Oscars 2025 Nominees: India in the Spotlight as ‘Anuja’ Joins the Race
Oscars 2025 Nominees: India in the Spotlight as ‘Anuja’ Joins the Race

Smriti Mundhra’s ‘I Am Ready, Warden’ & Priyanka Chopra's Production ‘Anuja’ Are the Only Indian-Backed Oscar Nominees for 2025

It’s that time of the year again—when Hollywood’s biggest night sets the stage for debates, predictions, and, of course, surprises. The 97th Academy Awards nominations are out, and while the usual powerhouses are in play, there’s a special reason for Indian audiences to tune in. Anuja, the Priyanka Chopra and Guneet Monga-backed short film, has secured a spot in the Best Live Action Short Film category, adding another feather to India’s growing presence at the Oscars. Adding to this, Indian-American filmmaker Smriti Mundhra has also made waves with her Oscar-nominated short documentary, I Am Ready, Warden, which explores the journey of a death row inmate in Texas towards redemption.

 

Directed by Adam J Graves, Anuja tells the gripping story of a young girl working in a garment factory, bringing much-needed attention to child labour and resilience. Monga, already an Oscar veteran with The Elephant Whisperers and Period: End of Sentence, is once again proving that India’s storytelling prowess is making waves globally.

 

Meanwhile, Indian-American filmmaker Smriti Mundhra has earned an Oscar nomination for her short documentary, I Am Ready, Warden, in the Best Documentary Short Film category. Mundhra, renowned for her Netflix series Indian Matchmaker, delves into the life of John Henry Ramirez, a death row inmate in Texas, exploring his journey towards redemption and the complexities of justice. The film has garnered critical acclaim, winning both the Audience Award and Jury Prize at the 2024 Austin Film Festival.

 

With Conan O’Brien set to host and a thrilling lineup of contenders—think Dune: Part Two, The Brutalist, and Wicked—the race is shaping up to be an exciting one. So, without further ado, here’s the full list of nominees for the 2025 Academy Awards:

 

Actor in a Supporting Role

  • Yura Borisov, Anora
  • Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
  • Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
  • Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
  • Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice

 

Actress in a Supporting Role

  • Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown
  • Ariana Grande, Wicked
  • Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
  • Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
  • Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez

 

Animated Short Film

  • Beautiful Men
  • In the Shadow of Cypress
  • Magic Candies
  • Wander to Wonder
  • Yuck!

 

Costume Design

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Gladiator II
  • Nosferatu
  • Wicked

 

Live Action Short Film

  • A Lien
  • Anuja
  • I’m Not a Robot
  • The Last Ranger
  • The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent

 

Makeup and Hairstyling

  • A Different Man
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Nosferatu
  • The Substance
  • Wicked

 

Original Score

  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked
  • The Wild Robot

 

Adapted Screenplay

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Nickel Boys
  • Sing Sing

 

Original Screenplay

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • A Real Pain
  • September 5
  • The Substance

 

Actor in a Leading Role

  • Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
  • Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
  • Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
  • Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
  • Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

 

Actress in a Leading Role

  • Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
  • Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
  • Mikey Madison, Anora
  • Demi Moore, The Substance
  • Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here

 

Animated Feature Film

  • Flow
  • Inside Out 2
  • Memoir of a Snail
  • Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
  • The Wild Robot

 

Cinematography

  • The Brutalist
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Maria
  • Nosferatu

 

Best Director

  • Sean Baker, Anora
  • Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
  • James Mangold, A Complete Unknown
  • Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
  • Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

 

Documentary Feature Film

  • Black Box Diaries
  • No Other Land
  • Porcelain War
  • Soundtrack to a Coup d’État
  • Sugarcane

 

Documentary Short Film

  • Death by Numbers
  • I Am Ready, Warden
  • Incident
  • Instruments of a Beating Heart
  • The Only Girl in the Orchestra

 

Film Editing

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked

 

International Feature Film

  • I’m Still Here
  • The Girl with the Needle
  • Emilia Pérez
  • The Seed of the Sacred Fig
  • Flow

 

Original Song

  • El Mal from Emilia Pérez
  • The Journey from The Six Triple Eight
  • Like a Bird from Sing Sing
  • Mi Camino from Emilia Pérez
  • Never Too Late from Elton John: Never Too Late

 

Production Design

  • The Brutalist
  • Conclave
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Nosferatu
  • Wicked

 

Sound

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Wicked
  • The Wild Robot

 

Visual Effects

  • Alien: Romulus
  • Better Man
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
  • Wicked

 

Best Picture

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • I’m Still Here
  • Nickel Boys
  • The Substance
  • Wicked

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