The Manipuri-language debut creates history as first Indian film to win Best Children and Family Film; beats ‘Zootopia 2’ and ‘Lilo & Stitch’.
SHARJAH – Indian cinema carved a historic milestone at the 2026 BAFTA Awards as Boong, a Manipuri-language debut feature, won the Best Children and Family Film award. The film became the first Indian production to triumph in this category, competing against heavyweights like Zootopia 2 and Lilo & Stitch.
As celebrations erupted following the win, producer Farhan Akhtar opened up about his journey with the project. Revealing a nearly two-decade-long association with director Lakshmipriya Devi, Akhtar explained that trust, familiarity, and a deeply heartfelt narrative made backing the film an easy decision.
“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 from London’s Royal Festival Hall, where he accepted the award alongside co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani, director Lakshmipriya Devi, and Alan McAlex.
Boong follows the journey of a young boy from Manipur who sets out to find his missing father, believing that reuniting his family would be the perfect gift for his mother. The film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and has since traveled to Warsaw, MAMI Mumbai, IFFI, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
The win marks a significant moment for regional Indian cinema on the global stage, with Boong being the only Indian nominee at this year’s BAFTA.
