Manipuri comedy-drama Boong and true-crime documentary The Perfect Neighbour were in the spotlight at a debut edition of a South Asian celebration in London, ahead of the 2026 British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs).
Boong, produced by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment and directed by debutant Lakshmipriya Devi, is competing for an award in the Best Children's & Family Film category at the awards ceremony.
Meanwhile, Indian-American director Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbour is shortlisted for a Best Documentary award. It is also nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars, set to take place next month.
“We are living in a time, particularly in the US, that is an incredibly alarming and dangerous time,” Gandbhir said in a statement during her address at the ‘Celebrating South Asians’ event at the BAFTA headquarters in London on Friday evening.
“It is wonderful to be here as Asians, as South Asians. I just want to remind everyone that it's a time for us to also join forces with other marginalised communities,” she added.
“The person who gave me my first opportunity in film was the great Spike Lee... it was the black community in the US that actually opened the door for me, and I stand on their shoulders. We fight this fight... because what happens in the US has a ripple effect around the world. Terrible policies, terrible ideas spread... together we are strong,” the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker further said.
Rahul Sharda, who served as the assistant director for Boong, represented the film at the festive pre-awards meet-up. He expressed his team’s excitement for a regional film from India being recognised on an international stage.
“I love Bollywood, the singing-dancing films too, but India has so much to offer being so culturally diverse. It is great to know that there is a platform where even our regional cinema is being highlighted,” Sharda said.
The debut edition of the celebration, held ahead of the BAFTA ceremony on Monday, was aimed at providing a dedicated space for showcasing the rising international presence of South Asian storytelling and fostering meaningful industry connections.
The event was co-organised by Society O, a UK-based cultural platform dedicated to spotlighting South Asian achievements, and Product of Culture, a women-led strategy outlet amplifying underrepresented voices from the global South Asian diaspora.
“This BAFTA weekend represents a moment where global storytelling converges, and this year’s nominations highlight the breadth and impact of South Asian creatives across the industry – from internationally distributed documentaries and award-winning British shorts to groundbreaking regional cinema reaching new audiences worldwide,” the co-organisers said in a joint statement.
“By bringing together nominees, collaborators, and industry leaders, we aim to create a meaningful space that celebrates artistic excellence while strengthening the connections shaping the future of the screen industries,” they added.
Filmmakers Sukki Menon and Parvinder Shergill from Society O, and Archana Misra Jain and Monika Sharma Abbas from Product of Culture shared that they believe assembling nominees, filmmakers, executives and industry leaders at such a key moment in the international awards season would bring about greater success for the South Asian community globally.
Industry stalwarts such as filmmaker Gurinder Chadha and Indian-born British actress Varada Sethu were joined by Luis Hindman, the director behind Magid/Zafar set within a British-Pakistani takeaway, which is nominated in the BAFTA British Short Film category.
Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Kulvinder Ghir and Nina Wadia, known for creating the iconic ’90s British-Indian comedy Goodness Gracious Me, had a reunion for the first time after 10 years.
The 79th edition of BAFTA Awards will take place at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday.
It will be livestreamed for viewers in India on SonyLIV and the official YouTube channel of BAFTAs on Monday from 12.30am onwards.
