Indian film Boong scripted a historic win at the BAFTA Awards 2026 on Sunday as it won the Best Children and Family Film award. The Manipuri language film’s win was the first for an Indian film at the stage, and producer Farhan Akhtar was all smiles about it.
Farhan Akhtar on backing Boong
Farhan had backed the film under the banner of his production house, Excel Entertainment. He attended the awards gala, alongside co-producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Alan McAlex, and the film’s director, Lakshmipriya Devi.
After the historic win, Farhan reflected on the decision to back the film, and his two-decade-old association with director Lakshmipriya Devi. Farhan mentioned familiarity, trust, and a story that simply felt “right.” The actor-filmmaker 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.”
Boong follows the story of a young boy named Boong, from the valley of Manipur, who plans to surprise his mother with a gift. In his innocence, he believes that bringing his father back home would be the most special gift. His search for his father leads to an unexpected gift – a new beginning. The film stars Gugun Kipgen and Bala Hijam.
Boong, the only Indian nominee at the ceremony, competed with Arco, Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2 in the Best Children and Family Film. It is now the first Indian film to win in this category.
The film first premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery section. It was later screened at many global film events, including the Warsaw International Film Festival 2024, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024, the International Film Festival of India, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025.
Alia Bhatt at BAFTA Awards 2026
There was some more Indian representation at the 2026 BAFTA Awards, as actor Alia Bhatt presented the award for Best Film not in English Language. Stunning in a silver sequinned gown and a cream coloured fur stole for her first appearance at the BAFTAs, Alia chose to begin her speech at the 79th British Academy Film Awards in Hindi, earning praise from fans back home.
