The news arrived quietly but surely landed with force. Boong, a 2024 Manipuri language coming-of-age drama set in India’s northeastern frontier, won the BAFTA for Best Children’s & Family Film, a first in the category for an Indian production. For many from Manipur, the moment felt like a recognition long deferred. Directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, Boong follows a young boy (played by Gugun Kipgen) growing up with his single mother after his father disappears. Convinced that reuniting his fractured family would be the greatest gift he could offer, he sets to Moreh, the border town that connects India to Myanmar. The film captures how political uncertainty and fragile borders filter into childhood through small, interior shifts.
Kshetrimayum Priyobrata Singh, a filmmaker and theatre practitioner, performing frequently in Bengaluru, calls the win surreal. “A Manipuri film winning such a prestigious award is a testament to the talent and hard work of the team. I cannot recall any film from our industry creating such a global sensation in a long time,” he states, pointing to the structural challenges that often keep regional films from travelling and sharing that there are many deserving Manipuri films that never go global because the right ecosystem does not exist. Singh terms it ‘unfortunate’, while acknowledging the layered emotions that Boong is breaking through. “Given the current scenario in Manipur, people naturally connect the film’s themes with reality. The filmmaker’s statement during the acceptance speech was true, but it is also the right time to celebrate,”
he adds.
Notably, Devi’s acceptance speech was removed by BAFTA and later restored for reasons unknown. In her speech, the director said the film was rooted in a ‘very troubled, very much ignored and very underrepresented region in India’, further adding, “I 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, innocence and dreams once again.”
Distance sharpened the moment for Zayaan Nongjaimayum, a student living away from the state, where news from home often arrives wrapped in tension. “I was emotional, especially knowing that it was released during the turbulent times in Manipur. Despite the chaos, it rose above everything and received the recognition it deserved,” Nongjaimayum says.
Kapil Arambam, HoD, Journalism, Jyoti Nivas College (Autonomous), placed the celebration in a broader historical context. “The win is significant. But I was also aware of the contrast between global celebration and the continuing fragility of everyday life in Manipur. The tension is impossible to ignore.”
Watching the film stirred memories of Yaoshang festivities and Thabal Chongba nights for Nongjaimayum. Scenes of Ima Keithel, the historic all-women’s market in Imphal, felt personal. “I found myself missing the imas (mothers) selling daily necessities with gentle smiles. The movie did bring back memories and a sense of belonging that I carry with me wherever I go,” Nongjaimayum says, adding that Northeast India has narratives that deserve equal space.
Arambam, on the other hand, argues that the film’s strength lies in its realism, stating that it renders the unease of growing up in a borderland. “In Manipur, politics enters domestic spaces, schools and markets. That has been true historically,” he says. While international recognition may redirect attention, he notes that interest in the region has been episodic.
Still, for a region often defined by conflict headlines than cinema screens, the image of a child chasing hope across a border saw a film’s success along with a fragile and necessary affirmation.
Further Viewing
If you are looking to explore Manipuri cinema, beyond Boong, Priyobrata suggests Ishanou and Imagi Ningthem by Aribam Syam Sharma. Nongjaimayum points to Phouoibee (The Goddess of Paddy) by Rakesh Moiranghtem, while Arambam recommends Mami Sami and Nongallabasu Thaballei Manam and aforementioned works by Aribam.