Kamal Ghorui
In an emotional moment at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, ‘Boong’ director Lakshmipriya Devi used her acceptance speech to call for peace in Manipur after her film won Best Children’s & Family Film.The 2024 Manipuri coming-of-age drama hit a milestone for Indian cinema, triumphing over nominees like ‘Arco’ and Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and ‘Zootropolis 2 (Zootopia 2)’. Taking to the stage, Devi, who seemed visibly shocked at the award win, took to the mic to say, “To walk up till here felt like the last few steps to reach a summit of a mountain we never knew we were climbing in the first place.” She then turned her attention home and addressed the unrest. She said, “Just want to use this opportunity to say that we pray for peace to return to Manipur. We pray that all the internally displaced children, including the child actors in the film, regain their joy, their innocence, and their dream once again.”She concluded her deeply moving speech saying, “We pray that no conflict is ever formidable enough to destroy the one super power that all of us have as human beings, that is forgiveness. So thank you, BAFTA, for giving us not only an award, but this stage to express our hope.”‘Boong’ tells the story of a young schoolboy navigating racial tensions and the fraught realities of life along the Manipur border. Set against a backdrop of social and political strain, the film follows Boong’s emotional journey as he is driven by determination to reunite his divided family.
