Boong’s Win At The BAFTAs Is A Reminder Of The Legacy Of 'Northeast' Indian Cinema

On 22 February 2026, Lakshmipriya Devi’s Manipuri film ‘Boong’ made history by becoming the first Indian film to win the Best Children’s & Family Film award at the 79th British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTAs). In her acceptance speech, writer-director Lakshmipriya Devi said, “Thank you to the jury members and BAFTA for giving our very small film such big love. A film that is rooted in a place which is very troubled, very much ignored, and very unrepresented in India, my homeland, Manipur. It’s an homage to my homeland.”

This achievement signaled the emergence of northeast Indian cinema on the global stage. In recent years, regional Indian films such as Rohan Kanawade’s ‘Sabar Bonda’ (Marathi), Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’  (Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi), and Rima Das’ ‘Village Rockstars’ (Assamese) have received significant attention at international film festivals and awards. Lakshmipriya Devi’s ‘Boong’ represents a culmination of this trajectory for films from the northeastern frontier.

Indian cinema is often seen with Bollywood at its center, the southern industries’ “mass” action and mythofiction on one side, and Bengali cinema as the auteur tradition. However, the northeastern states have produced some of India’s most radical, stylistically inventive, and politically resonant films in recent years. I want to be clear: the term “northeast Indian cinema” is used here for convenience, recognizing that the regional cinemas of the northeastern states are not monolithic. Each of the seven states has a distinct culture, and its cinematic traditions reflect this diversity.

The history of northeast Indian cinema begins with Assam, where Jyotiprasad Agarwala, a polymath, nationalist, and cultural modernist, ignited the region’s cinematic movement with his first feature film, ‘Joymoti’ (1935). Made under challenging conditions with borrowed equipment and non-professional actors, ‘Joymoti’ was both a cinematic and ideological experiment. The film rejected mythological formulas for political drama, highlighting a woman’s resistance to tyranny. Although ‘Joymoti’ was a commercial failure that nearly bankrupted Agarwala, its effects echoed throughout the region. His second and final film, ‘Indramaloti’ (1939), further established an Assamese cinematic tradition grounded in realism, vernacular modernity, and moral complexity.

By the mid-20th century, new voices expanded this foundation. Bhupen Hazarika introduced folk musicality, riverine imagery, and humanist politics into cinema. Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia developed a parallel cinema that explored middle-class anxieties and rural life with literary sensitivity. Assamese cinema, before the term ‘regional cinema’ gained critical currency, established its own grammar of hyperlocal realism.

While cinema arrived in Manipur relatively recently, it quickly developed into one of the region’s most dynamic film ecosystems. A significant turning point occurred with ‘Imagi Ningthem’ (1981), directed by Aribam Syam Sharma, which won the Grand Prix at the Festival des Trois Continents in Nantes in 1982, marking a first for an Indian film. Manipuri cinema subsequently became recognised for its formal experimentation, ethnographic realism, and engagement with themes such as insurgency, militarisation, and daily life under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, another significant transformation took place. As theatres closed due to militant-imposed bans on Bollywood films, local filmmakers in Manipur quickly transitioned to digital video. Before digital filmmaking became widespread in India, Manipur had a thriving digital ecosystem with a decentralised, low-budget, community-supported model that produced hundreds of films annually. This was one of the earliest digital revolutions in Indian cinema.

Over the past decade, northeast Indian cinema has achieved unprecedented visibility. The international success of ‘Village Rockstars’, directed by Rima Das, marked a pivotal moment. Made with non-professional actors and limited resources in rural Assam, the film gained international recognition, winning the National Award for Best Feature Film and serving as India’s official Oscar entry. Das’s next film, ‘Bulbul Can Sing’, further established her reputation for intimate and elemental storytelling. In 2026, Das’ ‘Not a Hero’ was honoured with a Crystal Bear special mention at the Berlinale.

Today, northeast Indian cinema is marked by its focus on social and political issues. Filmmakers from the region often explore uncomfortable subjects and themes like insurgency, militarisation, land loss, ethnic conflict, and the effects of AFSPA, but they do this through personal, character-driven stories. Common themes include rural hardship, gender roles, trauma passed down through generations, and the lived realities of marginalised peoples. Whether through the social realism of Assamese films or the DIY approach of Manipuri cinema, these movies depict the Northeast as a place where national politics, history, and personal survival intersect.

The story of northeast Indian cinema brings together many different film cultures, shaped by resourcefulness, teamwork, and the lived experiences of people in the borderlands. These film traditions have survived without a formal industry, grown during times of political unrest, and have always highlighted stories that mainstream India often misunderstands, or simply ignores. Today, northeast Indian cinema is one of the most innovative sites in the country, proving that Indian cinema is diverse and that its brightest future may come from its edges.

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