Dia Mirza’s debut production Panha has won Best Indian Short Film at ALT EFF 2025, earning praise for its intimate portrayal of a farming family facing displacement. The film’s emotional honesty and sensitive storytelling have resonated widely, securing multiple festival honours across India
Still from Panha
Dia Mirza’s production venture One India Stories has won Best Indian Short Film at the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) for its debut film Panha, a moving, intimate story about home, heritage, and the price of progress. Founded by childhood friends Dia Mirza and Ananya Rane, One India Stories was born from a shared belief that storytelling can build empathy and spark change. Panha marks their first film under the banner, and its journey has already touched hearts far beyond the mango orchards of Maharashtra where it was shot.
What is Panha about?
Directed by Sakshi Mishra, Panha follows a family of mango farmers facing eviction from their ancestral land due to a bullet train project. The story unfolds through the tender eyes of seven-year-old Vithu — inviting us into a world where loss is quiet, courage is fragile, and childhood carries the heaviest truths. The film offers neither judgement nor propaganda, but a rare, humane pause to feel what “development” means for those left in its shadow.
Dia Mirza on Panha winning an award
Speaking about the win, Dia Mirza shared, “Panha was made with love, trust, and a deep respect for the lives it portrays. This win is for the farmers who opened their homes and hearts to us, and for every child whose story deserves to be seen and felt. Cinema, to me, is at its most powerful when it reminds us of our shared humanity.”
Co-founder Ananya Rane reflected on the purpose behind One India Stories, “We started One India Stories to tell honest, compassionate stories that bring people closer to each other and to the world they inhabit. Panha is our first step in that journey, and this recognition tells us that small, sincere stories can travel far.”
Director Sakshi Mishra added, “Panha was never about spectacle — it was about stillness, intimacy, and listening. The farmers of Maharashtra didn’t just lend us their orchards; they trusted us with their lives. This award belongs as much to them as it does to our team.”
Made on a modest budget, Panha was brought to life by a committed cast and crew alongside indigenous farmers from rural Maharashtra, whose generosity shaped the film’s truth and texture.
Along with its ALT EFF 2025 win, Panha has also been honoured with the Best Film award at the 9th World Indian Film Festival Hyderabad, received an Honourable Jury Mention at the 13th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival, and secured an Official Selection at IDSFFK (Kerala) 2025 — a heartening journey for a film that began with a whisper and is now being heard across the country.
Panha reminds us that some stories don’t just entertain — they awaken. And sometimes, the softest voices speak the loudest truths. The film features a talented cast including Ujjwala Jog, Suhas Sirsat, Prithvik Pratap, Sayali Sanjeev, Shubhangi Bhujbal, Payal Jadhav, and Aarav Aeer, each bringing a natural, honest performance that adds sincerity and warmth to the story.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
