Boong is a 2024 Indian Manipuri-language coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Lakshmipriya Devi.^[2][3][4] It stars Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sanamatum, Vikram Kochhar, Nemetia Ngangbam, Jenny Khurai and Hamom Sadananda.^[5][6]

The film had its world premiere at the Discovery section of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2024.^[7][8][9] At the 79th British Academy Film Awards, it won Best Children's & Family Film, and became the first Indian film to win a BAFTA.^[10][11]

Boong is a schoolboy who lives with his mother in Imphal. After his father, who left home to run a furniture shop in Moreh, stops contacting the family, Boong, refusing to believe rumours of his father's death, and his best friend Raju embark to find him and bring him back home.^[12][13]

• Gugun Kipgen as Brojendro aka Boong
• Bala Hijam as Mandakini
• Angom Sanamatum as Raju Agarwal
• Vikram Kochhar as Sudhir Agarwal
• Nemetia Ngangbam as Juliana Kipgen
• Jenny Khurai as Singer JJ
• Hamom Sadananda as L. Joykumar
• Thoudam Brajabidhu as Mani, Pradhan
• Modhubala Thoudam as Chaobi
• Idhou as Ibobi
• Gurumayum Priyogopal as School Principal
• R.K. Sorojini as Sakhi

The production companies include Excel Entertainment, Chalkboard Entertainment and Suitable Pictures.^[14][15] The film was certified by CBFC with a "U" certificate in 2025.^[16]

It was released in select cities and cinemas at PVR INOX in India on 19 September 2025.^[17]

Following its historic achievement as the first Indian production to win the BAFTA Award for Best Children's & Family Film, Boong was re-released in Indian theatres on 6th March 2026. The film is currently screening across major metropolitan hubs and regional centres, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Guwahati, and Imphal at PVR Inox and other major cinema chains.^[18]

Boong received official selections at various international film festivals held in India and abroad.

Taylor Gates of Collider opined, "Boong is a rich coming-of-age tale that touches on important issues without ever losing its playful tone or big heart."^[34]

Siddhant Adlakha of Variety wrote, "Devi, through her gentle approach to Boong’s story, centers an innocence and naiveté under threat from steadily brewing forces. And though she doesn’t train her lens on this steadily evolving scenario, she makes it an ever-present part of her movie’s fabric, as ensuring that this political texture remains inseparable from her intimate personal tale."^[35]

Calvin Law of The Asian Cut rated Boong 3.5 out of 5, calling it "a spirited and affecting little yarn" that tenderly explores Manipur’s socio-political tensions through the eyes of a child, buoyed by Gugun Kipgen’s charming lead performance.^[36]

Nikhil Akhil of Film Fest Report reviewed, "Director Lakshmipriya Devi’s debut offers a heartfelt perspective on acceptance and transformation, presenting a 360-degree view of Manipur through the eyes of a curious child."^[37]

Sahar Junejo of Lyca Radio commented, "Ten minutes into Lakshmipriya Devi’s ‘Boong’, you immediately understand why Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani backed a film like this. It is such a funny, joyous snapshot of Manipur, you can’t help but smile."^[38]

Aribam Bishwajit of Imphal Review of Arts and Politics praised Boong for its layered depiction of maternal resilience, and socio-political unrest in Manipur, but also pointed out inconsistencies in cultural authenticity, language use, and certain Bollywood-style portrayals.^[39]

• Boong at IMDb