Film: Boong
Cast: Gugun Kipgen, Bala Hijam, Angom Sanamatum, Vikram Kochhar, Jenny Khurai, Nemetia Ngangbam
Director: Lakshmipriya Devi
Rating: 4 Moons
Storyline
Set in Manipur, Boong is the story of a young boy's innocent yet emotional journey. Boong's father, L. Joykumar (Hamom Sadananda), went to the Myanmar border in search of work and hasn't returned home for a long time. Along with his “North Indian” friend Raju (Angom Sanamatum), Boong sets out to find him and make his mother, Mandakini (Bala Hijam Ningthoujam), happy. The realities, relationships, and situations he encounters during this journey form the core of the film.
Acting
The film's greatest strength lies in its acting. Gugun Kipgen's innocence and spontaneity in the role of Boong wins hearts, and in many scenes, he becomes the soul of the film. Bala Hijam displays deep sensitivity in the role of the mother, while Angom Sanamatum and Vikram Kochhar also look very natural in their roles. The highlight of the film is that none of the actors appear artificial, and each character emerges as an important part of the story.
Direction
This is the first film of Lakshmipriya Devi and her work is extremely balanced and sensitive. There is literally no place where the film becomes dramatic or noisy, instead Lakshmipriya tells the story in a calm and realistic manner. She weaves the social and political complexities of Manipur into the story without any lectures. This is why the film gradually impacts the audience and lingers long after it ends.
Dialogues
The film's dialogues are simple but effective. The story unfolds primarily in Meitei, so many viewers rely on subtitles, but the emotions are unconstrained by any language. The laughter and silence of the audience in many scenes make one realize that the film reaches directly to the heart through its emotions. This is its greatest beauty.
Overall
Everybody should see this film. It’s refreshing and heartwarming and will tell you why it won the BAFTA Award for Best Children's and Family Film.
