When Manipur spoke to the world: Boong and the long road of regional cinema A film review and cultural commentary on Manipuri cinema's historic moment
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Laishram Malemnganba Meitei
Contd from prev issue
A Debut of Rare Assurance
Lakshmipriya Devi spent many years as an Assistant Director on some of the most celebrated film productions in the country. That apprenticeship provided her with a rigorous structural and emotional understanding of filmmaking at the highest level, and Boong represents the fullest and most personal expression of everything that foundation built. She arrives as a complete filmmaker whose vision is unambiguous, whose command of the medium is assured, and whose commitment to the story never wavers across a single frame.
What distinguishes her approach most is the totality of her commitment to the cultural world she depicts. She does not position herself as an outside observer. She places herself inside the world with a familiarity and respect that registers in every scene, every casting decision, every cultural detail and every creative choice the film makes. This is not a film about Manipur constructed from a comfortable distance. It is a film built from within, and that difference is felt throughout. Boong is among the most assured, honest and culturally grounded debuts in recent Indian filmmaking, and it establishes Lakshmi-priya Devi as one of the most significant new voices the industry has produced in years.
What This Moment Means
Manipur has always produced extraordinary talent across every discipline it has turned its attention to. Its athletes represent the Nation at the highest international levels. Its weavers, dancers, musicians and martial artists practise traditions of remarkable depth and disci- pline refined across generations. That same standard of excellence runs through its storytellers. The challenge has never been an absence of ability. What has at times been missing is sustained access to the platforms, resources and collaborative infrastructure that allow such ability to achieve its fullest expression. Boong is the most compelling available proof of what becomes possible when those conditions are genuinely met, and its BAFTA win makes the strongest imaginable case for ensuring they are met consistently going forward.
The producers deserve lasting recognition for the faith they demonstrated. Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and their collaborators invested in a story told in a language most of their audience does not speak, set in a place many have never visited, helmed by a first-time director from a region that rarely receives this level of serious production commitment. That decision paid off at the highest level the global industry offers and establishes a precedent the rest of Indian cinema would do well to observe and adopt with deliberate commitment.
Manipur does not require an introduction to the world. It has always been present, carrying depth, beauty, history and story long before anyone thought to look. Boong opened a door that had been long prepared to open. The obligation now rests with the industry, the institutions and all those who genuinely value the richness of India's regional cultural inheritance to keep that door open, and to ensure the next generation of Manipuri artists does not wait nearly this long for their moment.
Verdict: A Landmark Film That Demands to Be Seen
Boong is essential cinema. It is a film that reminds audiences why stories told with cultural honesty and genuine artistic conviction travel further and last longer than anything else the medium produces. Every frame carries the weight of a culture that has long deserved this kind of international recognition, and every performance affirms that Manipuri talent, when given the right platform, belongs on the world stage without apology or qualification.
Boong (2024) | Director: Lakshmipriya Devi | Language : Meiteilon (Manipuri)
Starring: Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sana-matum, Jenny Khurai and others
Cinematography: Tanay Satam | Editing: Shreyas Beltangdy
Music: Zubin Balaporia and Akhu Chingangbam
Produced by: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Vikesh Bhutani, Alan McAlex, Shujaat Saudagar
World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, September 5, 2024
India Release: September 19, 2025 | Running Time: 94 minutes
BAFTA Winner: Best Children's and Family Film, 79th British Academy Film Awards
Contd from prev issue
A Debut of Rare Assurance
Lakshmipriya Devi spent many years as an Assistant Director on some of the most celebrated film productions in the country. That apprenticeship provided her with a rigorous structural and emotional understanding of filmmaking at the highest level, and Boong represents the fullest and most personal expression of everything that foundation built. She arrives as a complete filmmaker whose vision is unambiguous, whose command of the medium is assured, and whose commitment to the story never wavers across a single frame.
What distinguishes her approach most is the totality of her commitment to the cultural world she depicts. She does not position herself as an outside observer. She places herself inside the world with a familiarity and respect that registers in every scene, every casting decision, every cultural detail and every creative choice the film makes. This is not a film about Manipur constructed from a comfortable distance. It is a film built from within, and that difference is felt throughout. Boong is among the most assured, honest and culturally grounded debuts in recent Indian filmmaking, and it establishes Lakshmi-priya Devi as one of the most significant new voices the industry has produced in years.
What This Moment Means
Manipur has always produced extraordinary talent across every discipline it has turned its attention to. Its athletes represent the Nation at the highest international levels. Its weavers, dancers, musicians and martial artists practise traditions of remarkable depth and disci- pline refined across generations. That same standard of excellence runs through its storytellers. The challenge has never been an absence of ability. What has at times been missing is sustained access to the platforms, resources and collaborative infrastructure that allow such ability to achieve its fullest expression. Boong is the most compelling available proof of what becomes possible when those conditions are genuinely met, and its BAFTA win makes the strongest imaginable case for ensuring they are met consistently going forward.
The producers deserve lasting recognition for the faith they demonstrated. Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and their collaborators invested in a story told in a language most of their audience does not speak, set in a place many have never visited, helmed by a first-time director from a region that rarely receives this level of serious production commitment. That decision paid off at the highest level the global industry offers and establishes a precedent the rest of Indian cinema would do well to observe and adopt with deliberate commitment.
Manipur does not require an introduction to the world. It has always been present, carrying depth, beauty, history and story long before anyone thought to look. Boong opened a door that had been long prepared to open. The obligation now rests with the industry, the institutions and all those who genuinely value the richness of India's regional cultural inheritance to keep that door open, and to ensure the next generation of Manipuri artists does not wait nearly this long for their moment.
Verdict: A Landmark Film That Demands to Be Seen
Boong is essential cinema. It is a film that reminds audiences why stories told with cultural honesty and genuine artistic conviction travel further and last longer than anything else the medium produces. Every frame carries the weight of a culture that has long deserved this kind of international recognition, and every performance affirms that Manipuri talent, when given the right platform, belongs on the world stage without apology or qualification.
Boong (2024) | Director: Lakshmipriya Devi | Language : Meiteilon (Manipuri)
Starring: Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sana-matum, Jenny Khurai and others
Cinematography: Tanay Satam | Editing: Shreyas Beltangdy
Music: Zubin Balaporia and Akhu Chingangbam
Produced by: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Vikesh Bhutani, Alan McAlex, Shujaat Saudagar
World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, September 5, 2024
India Release: September 19, 2025 | Running Time: 94 minutes
BAFTA Winner: Best Children's and Family Film, 79th British Academy Film Awards