London, February 23 India had much to celebrate at the BAFTA awards, with the Manipuri film "Boong" winning the award for Best Children's & Family Film in a glittering ceremony where its director, Lakshmipriya Devi, used the spotlight to pray for peace in her home state.
There were other Indian moments that also stood out at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards held on Sunday evening. As singer Jessie Ware performed the poignant "The Way We Were", the late actor Dharmendra was honoured in the In Memoriam section. Actor Alia Bhatt presented the Best Film (not in English Language) award.
Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment, "Boong" revolves around a young boy searching for his absent father whom he wants to bring home to surprise his mother. It was the only Indian film nominated at the awards.
Last year, Payal Kapadia's "All We Imagine As Light" was nominated but did not win.
"Boong", starring Gugun Kipgen and Bala Hijam, beat international competition from other nominees "Lilo and Stitch", "Arco" and "Zootropolis 2".
"This journey has felt like the final steps to reach the summit of a mountain we never knew we were climbing. I just want to use this opportunity to say that we pray for peace to return to Manipur," Lakshmipriya said in her acceptance speech about Manipur, which has been experiencing violent ethnic clashes.
"We pray that all the internally displaced children, including the child actors in the film, regain their joy, their innocence, and their dreams once again. We pray that no conflict is ever so formidable that it destroys the one superpower that all of us have as human beings, which is forgiveness," she added.
In a backstage interaction with reporters, she said the movie was inspired by the folk tales of her grandmother.
"I come from a very troubled state in India. Those folk tales always provided me with comfort. There would be gunshots in the distance, but I felt safe with her. I wanted 'Boong' to be an urban version of her folk tales, with the same kind of warmth that made you feel safe. It's also a closure for myself from those memories of having grown up in a place like that," Lakshmipriya said.
Producer Akhtar said he has known Lakshmipriya for two years and backing the film set in a region of India from which we rarely get to watch films "felt right".
Congratulatory messages poured in after the win, including messages from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as well as many in the industry.
"Congratulations to all those associated with this film. This is indeed a moment of immense joy, especially for Manipur. It also highlights the immense creative talent in our country," the PM said on X.
Singh said the BAFTA win for "Boong" is a moment of immense pride not only for Manipur but for the entire nation.
"Smt. Lakshmipriya Devi's victory at the 79th BAFTA 2026 exemplifies her commitment to impactful filmmaking, with 'Boong' claiming the top honour in the best children & family film category, bringing accolades to Manipur and India," he said on Facebook.
The win had made the entire nation proud, said Banerjee.
"Against all odds, this film was crowned Best Children and Family Film, becoming the first-ever Indian production to win in this prestigious category," the West Bengal chief minister said.
Dressed in a Gucci gown, Bhatt spoke about the importance of celebrating the language of cinema while presenting the Best Film (not in English Language) award to Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier for his film "Sentimental Value".
"Namaste! The next award is for a film that is not in English," Bhatt said.
"Don't reach for the subtitles just yet. I was only saying in Hindi that the next award is for a film not in the English language. Because while film speaks in countless voices, what we always celebrate is the language of cinema. And that one we all speak fluently. And the incredible nominees are," she added.
At the star-studded gala, held at the Royal Festival Hall by the river Thames, "One Battle After Another" won six awards while vampire saga "Sinners" and gothic horror story "Frankenstein" each won three prizes.
