Farhan Akhtar opens up on decision to back BAFTA Award winner Boong, says 'it just felt right'

Manipuri film Boong won the Best Children and Family Film award at the BAFTAs 2026. The film is directed by Lakshmipriya Devi and produced by Farhan Akhtar.

Feb 23, 2026, 08:18:03 IST

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Indian film Boong scripted a historic win at the BAFTA Awards 2026 on Sunday as it won the Best Children and Family Film award. The Manipuri language film's win was the first for an Indian film at the stage, and producer Farhan Akhtar was all smiles about it.

Paddington Bear poses with the winners of the Best Children and Family Film award for Boong Lakshimipriya Devi and Farhan Akhtar, during the 2026 BAFTA Awards in London, February 22, 2026. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett (REUTERS)

Farhan Akhtar on backing Boong

Farhan had backed the film under the banner of his production house, Excel Entertainment. He attended the awards gala, alongside co-producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Alan McAlex, and the film's director, Lakshmipriya Devi.

After the historic win, Farhan reflected on the decision to back the film, and his two-decade-old association with director Lakshmipriya Devi. Farhan mentioned familiarity, trust, and a story that simply felt “right.” The actor-filmmaker said, “Lakshmipriya Devi and I have known each other for about 20 years. 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.”

Boong follows the story of a young boy named Boong, from the valley of Manipur, who plans to surprise his mother with a gift. In his innocence, he believes that bringing his father back home would be the most special gift. His search for his father leads to an unexpected gift – a new beginning. The film stars Gugun Kipgen and Bala Hijam.

Boong, the only Indian nominee at the ceremony, competed with Arco, Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2 in the Best Children and Family Film. It is now the first Indian film to win in this category.

The film first premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival in the Discovery section. It was later screened at many global film events, including the Warsaw International Film Festival 2024, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024, the International Film Festival of India, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025.

Alia Bhatt at BAFTA Awards 2026

There was some more Indian representation at the 2026 BAFTA Awards, as actor Alia Bhatt presented the award for Best Film not in English Language. Stunning in a silver sequinned gown and a cream coloured fur stole for her first appearance at the BAFTAs, Alia chose to begin her speech at the 79th British Academy Film Awards in Hindi, earning praise from fans back home.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

Farhan Akhtar

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