"It seems very pretty," she said, "but it's rather hard to understand."
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Tuesday, March 10, 2026
A shout-out for Boong
Good to see a fairly packed hall (at PVR Select Citywalk) for Lakshmipriya Devi’s Boong, about a Manipuri boy setting out to find his missing dad – the recent BAFTA award probably played a part in raising the film’s profile, but hoping word of mouth will take over. It’s a lovely film, quirky and engrossing throughout – right from the opening scene where little Boong recites Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” at his school assembly. Very fluid mix of the personal and the political (the absentee-parent trope can obviously work at both levels, given the treatment of the more marginalised Indian states by the Centre ) – though you don’t consciously have to think of any of that while watching this. Wonderfully performed by Gugun Kipgen, the other children, and Bala Hijam as Boong’s mother.
There’s a good chance it will play for another few days now, what with new shows having been added in Delhi halls mid-week – but either way, try to go for it soon.
P.S. one of the images here is from an amusing scene where a local pradhan surreptitiously watches Hindi films (banned in Manipur) in his screening room - and is threatened with exposure. Ah, the many Indias…
It’s always heartening to see a regional film drawing a full house, especially one that seems to balance intimacy with larger political undertones so gracefully. Your description makes Boong sound both charming and layered — the opening scene with a school recital of “Like a Virgin” already suggests a film that isn’t afraid to be playful while still telling a meaningful story. I also like the point about the absentee-parent theme working on multiple levels; those subtle parallels often make stories linger longer in the mind without feeling heavy-handed.
Thanks for highlighting performances as well — films centered on children can be tricky, but when the casting works, it really elevates the whole narrative. Hoping word of mouth does its magic here. And that anecdote about the pradhan secretly watching banned Hindi films is such a perfect reminder of the contradictions and complexities that make up “the many Indias.”
There’s a good chance it will play for another few days now, what with new shows having been added in Delhi halls mid-week – but either way, try to go for it soon.
It’s always heartening to see a regional film drawing a full house, especially one that seems to balance intimacy with larger political undertones so gracefully. Your description makes Boong sound both charming and layered — the opening scene with a school recital of “Like a Virgin” already suggests a film that isn’t afraid to be playful while still telling a meaningful story. I also like the point about the absentee-parent theme working on multiple levels; those subtle parallels often make stories linger longer in the mind without feeling heavy-handed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting performances as well — films centered on children can be tricky, but when the casting works, it really elevates the whole narrative. Hoping word of mouth does its magic here. And that anecdote about the pradhan secretly watching banned Hindi films is such a perfect reminder of the contradictions and complexities that make up “the many Indias.”