LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! Each generation has a story to tell, and in Anjini Taneja Azhar’s short film, Who Are You, Nanu?, a young girl gets to spend time with a younger version of her grandfather, Nanu.
After the ceremonial cremation of her grandfather (Nanu) on the banks of the Ganges River, nine-year-old Isha separates from her family. She discovers a skull floating in the water, which she retrieves, ignoring her father’s earlier warning. The father returns the skull to the water and utters the blessing, “Let them rest.”
That night, she asks about her grandfather and is told he was always young at heart. Her mother recites a lullaby that says the dead go to the moon. The next day, Isha places a photo of her grandfather in the Ganges, and by magic, the ghost of her Nanu appears as his seven-year-old self.
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“…the ghost of her Nanu appears as his seven-year-old self.”
Together, Isha and the young ghost travel through memories. Along the way, Isha witnesses moments from his childhood and forms a connection she never had while he was alive. Their adventure reveals parts of the past and helps Isha understand who Nanu, the man she knew from birth, became.
Family connects us as humans, and in Who Are You, Nanu? we see how the bonds of family are formed in Hindu culture in India. Writer/director Anjini Taneja Azhar tells a touching story of a young girl and her grandfather, beautifully set on the shores of the Ganges River. The film conveys magic and innocence that is irresistible. Azhar also pulls out wonderful performances from her two young stars, Jyothi Janath and Kabir Pahwa, as Isha and Nanu.
Who Are You, Nanu? screened at the 2025 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
"…Each generation has a story to tell…"
