This time, Indian cinema, particularly the Northeast, didn’t just take home a prize, it bestowed a legacy upon the country. A win speaks volumes when it lifts a Manipuri film onto a globally respected stage. 

The Tale of Boong 

Say hello to lil Boong! He is the internet’s fav lil boy currently. 

In the film, a small kid named Boong sets out on a quiet journey through dusty roads and crowded markets. His search begins after noticing how sad his mother looks each morning. In Manipuri, that name simply means young child. 

Starting out in Manipur, Boong, brought to life by Gugun Kipgen – moves toward Moreh, a frontier outpost, then steps across into Myanmar, hunting clues about his father. With him walks Raju, shaped by Angom Sanamatum, close as breath. Back home waits Mandakini, played by Bala Hijam.

And wait… before you think it’s just a story about growing up, we must burst your bubble and tell you that you may be in for an uncomfortable surprise. The movie slips into the real struggles of life in Manipur, tensions between communities, armed resistance, who gets seen as one of us, fear of outsiders, searching for where you fit, and unfair treatment. 

The Timing That Is WAY TOO Striking To Ignore

And did you know, Boong almost feels destined in the stars because of this unfortunate, but peculiar detail. 

Boong’s production schedule isn’t planned for significance, but time gave it meaning instead. A single week separated the film’s final edit from the outbreak of intense ethnic conflict in Manipur. Finished in 2023, its existence just ahead of upheaval lent it focus and attention. 

Lakshmipriya Devi Speaks at BAFTAs

With sheer grace and confidence in her voice, Lakshmipriya Devi spoke of truths larger than film. She said:

“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.”

From there, her attention turned to what’s happening in Manipur,

“Just want to use this opportunity to say that we pray for peace to return to Manipur, 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.”

She continued:

“We pray that no conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one superpower that all of us have as human beings, that is forgiveness. So, thank you BAFTA for giving us not only an award but this stage to express our hope.”

That day, her words were about her victory, but they were not blindsided to the situation around. Not only in her film, she carries that kind of innate power and weight in her speech too. 

Ritesh Sidhwani & Farhan Akhtar At BAFTA

Ritesh Sidhwani speaks to NDTV, 

“Boong was made in a language from India’s Northeast – a region rich in culture and storytelling, but rarely represented internationally.”

He further added:

“The fact that it’s being heard and celebrated here reaffirms our belief that stories don’t need scale they need soul.. It’s not just a win for our team, but for the many unheard voices across India.”

Farhan Akhtar said, 

“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.”

Wait, This Isn’t Boong’s 1st International Win? 

Earlier wins abroad set the stage for the legacy that this film writes for itself with uncontrolled rizz, so yeah, Boong’s success at BAFTA wasn’t its first moment in the spotlight.

Began its run September 5, 2024, showing first during Toronto’s film festival under the Discovery banner. Later seen by audiences there before wider release.

A screening took place during the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2024.

Besides screening at the Warsaw International Film Festival in 2024.

A piece of the International Film Festival of India, it showed up like a legacy. 

Screening took place during the 2025 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

A subtle standout moment came when the movie took home Excellence in Feature Filmmaking during the Canadian leg of the International South African Film Festival. Down under, it claimed Best Youth Film at Australia’s 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Not far behind, lead performer Gugun Kipgen grabbed a Special Mention for Best Actor across screenings at Melbourne’s Indian Film Festival.

Unknown Facts About Boong The Film 

Little Boong, that name holds emotions tight to him like dust on bare feet, but it just means “small child” in Manipuri. And that’s the simple beauty of it. Through his eyes, which are keen but still soft with youth, everything begins as a boy, just twelve winters old, starts chasing traces where his father was.

People from the village fill most roles here, handpicked by director Lakshmipriya Devi for realness. Yup, NO PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. Among them slip just five pros; one is Bala Hijam. That kind of humbleness and beauty yaar, ye mera India hi kar sakta hai! 

Behind a calm surface of political unease, this movie digs deep and that’s where things get uncomfortable. It peeps into who we are, the fear of outsiders and fitting in. Its debut happened September 5, 2024, when it opened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Brut also highlights that Boong goes beyond being just for kids and is seen through a young POV, yet carries a peculiar kind of depth and vigilance in its social layers. 

Legacy roars internationally when a small film beats big names. Boong beside giants, Zootropolis 2, Lilo & Stitch, can you imagine? Well, we can’t! It still feels too good to be true that little Boong’s story touched so many hearts.