Bajaria, Monika Shergill, and the entire Anuja family—has been worthwhile.”

About the social cause for which Guneet worked on the film, she said, “I joined this project not only to support the filmmakers but also to amplify the resilience and voices of children. Skills, strength, and spirit—the girls have it all. All hail independent cinema! Independent storytellers hold the truth, and we must continue to champion them.”

However, Anuja’s snub at the Oscars did not dishearten the producer-filmmaker. “I am deeply grateful to the Academy for bringing Anuja to a global stage. As Producer Samantha Quan said, ‘To all the dreamers and young filmmakers—tell the stories that move you. You will never regret it,” she said.

Guneet also asked fans to watch the Oscar-nominated film on Netflix to contribute towards empowering children with hope and opportunities.

Guneet attended the 97th Oscars in a Manish Malhotra-designed brown three-piece ensemble comprising a sari, a corset-bodice and a coat. In her note, she thanked the fashion designer for making the night “even more memorable”.

Anuja lost the Oscar for Best Live Action Short to Dutch-language short film I'm Not a Robot on Monday. The other films nominated in the live action short category were The Last Ranger (Darwin Shaw, Cindy Lee), A Lien (David Cutler-Kreutz and Sam Cutler-Kreutz), The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Nebojša Slijepčević, Danijel Pek).

Directed by Adam J. Graves and produced by Suchitra Mattai, Anuja follows the story of two sisters striving to find joy and opportunity in a world rife with exploitation and exclusion. Anuja reflects the universal struggles faced by young girls worldwide.