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An Indian director's debut film, Boong, secured the BAFTA for Best Children's & Family Film on Sunday, drawing global attention to her homeland of Manipur-a region scarred by ethnic violence that has killed over 260 people since 2023.
Historic win for Indian cinema
Lakshmipriya Devi's Manipuri-language coming-of-age story triumphed over high-profile contenders, including Zootopia 2, Lilo & Stitch, and the French sci-fi film Arco. The victory marks the first time an Indian film has claimed the BAFTA in this category.
Accepting the award from Paddington Bear, Devi described Boong as rooted in a region "very troubled, very much ignored and very under-represented in India."
A child's journey through a fractured land
The film follows Brojendro "Boong" Singh, a mischievous schoolboy played by 12-year-old Gugun Kipgen, as he searches for his missing father. Set in Manipur's capital, Imphal, the story unfolds through Boong's eyes but grapples with themes of ethnic tension, migration, and militarization-issues that gained tragic relevance after filming wrapped.
Devi told the Indian Express in 2024 that she envisioned the film as a "grandmother's story," beginning with the line, "Once upon a time, there was a boy named Boong."
Ethnic strife casts shadow over triumph
Violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei majority and Kuki-Zo communities, displacing tens of thousands. Though Boong was shot before the conflict, its release coincided with ongoing segregation and rehabilitation efforts.
On stage, Devi prayed for displaced children, including her young cast, to "regain their joy, their innocence, and their dreams." She added, "No conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one super power that all of us have as human beings-that is forgiveness."
Breaking barriers for regional cinema
Despite critical acclaim and festival buzz-including screenings at Toronto, Warsaw, and Mumbai-Boong struggled for visibility in India's mainstream Hindi-language film industry. Smaller independent films, particularly from the northeast, face distribution hurdles due to limited domestic markets.
The film's producer, Excel Entertainment (co-founded by Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar), helped amplify its reach. Akhtar told Deadline he had known Devi for nearly two decades and felt compelled to support a story from a region "where very few films that we get to watch" are made.
Nation celebrates, but wounds remain
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the win as "a moment of immense joy, especially for Manipur," while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it a historic achievement. Manipur's new Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, praised the film as a tribute to the state's resilience.
The Hollywood Reporter India noted that Boong "trusts its personal story to convey the history of a place without exoticising it," emphasizing the humanity of its characters over their identities.
