Produced by Farhan Akhtar, the film was the only Indian nominee at the ceremony and has now become the first Indian film to win in this category
Digital Desk: India had a proud moment at the BAFTA Awards 2026 as Boong, a Manipuri-language debut feature, won the Best Children and Family Film award , marking a significant milestone for Indian cinema on the global stage.
Produced by Farhan Akhtar, the film was the only Indian nominee at the ceremony and has now become the first Indian film to win in this category.
Reflecting on his decision to back the project, Akhtar spoke about his long-standing association with director Lakshmipriya Devi. He revealed that he has known Lakshmipriya for nearly two decades and was drawn to the film’s heartfelt story and its setting in a region rarely represented on the big screen.
“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,” Akhtar said.
Boong is produced by Farhan Akhtar along with Vikesh Bhutani, Alan McAlex, Ritesh Sidhwani, and Shujaat Saudagar. The team, including Akhtar, Sidhwani, Lakshmipriya, and McAlex, attended the awards ceremony held at Royal Festival Hall in London to receive the honour.
The film tells the touching story of a young boy named Boong from Manipur, who wishes to surprise his mother with a special gift. Believing that bringing his missing father back home would be the greatest gift of all, he embarks on a journey that gradually transforms his life and leads to an unexpected new beginning.
At the awards, Boong triumphed over major international contenders such as Zootopia 2, Lilo & Stitch, and Arco.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2024 in the Discovery section. It was later screened at several prestigious global platforms, including the Warsaw International Film Festival 2024, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024, the International Film Festival of India, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025.
With this historic win, Boong has firmly placed Manipuri cinema , and Indian regional storytelling, on the international map.
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