BAFTA Bombshell: Lakshmipriya Devi's Emotional Speech Calls Out Manipur's Plight – Will Delhi Finally Listen?
In a heartfelt moment at the 2026 BAFTA Awards, manipuri director Lakshmipriya Devi accepted the Best Children's & Family Film award for her comedy-drama "Boong," using the platform to highlight her homeland's ongoing crisis. Joined by producers farhan akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, assistant director Rahul Sharda, and even Paddington Bear as a presenter, Devi described Manipur as "a place that is very much in trouble... ignored and unrepresented." She prayed for peace, emphasizing forgiveness as humanity's superpower amid ethnic violence that has plagued the state since 2023.
A viral X post by @tanmoyofc, shared on february 23, 2026, framed the speech as a direct exposé of prime minister Narendra Modi's alleged inaction, dubbing it a "bitter truth" mainstream media ignores. The video clip, amassing over 110,000 views, 3,700 likes, and 1,100 reposts, urged sharing "before they delete it."
However, replies erupted in backlash, accusing the poster of politicizing the win. Users from Manipur, identifying Devi as Meitei, slammed it as opportunistic, with comments like "Don't drag her into your filthy politics" and "We r not your Political tool." This intersection of art and activism underscores Manipur's ethnic divides, drawing global eyes to a simmering conflict. As "Boong" celebrates triumph, the debate rages: Is this a call for unity or division?
However, replies erupted in backlash, accusing the poster of politicizing the win. Users from Manipur, identifying Devi as Meitei, slammed it as opportunistic, with comments like "Don't drag her into your filthy politics" and "We r not your Political tool." This intersection of art and activism underscores Manipur's ethnic divides, drawing global eyes to a simmering conflict. As "Boong" celebrates triumph, the debate rages: Is this a call for unity or division?