Kolkata, February 23 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday congratulated the cast and crew of the Manipuri film 'Boong' for winning a BAFTA award, saying the film had created history "against all odds".
Directed by debutant Lakshmipriya Devi in her debut, the coming-of-age story set in Manipur won the Best Children’s & Family Film award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) ceremony held in London on Sunday.
The film, which became the first Indian production to win in the Best Children and Family Film category, triumphed against strong international competition, marking a significant milestone for Indian cinema on the global stage.
Congratulating the team, Banerjee said in a post on X, "I am very happy to know that the Manipuri film 'Boong' has scripted history at the 2026 BAFTA Awards."
"Against all odds, this film was crowned Best Children and Family Film, becoming the first ever Indian production to win in this prestigious category," she said.
"My heartiest congratulations to the entire cast and crew of Boong! You have made the whole nation proud," she said.
Earlier, filmmakers Karan Johar, Shekhar Kapur and Kangana Ranaut, among others, congratulated Devi on the achievement, which is being seen as a breakthrough moment for regional cinema from the Northeast.
Backed by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under the banner of Excel Entertainment, the film was nominated alongside 'Arco', 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Zootropolis 2'.
It had earlier premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.