Dia Mirza-produced Marathi short film Panha has won Best Indian Short Film at All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF).
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 actor shared several pictures from the ceremony, thanking the festival jury for selecting the film and "for creating a space where gentle, meaningful stories are seen, celebrated, and protected — just like the world we are all trying to hold together."
Expressing happiness on the win, she said, "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."
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."
Besides ALT EFF win, Panha was also honoured with the Best Film award at the 9th World Indian Film Festival Hyderabad, and received an Honourable Jury Mention at the 13th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival. Further, it received an Official Selection at IDSFFK (Kerala) 2025.
Panha was backed by her along with her childhood friend Ananya Rane through their One India Stories banner.
