"Your time is here my friend": Kangana Ranaut congratulates Boong's director Lakshmipriya Devi for BAFTA win
Mumbai, February 23
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut congratulated director Lakshmipriya Devi after her film 'Boong' won the Best Children and Family Film award at BAFTA 2026.
Kangana took to her Instagram stories and praised the filmmaker and her team. She wrote, "Congratulations @lp_devi and the entire team of Boong for this award, you spoke so well and look great."
She recalled her association with the director, saying, "Dear LP, when we first worked together more than a decade ago, you were my first AD on a film called Game, whispers on the sets were that LP is made for greatness. Your time is here my friend, you have no idea how much honour/respect you have brought to the entertainment industry, India and the north east. Wish you the best. Keep shining."
'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 receive the award.
The film revolves around 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 feels that bringing his missing father back home would be the best gift. His search slowly changes his life and leads to an unexpected new beginning.
'Boong' competed with popular international films such as Zootopia 2, Lilo & Stitch and Arco and still managed to win the award.
Producer Farhan Akhtar reflected on what drew him to the project in the first place. Speaking about his long association with director Lakshmipriya Devi, Farhan mentioned familiarity, trust, and a story that simply felt "right."
He shared that he had known Lakshmipriya for nearly two decades and that the film, being set in a region rarely seen on the big screen, made backing the project feel natural.
"Lakshmipriya Devi and I have known each other for about 20 years. This film is set in a region of India from which we rarely get to watch films. It was nice to support that as well, and it's a very heartwarming story. So, it just felt right."
'Boong' was the only Indian nominee at the ceremony and has now become the first Indian film to win in this category.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Heartwarming to see a film from the North East get this kind of global recognition. We need more stories from every corner of India. Kudos to Lakshmipriya Devi and Farhan Akhtar for backing this project.
Kangana's message was really nice and supportive. It's good to see established artists uplifting new talent. The film's plot about a boy from Manipur sounds very touching. Can't wait to watch it!
As someone who follows international awards, this is a massive achievement. Beating films like Zootopia 2 is no small feat. The Indian film industry is truly coming into its own on the world stage.
While the win is fantastic, I do hope the focus remains on the film and its message, and not just on the celebrity congratulations. The real victory is for storytelling from underrepresented regions.
First Indian film to win in this category! 🇮🇳 That's historic. Makes me so proud. Hope this opens doors for more regional cinema to get produced and distributed widely, both here and abroad.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.