Some films don’t need a long runtime or an elaborate plot to leave a lasting impact. Nominated for best live action short at the 97th Academy Awards, the Adams J Graves-directed Anuja is one of those gems that are both tender and gut-wrenching.

Produced by Guneet Monga, Mindy Kaling and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the story follows two orphaned sisters — Anuja (Sajda Pathan) and Palak (Ananya Shanbhag) — who work in a garment factory in Delhi. Palak, the older sister, is practical, stitching and selling handmade bags to save for her wedding. Anuja, on the other hand, has a gift. She’s a math whiz, and when an educator, Mr Mishra (Gulshan Walia), offers her a shot at a boarding school scholarship, it feels like a sliver of light in an otherwise dim world.

But nothing comes easy. The factory supervisor, Mr Verma (Nagesh Bhonsle), has his own plans for her, offering a steady but limiting job on the condition that she skips the exam. And just like that, Anuja is faced with an impossible choice: chase a future that seems almost too good to be true or stay back for the only family she has left.

The sisters laugh over street food, dream of a better life and hold onto memories of their parents like treasures. Their love for each other is what keeps them going but it’s also what makes Anuja’s decision so heartbreaking. There is no sentimentality, no dramatic speeches; just quiet moments that hit you hard.

Sajda Pathan, who plays Anuja, isn’t just acting; she’s drawing from her own life. She was a child labourer before the Salaam Baalak Trust took her in. Sajda’s eyes speak volumes of a lived experience. Ananya Shanbhag as Palak is just as impressive, playing the responsible-but-loving older sister with warmth and strength. Together, they feel like real siblings.

Anuja is an understated, powerful film. The muted colours of the factory, the cramped living spaces, the fleeting joys of a movie theatre or a bag of jalebis, it all adds to its authenticity. Then there’s the ending, which refuses to give you an easy answer. You don’t know what Anuja chooses, and that’s the point. But the post-credits scene, which nods to Sajda Pathan’s real-life journey, offers a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Anuja gets her chance after all.