NewKerala.com

Farhan Akhtar-backed Manipuri film 'Boong' wins BAFTA Children's & Family award

The Manipuri-language film "Boong," backed by Farhan Akhtar, has won the Best Children's & Family Film award at the 79th British Academy Film Awards. Director Lakshmipriya Devi gave an emotional speech, dedicating the win to her troubled and underrepresented homeland of Manipur. She expressed prayers for peace and for displaced children, including the film's young actors, to regain their joy and dreams. The film, which premiered at TIFF, tells the story of a boy's quest to reunite his family amidst social tensions.

Key Points: Manipuri Film 'Boong' Wins BAFTA, Director Dedicates to Homeland

  • Wins BAFTA Best Children's & Family Film
  • Director's emotional acceptance speech
  • Film is a homage to Manipur
  • Highlights region's struggles and hopes for peace
  • Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival
2 min read

Farhan Akhtar-backed 'Boong' wins BAFTA, director says 'it's a homage to my homeland'

Farhan Akhtar-backed Manipuri film 'Boong' wins BAFTA Best Children's & Family Film. Director Lakshmipriya Devi calls it a homage to troubled Manipur.

"It's a homage to my homeland. - Lakshmipriya Devi"

Mumbai, Feb 23

The Manipuri-language film "Boong" backed by Farhan Akhtar won the prestigious Best Children's & Family Film award at the 79th British Academy Film Awards. It's director Lakshmipriya Devi described the moment as "the last few steps to reach a summit of a mountain we never knew we were climbing in the first place."

Boong was competing alongside international titles such as Arco, Lilo & Stitch, and Zootropolis 2.

The official Instagram page of BAFTA shared a video of Lakshmipriya Devi accepting the honour. She began with "Kurumjari", a traditional greeting.

She added: "The walk up till here felt like the last few steps to reach a summit of a mountain we never knew we were climbing in the first place. So thank you to the jury members and BAFTA for giving our very small film such big love."

The director underscored that the film is deeply rooted in his homeland, Manipur, a region he described as troubled, ignored and underrepresented in India.

"A film that is not only rooted in a place which is very troubled, very much ignored and very unrepresented in India, my homeland, Manipur. It's a homage to my homeland. So I just want to use this opportunity to say that we pray for peace to return to Manipur," Devi said.

She also expressed hope that internally displaced children, including the young actors who featured in the film, would regain their joy, innocence, and dreams.

"We pray that all the internally displaced children, including the child actors in the film, regain their joy, their innocence, and their dream once again. We pray that no conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one superpower," she concluded.

Boong stars Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sanamatum, Vikram Kochhar, Nemetia Ngangbam, Jenny Khurai, and Hamom Sadananda. The film had its world premiere at the Discovery section of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2024.

It tells the story of a young boy's heartfelt quest to reunite his family in the backdrop of social tensions in Manipur.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Amazing news! But the director's words about Manipur being "troubled, ignored and unrepresented" hit hard. We celebrate the win, but we must also listen to what she's saying. When will mainstream media and Bollywood give consistent, respectful attention to the Northeast beyond just a token film?
A
Aman W
Farhan Akhtar backing such projects is commendable. We need more producers with his reach to support regional cinema. The story sounds beautiful and heartbreaking. Hope this win brings some solace and hope to the people of Manipur. Jai Hind.
S
Sarah B
"The last few steps to reach a summit of a mountain we never knew we were climbing" – what a powerful way to describe it. Wishing peace for Manipur. Art has a way of healing. Can't wait to watch this film.
K
Karthik V
Competing with giants like Disney and winning! This proves content is king. Our film institutes should study this success. Hope it gets a wide release in India now. My family would love to see it.
N
Nisha Z
Her prayer for the displaced children, including the child actors, brought tears to my eyes. This is more than an award; it's a message. When will we learn to protect our children from conflict? 🙏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50