Like her heart-tugging, BAFTA-nominated Boong, filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi is heart-warming, simple yet profound, and full of life. For those of us geographically and emotionally distant from Manipur, the beautiful north-eastern state is often reduced to a hotbed of conflict. But here comes a Manipuri film that humanises the state and its people with poignant, evocative clarity.As the cinematic gem earns a prestigious nomination for Best Children’s and Family Film at the 2026 BAFTA Awards, Lakshmipriya is still trying to process the honour. “It’s still so unreal,” she admits, taking us through the film’s journey. For her, the BAFTA nomination feels like a climax, a final high for the film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Since then, it has toured many film festivals, picking up accolades along the way.The fact that the film is in the BAFTA ‘Family and Children’ category does not dampen her spirits; it gladdens her heart immeasurably. Indeed, Boong, a heartfelt story of a boy searching for his father, touches on many pertinent themes. “But at heart,” observes Lakshmipriya, “it’s a children’s film.”The film also introduces the remarkable child actor Gugun Kipgen. Lakshmipriya recalls her serendipitous discovery: “I had almost become a ‘child kidnapper’, constantly asking everyone, ‘Do you know any child actor?’” Fate intervened when someone walked in for a production job, accompanied by this impish child. It was “love at first sight.” Only Gugun, a Kuki boy, initially hesitated, as he did not know Meitei. But mastering Meitei proved surprisingly straightforward for him.Directing child actors, Lakshmipriya admits, has spoiled her: “They are so natural.” She is also full of praise for actress Bala Hijam, who plays Boong’s mother, especially for how she interpreted Mandakini’s character. She laughs, “Had she followed my brief, Mandakini’s character would have been a flop.”Yet Boong is deeply personal for Lakshmipriya; it contains snapshots of her own childhood. If Boong represents a ‘male version’ of herself, she sees herself in the impudent Juliana. In the film, she flips the ‘insider-outsider’ thesis, holding a mirror to society. The theme of ‘othering’ is rooted in her own experiences. Having faced discrimination while living in New Delhi, she insists, “Boong’s best friend in the film had to be none other than a Marwari.”The film’s overriding message, she stresses, is not the prejudices we hold but the importance of closure and moving forward—both for the people of her state and beyond.Though unsure how to respond to effusive praise, she believes deeply in the power of cinema and “the need to use it responsibly, especially in times of hatred and violence.”An assistant director for decades (Lakshya, PK, Dahaad and more), she explains why she waited so long to direct: “I didn’t want to direct till I had a story to tell.” Asked whether her next film will be in Manipuri, she answers succinctly: “Story will determine the language.” Regarding the wider impact on Manipuri cinema, she puts it in perspective: “First, there has to be acknowledgement that there is regional cinema beyond Tamil and Telugu. With Boong, we have gained attention; hopefully, action will follow. Before me, there have been acclaimed Manipuri films such as ‘Ishanou’, directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and written by my aunt MK Binodini Devi. So, I am not the first, nor will I be the last.”Still, she made Boong as if it were her last film, packing in all her precious experiences while maintaining zero expectations: “I didn’t care if I failed.” Unsurprisingly, as the nation watches with bated breath, she has none regarding winning the BAFTA either.But BAFTA or no BAFTA, ‘Boong’, like its maker, is a clear winner, holding hearts captive.
