Debut director Laxmipriya Devi’s film Boong and Indian-American director Geeta Gandhbir’s documentary The Perfect Neighbour received rave reviews at the ‘Celebrating South Asians’ program held at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) headquarters in London.
The pre-award event, which took place at the BAFTA headquarters, was co-hosted by Society O, a new British cultural platform that aims to showcase Asian voices in theatre, film, and television and Product of Culture, a strategy and distribution company based in the US The event was created as a dedicated space during awards season.
Boong nominated in the Best Children & Family Film category
The Manipuri comedy-drama Boong, produced under the backing of Farhan Akhtar’s banner Excel Entertainment, has been nominated in the Best Children & Family Film category at the BAFTA Awards. Assistant director Rahul Sharda, speaking on behalf of the film’s team, said, ‘It’s a matter of great pride for Indian regional films to be recognised on a global platform. India isn’t just about Bollywood films with dance and song; our cultural diversity is vast.’
About The Perfect Neighbour
Indian-American director Geeta Gandhbir’s documentary, The Perfect Neighbour, has been shortlisted for the Best Documentary BAFTA. The film is also nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category at next month’s Oscars. Speaking at the event, Geeta said, ‘Currently, many parts of the world are facing challenging circumstances, and marginalised communities must stand together.’
When and where will the BAFTA Awards be held?
The 79th edition of the world-prestigious BAFTA Awards is scheduled to be held this year on Sunday, February 22, 2026. This grand ceremony will take place at London’s famous Royal Festival Hall, starting at 7:00 PM IST (12:30 AM IST). The strong presence of South Asian cinema this year has made it clear that Indian and South Asian stories are now making a strong mark on the global stage.
Also Read: Farhan Akhtar reacts as Manipuri film ‘Boong’ becomes India’s sole BAFTA nominee in 2026 | See post
