LONDON: The ongoing BAFTA Awards 2026 has brought good news for India this year as the Manipuri-language debut feature won a major honor on the global stage.
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 made 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 accept the award.
The film tells the story of a young boy named Boong from Manipur. He plans to surprise his mother with a special gift. In his innocent mind, he believes that bringing his missing father back home would be the best gift.
His search gradually changes his life and leads to an unexpected new beginning. ‘Boong’ competed with popular international films such as Zootopia 2, Lilo & Stitch, and Areo, yet managed to win the award.
The film first premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery section.
