Filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi's Manipuri-language film "Boong", for which she won the BAFTA, is finally getting ready for a wide theatrical release.
The coming-of-age drama revolves around the titular schoolboy, played by Gugun Kipgen, from Imphal, and his poignant attempt look for his long-absent father, undertaking a risky cross-border journey to that end.
"Boong" made history by becoming the first Indian film to win the Award for Best Children's and Family Film at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), while bringing some much-needed attention to the issues in the North-East.
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment, along with Chalkboard Entertainment and Suitable Pictures, are backing the movie.
In a recent interview with Forbes, Devi said that the film was made in isolation during a particularly challenging time. "I felt so in tune with myself. And I used to write a lot, just for myself. You can only do that when you're not with too many people, which happens when you're working on a set. You can't connect with yourself in that kind of environment."
The script was written in 2018, but the pandemic interfered with her plans for an early start. On getting funding for the project, she said it was not the usual "struggle" that independent filmmakers experience.
"I sent the script to my friend [Chalkboard Entertainment’s] Vikesh Bhutani. He budgeted it. The next morning, he called me and asked, 'Can I produce it?’" she shared. The interaction eventually led to Alan McAlex (producer) and Excel Entertainment.