A Manipuri film, Boong directed by Laxmipriya Devi, created history at the 79th British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA) on Sunday by winning the country’s first award on the prestigious stage, considered the British equivalent of the Oscars. “Boong”, meaning “little boy”, tells the story of a young boy living in Manipur amid social and political tension. Being the sole representation at this year’s event in London, the movie won the award in the Best Children and Family Category. It beat strong contenders such as Lilo & Stitch, and Zootropolis 2 (Zootopia 2), and animated science fantasy Arco. Boong is produced by Farhan Akhtar along with Vikesh Bhutani, Alan McAlex, Ritesh Sidhwani and Shujaat Saudagar.
The Prime Minister (PM) of India congratulated the team of the Manipuri-language film, Boong. Taking on X, the PM shared a picture of the film and wrote, “Congratulations to all those associated with this film. This is indeed a moment of immense joy, especially for Manipur. It also highlights the immense creative talent in our nation.”
Boong tells the story of a schoolboy navigating racial divisions and political challenges in Manipur. Boong wishes to gift something precious to his mother, and the best gift he thought was to reunite his family. So, he teams up with his close friend, a Marwari boy, a so-called outsider in the village. The cast features Gugun Kigpen as Boong, Angom Sanamatum and Bala Hijam Ningthoujam in prominent roles. Devi dedicated the award to the “internally displaced children” of Manipur.
