Actor and environmental activist Dia Mirza is celebrating the success of the short film Panha, which she has backed as a producer. The film has received praise at several film festivals, winning Best Indian Short Film at the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF), Best Film at the 9th World Indian Film Festival in Hyderabad and the Dhruma Film Festival. It also received an Honourable Jury Mention at the 13th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival.
What Is Panha About?
Directed by Sakshi Mishra, Panha is set in a small village in Maharashtra and is told through the eyes of seven-year-old Vithu. The story follows Vithu’s family as they face losing their ancestral mango farm to an infrastructure project. While his father wants to move to the city for a better future, his uncle refuses to leave the land that has belonged to their family for generations. As the eviction date approaches, Vithu suddenly goes missing. His disappearance leads the family on an emotional journey that explores love, loss, family bonds and the true meaning of home.
Why Did Dia Mirza Support the Film?
Dia Mirza said she instantly connected with Panha because it reminded her of her own childhood and her deep bond with nature. She recalled spending hours on a large mango tree in her backyard during summer vacations. She would climb its wide branches, read books and hide there whenever she wanted to be alone. According to Dia, those childhood memories shaped the way she looks at nature and helped her understand that humans are deeply connected to the environment.
How Did Nature Change Dia’s Perspective?
Dia shared that after winning the Miss India title and entering the entertainment industry, life became focused on work and material success. However, a visit to Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh changed her outlook. Spending time in the forest with local communities and forest rangers reminded her of the connection she had felt with nature as a child. She said the experience gave her a new purpose and inspired her to use her public platform to encourage people to reconnect with the environment. According to Dia, humans are not separate from nature but are a part of it, and everything people need ultimately comes from the Earth.
A Special Collaboration
Panha has been produced under the banner One India Stories and marks the first collaboration between childhood friends Dia Mirza and Ananya Rane. With its emotional story and strong environmental message, the film has already made a lasting impression on audiences and juries across the festival circuit.
