A BAFTA win for Best Children’s and Family Film went to the team of Shujaat Saudagar, Vikesh Bhutani, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, who backed a project rooted in Lakshmipriya Devi’s deeply personal narrative. They say they never anticipated the award, focusing instead on telling her story authentically. Read on to know more in detail.

‘Boong’ backed Shujaat Saudagar and Vikesh Bhutani, along with Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, made history after bagging the BAFTA Award in the Best Children’s and Family Film Category. And recently, Shujaat and Vikesh opened up about how the massive win was not even on the cards when they decided to back the film. The duo shared that the only thing they knew was the story narrated by Lakshmipriya Devi deserved to be told. Let’s learn what they have to say.

‘Boong’ producers talk about shooting Manipur

In conversation with Mid-Day, Shujaat Saudagar shared, “The first time I heard the script, I had goosebumps. I knew Lakshmi needed to tell this story because it was so personal. It was also a peek into India.”Vikesh Bhutani revealed that they started rolling in 2023; however, they had no idea that the state of Manipur, where the film has been shot, would be engulfed in a conflict. He said, “We brought some talent from Mumbai, who could bring an international quality to the production. We went on floors in 2023 and faced a lot of logistical issues. We shot over 45 odd days, spread over two months. A week after the shoot got over, the clashes started erupting.“The conflicts that began in May 2023 are still ongoing in the state. This has left many families displaced and the state in a devastated situation. During the acceptance speech at the BAFTAs, director Lakshmipriya Devi expressed hope for peace in the state. Mirroring the emotion, Saudagar added, “There’s no dearth of hate in this world. The least we can do is use our craft and platform to spread love.”

Hoping for a wider audience

‘Boong’ was released on limited screens in 2024. However, after the historic win on the global platform, the makers are hoping to reach a wider audience. Talking about the same, Shaukat Saudagar said, “We are waiting for Lakshmipriya, Farhan, and Ritesh to return and discuss the next step. Our aim is to get an (OTT) platform.”

More about ‘Boong’

The Manipuri-language film is a coming-of-age drama directed by Lakshmipriya Devi. The film features Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sanamatum, Vikram Kochhar, Nemetia Ngangbam, Jenny Khurai, and Hamom Sadananda.