All You Need To Know About ‘Boong’, the Manipuri Film That Won a Historic BAFTA

What happens when a small-town story from Manipur reaches the world’s biggest cinema stage?

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In a moment that quietly rewrote history, the Manipuri film Boong won the 2026 BAFTA Award for Best Children’s and Family Film — becoming the first Indian film to claim the honour in this category.

But this victory is about far more than a trophy. It is about a child’s voice from Manipur being heard across the world.

A childhood framed by borders, buoyed by hope

Directed by debut filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi, Boong centres on a young schoolboy growing up in a region marked by ethnic tensions and uncertainty. When circumstances pull his family apart, his greatest wish becomes heartbreakingly simple: to bring them back together for his mother.

As he navigates schoolyard prejudices, whispers of unrest, and the emotional weight of separation, the film unfolds through his quiet determination. There are no grand heroic gestures — only small acts of courage: writing letters, holding onto memories, and refusing to let bitterness replace love.

Set along the Manipur border, the story gently but powerfully touches upon issues of identity, displacement and belonging. Yet, at its core, Boong remains a children’s film in the truest sense — one that safeguards innocence even when the world around it feels fractured.

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Lakshmipriya Devi has described the BAFTA moment as “the last few steps to reach a summit of a mountain we never knew we were climbing.” 

For her, the film is an homage to her homeland — and a prayer for displaced children in Manipur, including the young actors who lived this story on screen. It carries a simple but urgent hope: that no conflict should ever be strong enough to extinguish a child’s dreams.

From a regional story to a global applause

The journey of Boong began at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024, where it premiered to critical appreciation. It went on to travel across international festivals and was later named the Spotlight Film at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, where lead actor Gugun Kipgen also earned a Best Actor (Special Mention).

Beyond its BAFTA triumph, the film picked up the Excellence in Feature Filmmaking award at the International South Asian Film Festival and was honoured as Best Youth Film at the 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards — steadily building global acclaim with every screening.

At the BAFTAs in London, the film stood shoulder-to-shoulder with global studio productions like Zootopia 2 and Lilo & Stitch. It was the only Indian entry in the category — and ultimately, the one that took home the award.

Produced by Excel Entertainment, led by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film marks a defining milestone for Northeast Indian cinema on the global stage.

Boong did not dilute its roots to be understood internationally. It remained deeply local — in language, landscape and lived experience. And in doing so, it became universal.

In celebrating Boong, the world has not just applauded a film — it has embraced a story of courage, compassion and childhood hope, proving that when authenticity leads the way, even the most remote voices can light up the world’s biggest stage.

Sources:

‘Indian movie ‘Boong’ bags BAFTA award for Best Children’s & Family Film’, by The Hindu, Published on 23 February 2026.

‘All You Need To Know About BAFTA-Winner Boong - Cast, Plot And Farhan Akhtar Association’, by NDTV Movies, Published on 23 February 2026.