Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee both took to social media to cheer for the Manipuri film ‘Boong’, which just made history at the 79th BAFTA Awards in London.
Modi hailed the win as a “moment of immense joy” for Manipur and praised the country’s creative talent, while Mamata called it a first-ever Indian victory in this category and congratulated the cast and crew for making the nation proud.
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. https://t.co/fd95WriuTG
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 23, 2026
I am very happy to know that the Manipuri film ‘Boong’ has scripted history at the 2026 BAFTA Awards. Against all odds, this film was crowned Best Children and Family Film, becoming the first-ever Indian production to win in this prestigious category.
My heartiest…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 23, 2026
A small film, a big win
Directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, ‘Boong’ clinched the Best Children’s & Family Film award at BAFTA 2026. It edged out international heavyweights like ‘Zootropolis 2’, ‘Lilo & Stitch’, and ‘Arco’.
Produced under Excel Entertainment by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film has been making waves all over. Its story follows a young boy from Manipur on journey to reunite with his missing father against backdrop of social and political tension in the region.
About ‘Boong’
The film features performances by Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sanamatum, Vikram Kochhar, Nemetia Ngangbam, Jenny Khurai, and Hamom Sadananda.
‘Boong’ first wowed the world at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, screening in the Discovery section on September 5. It then went on to make its way to multiple global festivals before hitting Indian theatres in September 2025.
At BAFTA, Devi’s acceptance speech was both heartfelt and politically resonant. Beginning with a traditional “Kurumjari”, she called the journey “like climbing a mountain we never knew we were on,” and dedicated the win to her homeland stressing the need for peace and better representation for Manipur.
Devi described Manipur as “troubled, ignored, and underrepresented” in India and emphasised that ‘Boong’ is a “homage to my homeland.” The official BAFTA Instagram even shared a video of her emotional acceptance.