The 79th BAFTA Awards marked a watershed moment for Indian cinema as the Manipuri-language drama Boong made history by winning Best Children’s & Family Film. Producer Farhan Akhtar, accompanied by wife Shibani Dandekar, joined director Lakshmipriya Devi and producer Ritesh Sidhwani to accept the trophy at London's Royal Festival Hall. In a poignant acceptance speech, Devi called for peace in Manipur, praying for the state's displaced children to regain their "joy and dreams".
The evening's most viral highlight was Alia Bhatt's presenter debut. Dressed in a silver Gucci gown, she introduced the award for Best Film Not in the English Language by greeting the global audience with a "Namaste" and delivering her opening remarks in Hindi. Bhatt explained her choice by stating that while films speak many voices, the "language of cinema" is one everyone speaks fluently. Her appearance, alongside Hollywood stars like Cillian Murphy and Kate Hudson, further solidified her status as a global icon.
