Manipuri-Language Film ‘Boong’ Wins BAFTA for Best Children’s and Family Film
Celebrating a landmark victory for regional cinema, director Lakshmipriya Devi paid homage to her homeland duing her acceptance speech
Still from the film//IMDb
On Feb.22, 2026, Boong, directed by Lakshmipriya Devi and backed by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment alongside Chalkboard Entertainment and Suitable Pictures, won the BAFTA for “best Children’s and Family Film.” Beating its strong contenders like ‘Zootopia 2’ and ‘Lilo and Stitch,’ the Manipuri coming-of-age film emerged victorious at the podium, making it the country’s first-ever win in the category.
The film also celebrated other firsts too. For one, this was Devi’s directorial debut. Secondly, the award was presented by the adorable Paddington Bear, a famous character from British children’s classics, making it the first fictional “bear” to not just present an award but also get “marmalade all over a BAFTA.”
Boong‘s central theme of growing socio-political tensions in Manipur is presented through the eyes of a young boy named Boong Singh, played by child actor Gugun Kipgen. The feature follows how the Imphal native, along with his partner-in-crime, Raju, embarks on a quest to reunite his missing father with his family, all while traversing across borders of Moreh as displacement and ethnic violence take over his valley.
Sadly, the film wrapped up in 2023, just a week before ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei tribes. Ironically enough, the main lead, Kipgen, a fellow member of the Kuki-Zo tribe, plays a typical Meitei character on screen. Simple yet poignant details like these illuminate Boong’s innate innocence regarding identity and boyhood amidst brewing tensions in his homeland.
Across international film festivals and showcases, Boong has previously won ‘Excellence in Feature Filmmaking‘ at the International South Asian Film Festival in Canada, ‘Best Youth Film‘ at the 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Australia and earned a Best Actor (Special Mention) for lead Gugun Kipgen at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
Gracing the stage for an acceptance award, director Lakshmipriya Devi greeted the audience with “Khurumjari.” She also took the stage to spotlight the ethnic violence taking place in her homeland since 2023, stating: “We pray for peace to return to Manipur. We pray that all the internally displaced children, including the child actors in the film, regain their joy, their innocence, and their dreams once again.”
Concluding with hope, she added: “We pray that no conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one super power that all of us have as human beings, that is forgiveness. So thank you BAFTA for giving us not only an award, but this stage to express our hope.”
