"I was blank": Boong director Lakshmipriya Devi on historic BAFTA win moment

The Manipuri-language coming-of-age drama recently became the first Indian film to win in the Best Children's & Family Film category at the 79th British Academy Film Awards. The recognition has placed a spotlight on cinema from Northeast India, marking a milestone for regional storytelling on the global stage.

In an interview Asian News International (ANI), Devi recalled that standing on stage in London was a moment she could barely process in real time.

"Oh, I was not having any such deep thoughts," she said, adding, "To stand on a stage like that... just to see the audience, I was blank."

The filmmaker admitted that the magnitude of the occasion made the experience feel almost unreal. Despite the pressure of delivering an acceptance speech before a global audience, she said she focused on simply expressing what she felt in the moment.

"I don't even know how I spoke that speech, frankly," Devi said, adding, "I went on the stage, looked at two or three people, and then this thing came out."

She explained that she had to mentally block out the scale of the event in order to stay composed.

"I blocked out the rest," she said, adding, "The focus that I had was to say whatever I felt and get out of it before I fainted."

While the stage moment itself felt surreal, Devi revealed that the emotional weight of the event hit her earlier in the day. Before leaving for the ceremony, she experienced a wave of overwhelming feelings.

"I cried the day of BAFTA, but before heading to the venue," she said, adding, "Yeah, I was overwhelmed that time."

However, once she arrived at the ceremony, she shifted her focus toward the moment ahead.

"Once I reached... I was just focused," she added.

Devi also reflected the significance of the win for regional cinema from Northeast India.

"I think it puts a huge spotlight on regional cinema," Devi said while discussing the impact of the recognition, adding, "If people have not heard about them before, at least now they know that these kinds of cinema might exist."

The film, set in Manipur, tells the story of a young boy who sets out on a journey to find his missing father and bring him home as a gift for his mother. Devi said the project became deeply personal once she completed the script.

"After I finished writing the script... I was like, no, this I would like to tell," she said, adding, "It had become a part of me. I thought I'd take the chance and direct it."

Directing the film through the perspective of a child also shaped the filmmaking process. Devi worked closely with young performers including Gugun Kipgen, who plays the titular character.

"The story was the story of a child," she explained, adding, "Working with child actors was challenging but also very fulfilling."

Following its BAFTA triumph, 'Boong' received a major re-release in Indian cinemas on March 6, 2026. As the film gains global attention, Devi hopes its message resonates particularly with audiences in Manipur.

"I hope they see this film and take the message of having a new beginning," she said, adding, "That would be the gift they can give themselves."

- ANI