Of 'Boong', BAFTA, Bharat and Manipur
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Rajendra Kshetri
Irrespective of whether one has seen the film or not, the sweet sounding Manipuri local term “'Boong', 'Boong', 'Boong' is now on the lips of everyone and everybody after LP's debut film won the prestigious BAFTA Award 2026. From PM to CM, ex-CM to run of the mill politicians to film makers and actors down to the concerned common men, 'Boong' has caught the attention and, of course, imagination of all and sundry. And Why Not. This Manipuri (read Meeteilon) language film has scripted history as the first ever Indian origin film to have won the British equivalent of the 'Oscar'. A Proud and Historic Moment indeed for Manipuri and Indian cinema".
"Four decades after Aribam Syam Sharma's award winning film 'Imagi Ningthem' won the Grand Prix at the Nantes (France) Film Festival in 1982 and put Manipuri Cinema on the global map, Lakshmipriya's 'Boong' has reinforced the place and the status of Manipuri Cinema on the International Hall of Fame for Cinema. 'Boong' may even go on to win the Academy Award, popularly known as the 'Oscar'. You never know". That Neeraj Ghaywan's Hindi film 'Homebound' produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions had been selected as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Award is another story and beside the point here. Perhaps KJ has/carries more clout than LP and her production team. I can't help thinking though. That 'Homebound' was snubbed and failed to cut the ice came as No Surprise.
"Amidst this euphoric celebration and congratulations, I can't help doing some loud thinking. While 'Boong', the Manipuri language film from the troubled-torn State of Manipur has given Bharat, that is India, a Proud and Historic Moment of joy, jubilation, happiness and celebration; India, nay Bharat has given 'Boong's Manipur days, months, years of chaos, confusion, disorder, lawlessness and uncertainty since day one of the Manipur Mayhem of May 3 2023. Bharat has created a situation of 'anomie' in the land of 'Boong' ".
The aforesaid lines of expression and/or phrases in quotes are what yours truly have written on 25th February, 2 days after 'Boong' won the BAFTA, in a 'Letter to the Editor ' of the largest circulated English daily in Manipur - The Sangai Express. That , of course, was before I have the opportunity and the pleasure of watching this wonder of a movie. That opportunity and the pleasure came along sooner than expected. My date with 'Boong' was scheduled and fixed on 9th March 2026 at half past 1 on the premises of Kumecs Cinema, Kakwa, Singjamei, Imphal.
We 3 ('home minister', son and yours truly) went and watched the matinee show of the BAFTA winner with rapt attention and listened to the effortless dialogue deliveries, sometimes coupled with comical undertones, of this movie of a life time. Not to mention the absolute pin drop silence all through the show. At the end of the 90 minutes or so show with the 'credits' rolling on the screen, I was left literally speechless and spellbound by Lakshmipriya's debut film. A debut film with such profound impact. If any film could move mountains, this film is the one.
The Farhan Akhtar backed coming of age Manipuri language film 'Boong' couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. A time when the contemporary Manipur society is caught in the vortex of conflict between the older generation who believed in and advocated the Aryan theory and the younger generation who rejected it; between the Hindu beliefs, values and the traditional heritage of the Meeteis. At a time when the inherent conflict between two diametrically opposing forces - Hinduisation on the one hand and the Meeteisation on the other - became more pronounced than ever before.
Added to this is the perpetual AFSPA inflicted conflict between the State and the non-State actors. Not to mention the complex issue of 'mayangs' versus locals.
It is no coincidence that 'Boong' appeared on the political landscape of Manipur at a time when the State was/is torn apart by the ethnic -based violence following the May 3, 2023 Mayhem. At a time when certain forces inimical to the 'Idea of Manipur ' were/are unleashed/let loose to undermine the sanctity of Manipur as a distinct socio-political, cultural and historical Entity. At a time when the Manipur violence had claimed more than 260 lives. Again it is no conjecture that 'Boong' made its presence felt at a crucial time when the indigenous people are facing the worst scenario of existential crisis due to the heavy/unchecked influx of illegal immigrants to Manipur. A critical juncture when more than sixty thousand IDPs including children, are languishing in relief camps all over the State.
For the unversed, 'Boong' tells a simple yet emotional story of a little boy Brojendro, fondly called Boong, in search of his missing father Joykumar somewhere in the international border trade town of Moreh. Raised by the single-mother Mandakini, Boong wanted to give his mother a special gift in the form of/by bringing back his lost father. And that took him to Moreh where he experiences and navigates the complexities of boyhood and adulthood. The story/film came to a terminal end when Boong, after finding his father and seeing him alive and well, live happily with a Myanmarese wife and a daughter, came home only to tell his mother that his father is dead. The mother in Mandakini knows her son too well to not know the (white) lie Boong is telling. So she asked Boong , instead, sans any tangible sign of grief, sorrow and sadness, if 'your father is well and good'. Even as Boong began nodding 'yes' , Mandakini instinctively embraced and drew him close to her bosoms. Thereby in that moment of poignancy hangs a tale.
Of the performances of the main characters in the film, Gugun's portrayal of Boong stands out. With his mischievous and disarming smile and free acting skills, Gugun made sure everyone falls in love with the protagonist of the film. It must not have been easy for Angom Sanamatum to play the role of a 'mayang' boy Raju Agarwal as Boong's best friend. But Sanamatum played the character with poise and perfection. Hijam Bala or simply Bala, as is more well-known, has been/is the most accomplished and popular film star of/in Manipuri Cinema. In Bala's portrayal of the single-mother Mandakini, we saw a transformation, a metamorphosis of/from Bala, the star, to Bala, the actor. Her intense yet restrained, fiery yet controlled acts of performance did full justice to the persona of an independent minded single-mother. Speaks volumes of Bala's range of versatility.
Debutant Director Lakshmipriya's choice of casting merits a few lines of critical appreciation given the ethnocentric milieu of the contemporary Manipuri society. To have chosen Gugun Kipgen, a Kuki-Zo boy to play the character of a Meetei boy Boong; Angom Sanamatum, a Meetei boy to play the character of a 'mayang' boy Raju Agarwal; Nemetia Ngangbam, a Meetei girl to play a Kuki girl Juliana Kipgen; Fairy Khoirom, a Meetei girl to play a Myanmarese girl; are nothing short of a Master Stroke on the part of the Director. The casting speaks volumes of the film maker's belief in the principle of peaceful co-existence. 'Boong' has left a message for future generations: Forgive...Move On... Live and Let Live.
'Boong' is a beautiful film. Perhaps too beautiful to be true. A Masterpiece no doubt.
On the face of it, it is a children's film. But deep down it is much more than a children's story. The film explores themes of 'belonging', 'conflict', ‘displacement', 'hope', 'identity', 'innocence', 'rebellion ', and 'resilience'. It captures finer nuances of everyday life in the lives of common men and women and navigates through the complexities of social life. The cinematography and story telling are top notch quality. What strikes me most is how sensibly the debutant director blended arts, culture, tradition, modernization, westernisation, and of course sanskritisation and desanskritisation into a living organic whole. The USP of the film, I must say though, is the story telling. Simple and authentic. 'Boong' is an extraordinary film of the ordinary children by the ordinary children and for the ordinary children.
I can't think of a better, more appropriate way of appreciating Lakshmipriya's 'Boong' than to end my take, my sociological perspective, with a quote from Leonardo da Vinci: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". Rajendra Kshetri is (Retd.) Professor of Sociology, Manipur University, Imphal.
Irrespective of whether one has seen the film or not, the sweet sounding Manipuri local term “'Boong', 'Boong', 'Boong' is now on the lips of everyone and everybody after LP's debut film won the prestigious BAFTA Award 2026. From PM to CM, ex-CM to run of the mill politicians to film makers and actors down to the concerned common men, 'Boong' has caught the attention and, of course, imagination of all and sundry. And Why Not. This Manipuri (read Meeteilon) language film has scripted history as the first ever Indian origin film to have won the British equivalent of the 'Oscar'. A Proud and Historic Moment indeed for Manipuri and Indian cinema".
"Four decades after Aribam Syam Sharma's award winning film 'Imagi Ningthem' won the Grand Prix at the Nantes (France) Film Festival in 1982 and put Manipuri Cinema on the global map, Lakshmipriya's 'Boong' has reinforced the place and the status of Manipuri Cinema on the International Hall of Fame for Cinema. 'Boong' may even go on to win the Academy Award, popularly known as the 'Oscar'. You never know". That Neeraj Ghaywan's Hindi film 'Homebound' produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions had been selected as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Award is another story and beside the point here. Perhaps KJ has/carries more clout than LP and her production team. I can't help thinking though. That 'Homebound' was snubbed and failed to cut the ice came as No Surprise.
"Amidst this euphoric celebration and congratulations, I can't help doing some loud thinking. While 'Boong', the Manipuri language film from the troubled-torn State of Manipur has given Bharat, that is India, a Proud and Historic Moment of joy, jubilation, happiness and celebration; India, nay Bharat has given 'Boong's Manipur days, months, years of chaos, confusion, disorder, lawlessness and uncertainty since day one of the Manipur Mayhem of May 3 2023. Bharat has created a situation of 'anomie' in the land of 'Boong' ".
The aforesaid lines of expression and/or phrases in quotes are what yours truly have written on 25th February, 2 days after 'Boong' won the BAFTA, in a 'Letter to the Editor ' of the largest circulated English daily in Manipur - The Sangai Express. That , of course, was before I have the opportunity and the pleasure of watching this wonder of a movie. That opportunity and the pleasure came along sooner than expected. My date with 'Boong' was scheduled and fixed on 9th March 2026 at half past 1 on the premises of Kumecs Cinema, Kakwa, Singjamei, Imphal.
We 3 ('home minister', son and yours truly) went and watched the matinee show of the BAFTA winner with rapt attention and listened to the effortless dialogue deliveries, sometimes coupled with comical undertones, of this movie of a life time. Not to mention the absolute pin drop silence all through the show. At the end of the 90 minutes or so show with the 'credits' rolling on the screen, I was left literally speechless and spellbound by Lakshmipriya's debut film. A debut film with such profound impact. If any film could move mountains, this film is the one.
The Farhan Akhtar backed coming of age Manipuri language film 'Boong' couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. A time when the contemporary Manipur society is caught in the vortex of conflict between the older generation who believed in and advocated the Aryan theory and the younger generation who rejected it; between the Hindu beliefs, values and the traditional heritage of the Meeteis. At a time when the inherent conflict between two diametrically opposing forces - Hinduisation on the one hand and the Meeteisation on the other - became more pronounced than ever before.
Added to this is the perpetual AFSPA inflicted conflict between the State and the non-State actors. Not to mention the complex issue of 'mayangs' versus locals.
It is no coincidence that 'Boong' appeared on the political landscape of Manipur at a time when the State was/is torn apart by the ethnic -based violence following the May 3, 2023 Mayhem. At a time when certain forces inimical to the 'Idea of Manipur ' were/are unleashed/let loose to undermine the sanctity of Manipur as a distinct socio-political, cultural and historical Entity. At a time when the Manipur violence had claimed more than 260 lives. Again it is no conjecture that 'Boong' made its presence felt at a crucial time when the indigenous people are facing the worst scenario of existential crisis due to the heavy/unchecked influx of illegal immigrants to Manipur. A critical juncture when more than sixty thousand IDPs including children, are languishing in relief camps all over the State.
For the unversed, 'Boong' tells a simple yet emotional story of a little boy Brojendro, fondly called Boong, in search of his missing father Joykumar somewhere in the international border trade town of Moreh. Raised by the single-mother Mandakini, Boong wanted to give his mother a special gift in the form of/by bringing back his lost father. And that took him to Moreh where he experiences and navigates the complexities of boyhood and adulthood. The story/film came to a terminal end when Boong, after finding his father and seeing him alive and well, live happily with a Myanmarese wife and a daughter, came home only to tell his mother that his father is dead. The mother in Mandakini knows her son too well to not know the (white) lie Boong is telling. So she asked Boong , instead, sans any tangible sign of grief, sorrow and sadness, if 'your father is well and good'. Even as Boong began nodding 'yes' , Mandakini instinctively embraced and drew him close to her bosoms. Thereby in that moment of poignancy hangs a tale.
Of the performances of the main characters in the film, Gugun's portrayal of Boong stands out. With his mischievous and disarming smile and free acting skills, Gugun made sure everyone falls in love with the protagonist of the film. It must not have been easy for Angom Sanamatum to play the role of a 'mayang' boy Raju Agarwal as Boong's best friend. But Sanamatum played the character with poise and perfection. Hijam Bala or simply Bala, as is more well-known, has been/is the most accomplished and popular film star of/in Manipuri Cinema. In Bala's portrayal of the single-mother Mandakini, we saw a transformation, a metamorphosis of/from Bala, the star, to Bala, the actor. Her intense yet restrained, fiery yet controlled acts of performance did full justice to the persona of an independent minded single-mother. Speaks volumes of Bala's range of versatility.
Debutant Director Lakshmipriya's choice of casting merits a few lines of critical appreciation given the ethnocentric milieu of the contemporary Manipuri society. To have chosen Gugun Kipgen, a Kuki-Zo boy to play the character of a Meetei boy Boong; Angom Sanamatum, a Meetei boy to play the character of a 'mayang' boy Raju Agarwal; Nemetia Ngangbam, a Meetei girl to play a Kuki girl Juliana Kipgen; Fairy Khoirom, a Meetei girl to play a Myanmarese girl; are nothing short of a Master Stroke on the part of the Director. The casting speaks volumes of the film maker's belief in the principle of peaceful co-existence. 'Boong' has left a message for future generations: Forgive...Move On... Live and Let Live.
'Boong' is a beautiful film. Perhaps too beautiful to be true. A Masterpiece no doubt.
On the face of it, it is a children's film. But deep down it is much more than a children's story. The film explores themes of 'belonging', 'conflict', ‘displacement', 'hope', 'identity', 'innocence', 'rebellion ', and 'resilience'. It captures finer nuances of everyday life in the lives of common men and women and navigates through the complexities of social life. The cinematography and story telling are top notch quality. What strikes me most is how sensibly the debutant director blended arts, culture, tradition, modernization, westernisation, and of course sanskritisation and desanskritisation into a living organic whole. The USP of the film, I must say though, is the story telling. Simple and authentic. 'Boong' is an extraordinary film of the ordinary children by the ordinary children and for the ordinary children.
I can't think of a better, more appropriate way of appreciating Lakshmipriya's 'Boong' than to end my take, my sociological perspective, with a quote from Leonardo da Vinci: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". Rajendra Kshetri is (Retd.) Professor of Sociology, Manipur University, Imphal.