UKHRUL: India marked a historic moment at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards as Manipuri-language debut feature Boong won the Best Children’s & Family Film award at the BAFTA Awards. The victory makes Boong the first Indian film ever to win in this category.
Directed by debutant Lakshmipriya Devi and produced by Farhan Akhtar along with Vikesh Bhutani, Alan McAlex, Ritesh Sidhwani and Shujaat Saudagar under Excel Entertainment, the film was the only Indian nominee at this year’s ceremony. The team, including Akhtar, Sidhwani, Devi and McAlex, received the award at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
Boong follows a young schoolboy from Manipur who dreams of surprising his mother with the “perfect gift”—reuniting her with his missing father. What begins as a child’s innocent quest unfolds into an emotional journey shaped by resilience, racial tensions and life along the India-Myanmar border.
The film stars Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam Ningthoujam and Angom Sanamatum in prominent roles. Shot in Khurkhul village in Imphal West and the border town of Moreh, the project was completed months before ethnic violence engulfed Manipur.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery section and went on to screen at the Warsaw International Film Festival, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
At the BAFTAs, Boong triumphed over major international contenders including Lilo & Stitch, Zootropolis 2 and French sci-fi feature Arco.
Calling the film a homage to her homeland, Lakshmipriya Devi used the global platform to make a heartfelt appeal. “We pray for peace to return to Manipur,” she said. “We pray that all the internally displaced children, including the child actors in the film, regain their joy, innocence and dreams once again. We pray that no conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one superpower that all of us have as human beings — forgiveness.”
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Devi later reflected that the story was deeply personal. The idea, she shared, was planted in her childhood shaped by things she had witnessed and experienced, beoming a way to seek closure. At the same time, she emphasized that the longing to complete a family is universal, transcending geography and culture.
Farhan Akhtar congratulated the team, calling Boong a “beautiful and heartwarming gem of a film” and said seeing it honoured on the BAFTA stage was an unforgettable moment for Indian storytellers.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh hailed the win as a proud achievement for both Manipur and India. The Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) compared the moment to the landmark international recognition received by Manipuri cinema decades ago, expressing hope that Boong would inspire a new generation of filmmakers.
For a film rooted in a region often underrepresented on the big screen, Boong’s global triumph stands not just as an artistic victory, but as a powerful message of resilience, hope and healing.