Archive · 6 Dec 2025
Dia Mirza's Panha Wins Best Indian Short Film at ALT EFF
Dia Mirza and her friend Ananya Rane started a company called One India Stories to make films that can make people understand and care about others.
Their first film, Panha, is about a family of mango farmers in Maharashtra who might have to leave their home because of a new train project.
The film shows the story through the eyes of a little boy named Vithu.
Panha has won many awards, including the Best Indian Short Film at a big film festival called ALT EFF.
Dia and the director, Sakshi Mishra, say the film is a way to honor the farmers and their lives.
The film was made with the help of the farmers themselves, and it shows the importance of listening to their stories.
Dia Mirza's production company, One India Stories, won Best Indian Short Film at ALT EFF 2025 for its debut film Panha.
Panha, directed by Sakshi Mishra, tells the story of a family of mango farmers facing eviction due to a bullet train project, seen through the eyes of a seven-year-old boy named Vithu.
The film has received multiple awards and recognitions, including the Best Film award at the 9th World Indian Film Festival and an Honourable Jury Mention at the 13th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival.
Dia Mirza and Sakshi Mishra dedicated the win to the farmers who opened their homes and hearts to the filmmakers, emphasizing the film's focus on shared humanity and the impact of development on local communities.
Panha was made with a modest budget and features a committed cast and crew alongside indigenous farmers from rural Maharashtra, whose generosity shaped the film's authenticity.
- Who
- Dia Mirza and Ananya Rane (producers), Sakshi Mishra (director), farmers of Maharashtra, and the cast and crew of Panha
- What
- Panha, a short film about a family of mango farmers facing eviction due to a bullet train project, won the Best Indian Short Film award at the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF)
- When
- The film was awarded at ALT EFF 2025, and it has also received other awards and recognitions in 2025
- Where
- The film was shot in the mango orchards of Maharashtra, and the awards were received at various film festivals in India
- Why
- The film aims to build empathy and spark change by portraying the lives of farmers and the impact of development on their communities
- Film Title
- Panha
- Director
- Sakshi Mishra
- Production Company
- One India Stories
- Awards
- Best Indian Short Film at ALT EFF, Best Film at 9th World Indian Film Festival, Honourable Jury Mention at 13th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival, Official Selection at IDSFFK (Kerala) 2025
- Setting
- Mango orchards of Maharashtra
- Main Character
- Seven-year-old Vithu
- Theme
- Home, heritage, and the price of progress