Lakshmipriya Devi’s wonderful debut feature Boong (a little boy), in Manipuri, has been selected in the Discovery section of the 49th Toronto International Film Festival that runs from September 5-15, 2024. It is truly astonishing that despite the politically volatile situation in Manipur, a woman director can make a film in Manipuri, and with her very first feature, be selected at an A-list festival as TIFF. She’s probably the only Manipuri director of the younger generation, other than Haobam Paban Kumar, to play at TIFF.

Of course, she has a significant body of work behind her, in roles such as Chief Assistant Director, including collaborating with Reema Kagti (from Assam), Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani for about 17 films over 24 years, from Lakshya to Rang de Basanti and PK. With the ethnic violence between the Meitis, Kukis and others in Manipur, she says, many places in Moreh they shot in or lived in were reduced to rubble, with the majority of the town’s population is still in relief camps. The film is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Vikesh Bhutani, Shujaat Saudagar and Alan McAlex; the producing companies include Excel Entertainment, Chalkboard Entertainment and Suitable Pictures.