BAFTA 2026: Manipuri film ‘Boong’ clinches Best Children’s and Family Film Award

LONDON: The ongoing BAFTA Awards 2026 have brought good news for India this year, as the Manipuri-language debut feature won a major honour on the global stage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Manipuri film for winning the prestigious 'Best Children's & Family Film' title at the 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).

India made its mark at the British Academy Film Awards as 'Boong' won the Best Children and Family Film Award. The film was the only Indian nominee at the BAFTAs this year. The official BAFTA social media pages shared the announcement. With this, Boong has also created history by becoming the first Indian film to win the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award in the Best Children's and Family Film category.

Boong is directed by Lakshmipriya Devi and produced by Farhan Akhtar, along with Vikesh Bhutani, Alan McAlex, Ritesh Sidhwani and Shujaat Saudagar. The makers, including Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Lakshmipriya Devi and Alan McAlex, were present at the event held at London's Royal Festival Hall to receive the award.

Sharing her thoughts after the big win, director Lakshmipriya Devi expressed joy at seeing a story rooted in Manipur resonate internationally. Emphasizing the personal and cultural significance of the film, 'Boong' means 'a little boy' in my language, Manipuri. So it's about a boy who wants to get a very special gift for his mother. So he thinks by finding his father, who's been missing for quite a while, that would be the best gift for his mother. So that's basically the story of the film," she said in an interview with Deadline.

Producer Farhan Akhtar reflected on his long association with the director and what drew him to support the project. Speaking about their bond, he said, "Well, to start with, Lakshmipriya Devi and I have known each other for close to 20 years now. This is her first film as a director. So it's a very special moment in her life. And it's amazing that we're part of it."

Boong competed with popular international films such as Zootopia 2, Lilo & Stitch and Arco and still managed to win the award.

The film first premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery section. It was later screened at many global film events, including the Warsaw International Film Festival 2024, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024, the International Film Festival of India, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025.

Meanwhile, the post on PM Modi's official X handle read, "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." (Agencies)

Also Read: Farhan backed Manipuri movie ‘Boong’ to be Spotlight Film at IFFM 2025