The troubled state of Manipur is a world away from the glittering London stage of the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards, but, for a moment on Sunday night, it found itself in the spotlight when Boong, a Manipuri-language film, became the first Indian movie to win the Best Children’s & Family Film award.
“(It’s) a film that’s not only rooted in a place which is very troubled, very much ignored and very unrepresented in India, my homeland, Manipur. It’s a homage to my homeland. So I just want to use this opportunity to say that 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, innocence and their dream once again,” said director Lakshmipriya Devi in her acceptance speech.
Produced by Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and Alan McAlex, Lakshmipriya’s debut film Boong beat big box-office successes like Zootopia 2 ($1.8 billion gross earning) and science-fiction comedy Lilo & Stich, which collected over $1 billion worldwide, apart from animated science fantasy Arco, to pick up the award.
Set in Manipur, the film revolves around Boong (Gugun Kipgen), who travels across borders in search of his father Joykumar to bring him back home. After leaving home some years ago, Joykumar has gone incommunicado. Boong refuses to believe the rumours that his father’s dead and, accompanied by his best friend, Raju (Angom Sanamatum), a Marwari who is seen as an outsider in Manipur, sets out to find his father.
The idea for the film came to Lakshmipriya years after she left her Imphal home as a 10-year-old, moving to Delhi to study in a boarding school. A graduate in economics from Miranda House, Lakshmipriya did her post-graduation in mass communication from Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, before moving to Mumbai. In Mumbai, she started working in films as an assistant director and was part of the production team of several movies including Lakshya (2004), Luck By Chance (2009), PK (2014), Talaash (2012), A Suitable Boy (2020) and Dahaad (2023).
However, it was while taking care of her father and aunt at her Mumbai home, that her childhood memories came rushing back. That reconnection with her roots eventually took the shape of a script that she located in Manipur. In an interview to this correspondent in 2024, Lakshmipriya had said, “Since I belong to a region that is far removed from the mainland Indian subconsciousness and largely ignored, I felt very strongly that my debut film (and God knows if I don’t get a chance to make another!) had to be a story rooted in my land — Manipur.”
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Though the film was set in a conflict zone, she had added, she wanted to narrate the story like a fable. However, the landscape and life in the state altered nearly two weeks after Boong’s shooting was wrapped up, and the conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis took a violent turn in 2023.
Boong, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2024, was screened at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, later that year. However, despite receiving critical acclaim, the film had a limited theatrical release in September 2025. Ahead of its release, Lakshmipriya had said: “After the ongoing war in Manipur for more than two years and the general ignorance in mainland India about the North East, I feel a painful urgency to educate or share with my countrymen about us, so that they can be more empathetic and we can feel more inclusive.”
On the BAFTA stage, she ended her acceptance speech with a hope and a prayer: “We pray that no conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one superpower that all of us have as human beings, which is forgiveness.”
Alaka Sahani is a prominent film critic and journalist based in Mumbai. With a career spanning over two decades, she has established herself as one of India’s most authoritative voices in cinematic journalism, known for an analytical approach and insights that transcend the standard cycle of celebrity journalism.
Expertise & Accolades
In 2014, Alaka was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Film Critic. Her Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) citation specifically lauded her for "highlighting facets of cinema beyond glamour and gossip" and for her ability to delve into the contemporary relevance of iconic filmmakers. Her commitment to journalistic integrity was further recognised in 2019 with a Special Mention at the Red Ink Awards for her investigative feature, 'In Search of a Star'. Her article titled 'People Like Us', published in The Indian Express on March 27, 2022, was shortlisted for Red Ink Award, 2023.
Global Industry Leadership
Alaka’s expertise is sought after by major international and domestic film bodies:
Golden Globes: In 2025, she joined the international voting body for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.
National Film Awards: She served on the prestigious jury for the 68th National Film Awards, helping select the finest contributions to Indian cinema.
Global Perspective: Her work consistently bridges the gap between commercial Bollywood A-listers and emerging independent talents, offering nuanced insights into both Indian regional cinema and international film trends.
Focus & Vision
Beyond the screen, Alaka is a dedicated observer of Mumbai’s vibrant theatre scene and the historical evolution of the moving image. Through her long-form articles and deep-dive interviews, she continues to challenge "tried-and-tested" templates, providing readers with a deep understanding of the artistic and systemic workings of the Indian and global film industry. ... Read More
