Manipuri comedy-drama Boong, produced by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment, won the BAFTA Award for Best Children’s and Family Film in London. Director Lakshmipriya Devi, in her acceptance speech, expressed a heartfelt plea for peace in Manipur after receiving the award from Paddington Bear. Joining her onstage were producers Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, along with assistant director Rahul Sharda. Boong, featuring Gugun Kipgen and Bala Hijam, triumphed over other international nominees, including Lilo and Stitch, Arco, and Zootropolis 2. Devi compared her experience of receiving the award to reaching a mountain summit she hadn’t anticipated climbing. She dedicated the award to the internally displaced children in Manipur, expressing hope for their return to joy and innocence and emphasizing the human power of forgiveness. The event also saw One Battle After Another dominate the BAFTAs, winning six awards including Best Film, with Paul Thomas Anderson as Best Director. The awards ceremony took place at the Royal Festival Hall, featuring Bollywood star Alia Bhatt as a presenter for the Best Film not in English trophy awarded to Nordic drama Sentimental Value.
Imphal