There are screenings that end with applause, and there are screenings that leave audiences in reflective silence. Panha, a short film set in a Maharashtrian village, belonged to the latter.

EXCLUSIVE: Dia Mirza recalls how Pench visit changed her perspective on cinema and activism as she speaks about Panha; director Sakshi Mishra speaks on making a zero-plastic production

The film was screened on July 17 at the ART+CHARLIE gallery in Bandra, followed by an engaging conversation featuring producer Dia Mirza, writer-director Sakshi Mishra, co-producer Ananya Rane of One India Story, and moderator Aryama Sen. Having attended the screening, it was evident that the discussion echoed the themes explored in the film, including displacement, environmental justice and the cost of development.

Inspired by a defining chapter in the life of a farming family, Panha follows seven-year-old Vithu as he witnesses the impact of a development project on his family’s century-old livelihood. The film, which won Best Indian Short Film at the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival in December 2025, is yet to be released on an OTT platform or YouTube.

Dia Mirza recalls the pause that gave her purpose

Speaking about her journey towards environmental advocacy, Dia Mirza recalled how reconnecting with nature transformed her perspective. “Interaction with nature right from your childhood creates something very definitive in your perception of the world, which is that you belong. That understanding starts guiding your purpose,” she said.

Dia admitted that after entering the film industry at the age of 19, she became consumed by work and the pursuit of success until a visit to Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh changed everything. “I had forgotten all of that. I was busy making money and pursuing a material life. It was only when I went to Pench that the drive into the forest shifted something inside me. It helped me remember everything I had known as a child. That pause gave me purpose.”

She added that spending time with forest communities, rangers and conservationists made her question how she wanted to use her public platform. “I felt it might be so pointless to be a celebrity if I couldn’t use my voice to help.”

Backing stories that can make a difference

Dia explained that One India Story was founded with the intention of supporting stories capable of creating conversations beyond the screen. “We wanted to tell stories that would create impact. Measurable impact,” she said, while acknowledging that cinema’s influence cannot always be quantified. She further explained, “You never really know how a story shifts perceptions or impacts people. But when Sakshi brought Panha to us and we read it, we had goosebumps. We felt it was perfectly aligned with everything that One India Story stands for.”

Watching Panha, it becomes clear why the producers connected with the script. Rather than relying on dramatic spectacle, the film quietly captures the emotional consequences of displacement through a child’s perspective, making its message all the more affecting.

A sustainable production from the ground up

Director Sakshi Mishra credited Dia Mirza and Ananya Rane for giving her the confidence to stay true to her vision as a first-time filmmaker. “A huge credit goes to One India Story. Having producers like Dia and Ananya, who had unwavering faith in this story and the world it was trying to protect, gave me immense courage to believe in my own voice,” she said.

She revealed that sustainability shaped not only the subject of the film but also the way it was made. “For them, sustainability is not a checklist. It’s a value system,” Sakshi explained.

According to the filmmaker, Panha was produced as a zero-plastic film, with local artists and production teams employed wherever possible to reduce the project’s carbon footprint.

“Who is progress really for?”

Asked whether she remains hopeful about protecting nature, Dia said she continues to draw optimism from grassroots movements across the country. “I feel resuscitated every day because of the ground action happening in our country. So many people are rising, questioning, caring and standing up for what really matters,” she said.

She pointed to movements concerning women’s safety, farmers and students as examples of growing public engagement, adding that meaningful change requires patience. “Change doesn’t happen overnight.”

Dia also urged people to rethink the idea of development: “When we think about progress, we need to ask who that progress is for, what is the price of progress, and who pays that price. Those are important questions we all have to answer.”

She concluded by observing that many urban communities have become disconnected from the natural world, making it essential to relearn humanity’s relationship with the environment: “We’re all learning to live because many of us are no longer close to the land or the rhythms of nature. We have a lot to learn, recognise and respond to.”

For a film centred on the emotional cost of displacement, Panha left behind an equally important takeaway. The conversation around it was not just about preserving the environment but also about preserving empathy.

Also Read:Dia Mirza on sustainability, empathy and past fears on Hungama Gamechangers

Tags : Ananya Rane, Dia Mirza, Down Memory Lane, Down The Memory Lane, Features, Filmmaking, Flashback, One India Stories, Panha, Sakshi Mishra, Short Film, Throwback