‘Boong’ director Lakshmipriya Devi made a historic performance at BAFTA 2026

Mumbai: Manipur filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi’s debut feature film ‘Boong’ has won the Best Children and Family Film award at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards. This win is considered historic for Indian cinema, as it is the first film from the North-East to win the BAFTA title. Lakshmipriya has also made her mark as the first woman director to achieve this position.

Who is Lakshmipriya Devi, the director of ‘Boong’?

‘Boong’ is a Manipuri language coming-of-age comedy-drama film. The film tells the story of a young boy trying to bring his father back home amid ethnic conflict and political unrest in the northern part of Manipur. This story beautifully presents the innocence of childhood, the struggles of everyday life and emotional struggles. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024, and was subsequently screened in India.

Historic performance at BAFTA 2026

In her emotional speech during the BAFTA Awards ceremony, Lakshmipriya Devi described the ongoing human crisis in Manipur as ‘ignored and unrepresented’. He dedicated this award to all those who have been victims of violence. He appealed to the global community to pray for peace and healing in Manipur. Producers Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and assistant director Rahul Sharda were also present on the stage during the speech.

Movies like ‘Lilo & Stitch’, ‘Zootopia 2’ left behind

This victory was won by Manipur Chief Minister Y. It is a proud moment for Khemchand Singh. Kangana Ranaut also praised LakshmiPriya, saying that she is “made for greatness”. This award was achieved by leaving behind Hollywood films like ‘Lilo & Stitch’, ‘Zootopia 2’, which makes it more significant. This success of Lakshmipriya Devi is a new chapter for Northeast cinema and ‘Boong’ has proved how impactful regional stories can be on a global scale.