Boong

Boong Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Bala Hijam, Gugun Kipgen, Vikram Kochhar, Angom Sanamatum, Nemetia Ngangbam

Director: Lakshmipriya Devi

What’s Good: Can you believe it? Everything!

What’s Bad: Please read the above statement!

Loo Break: Never!

Watch or Not?: Silly question! Yessss!

Language: Hindi

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 94 Minutes

User Rating:

Opening:

Boong (Gugun Kipgen) is a young and very normal schoolkid in Manipur who lives with his mother, Mandakini (Bala Hijam). His father, J. Joykumar Singh (Hamom Sadananda), has left for a short work-trip but never returned for years and has a furniture business in the distant town of Moreh. His phone line is always off, and they both feel his absence acutely.

During the Manipuri festival of Holi, named Yaosang, there is the tradition of Thabal chongba, in which men dance with their women to heady music. Seeing his mother unable to celebrate, Boong decides that he will gift his mother what she longs for—his father.

This is intensified when they receive documents, including the Aadhaar Card, stating that Joykumar is no more. Mandakini refuses to accept the documents as genuine, as she feels it is a ploy for them to relinquish certain land to Joykumar’s good-for-nothing alcoholic brother (Ramesh Chandra Singh).

With the help of family friend Sudhir Agarwal (Vikram Kochhar), of Bihari origin but for generations a Manipur resident, whose son Raju (Angom Sanamatum) is Boong’s best friend in school, she accosts the local chief, Pradhan (Brajabidhu Thoudam Singh), for proof that the documents are real. He reveals that he can “cancel” this news of Joykumar’s death only if it is proved that he is still alive, as the envelope has come from an unknown sender.

Boong decides that he must go to Moreh to find and bring back his father. He takes the help of rich classmate Juliana (Nemetia Ngangbam) to get to the border town of Moreh by a ruse, stating to his mother that the school has organized an outing. Raju accompanies him. What follows is an intriguing chain of circumstances, amidst which Boong and Raju even traipse illegally into Myanmar and back in their search. And then suddenly, Boong notices a coincidence, and thus brings back his surprise gift for her mother, which is long-lasting.

Boong Movie Review: Script Analysis

Only a genius could have culled this story. The film Boong, which is set against the ethnic conflicts and militarization of Manipur, touches upon touchy topics like migration, one’s belonging to a state, and, finally, hope after despair.

Lakshmipriya Devi has written a heart-tugging yet humorous and very human saga of a normal child getting within himself the mental and moral strength to do something that even an adult may not be able to venture into easily. His focus and determination do not waver in the worst of setbacks, and aiding him is the sharp Raju, who proudly flaunts his business community background in dealing shrewdly with some ‘economic’ situations, especially when they are in Moreh.

The story is replete with endearing moments galore, and as the movie progresses, we get to love Boong, Raju, and even Juliana, as well as another major character, the transgender dancer JJ (Jenny Khurai). And why I will not enumerate the lovely details of so many sequences is that viewers must be able to experience those natural delights on their own. These organic moments pop up at unexpected moments, like the two boys’ unexpectedly macabre journey to Moreh or the stoic resilience of Mandakini at a ‘death ceremony’ held by Joykumar’s brother.

Boong Movie Review: Star Performance

Mammoth describes best the performance of Gugun Kipgen as the prodigious Boong, who is a perfect amalgam of the idealist and the practical, a child whose intelligence belies his age. His eyes are his biggest asset, and his facial mobility and body language showcase a relentless boy on an ardent mission.

Bala Hijam, as his mother is adorable in the way she deals with life’s buffets, as well as her son. As Raju, Angom Sanamatum is a complete delight, another solid plus for this film. Vikram Kochhar does an excellent job as Raju’s father. Jenny Khurai, as the dancer, also rocks. And Nemetia Ngangbam is another outright charmer as the cute Juliana.

Thoudam Modhubala Devi and Ramesh Chandra Singh as Mandakini’s sister-in-law and her alcoholic husband impress, as does Brajabidhu Thoudam Singh as the Pradhan. A standout cameo comes from Toijam Shila Devi as the hotel owner.