20022026-LSTL-01.qxd 2/20/2026 12:52 AM Page 1 c m y b BLOODY POSTER TEASES TOXIC The makers of Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups unveiled a new poster, confirming its teaser would release on February 20 at 9.35 am. The image shows Yash as Raya amid a bloodstreaked blizzard, signalling a dark, violent world. The film is written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas and directed by Mohandas. TRIBUNE Life Global reign Taylor Swift was named 2025’s best-selling global artist by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, securing the title for a sixth time. Her album, The Life of a Showgirl, set a modernera first-week sales record. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 20 FEBRUARY 2026 The BAFTA-nominated Manipuri gem humanises a conflicted state through a tender children’s tale Nonika Singh L IKE her heart-tugging, BAFTAnominated Boong, filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi is heartwarming, simple yet profound, and full of life. For those of us geographically and emotionally distant from Manipur, the beautiful north-eastern state is often reduced to a hotbed of conflict. But here comes a Manipuri film that humanises the state and its people with poignant, evocative clarity. As the cinematic gem earns a prestigious nomination for Best Children’s and Family Film at the 2026 BAFTA Awards, Lakshmipriya is still trying to process the honour. “It’s still so unreal,” she admits, taking us through the film’s journey. For her, the BAFTA nomination feels like a climax, a final high for the film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Since then, it has toured many film festivals, picking up accolades along the way. The fact that the film is in the BAFTA ‘ Family and Children’ category does not dampen her spirits; it gladdens her heart immeasurably. The film also introduces the remarkable child actor Gugun Kipgen. Lakshmipriya recalls her serendipitous discovery: “I had almost become a ‘child kidnapper’, constantly asking everyone, ‘Do you know any child actor?’” Fate intervened when someone walked in for a production job, accompanied by this impish child. It was “love at first sight.” Only Gugun, a Kuki boy, initially hesitated, as he did not know Meitei. But mastering Meitei proved surprisingly straightforward for him. Directing child actors, Lakshmipriya admits, has spoiled her: “They are so natural.” She is also full of praise for actress Bala Hijam, who plays Boong’s Boong wins hearts beyond BORDERS ❝ mother, especially for how she interpreted Mandakini’s character. She laughs, “Had she followed my brief, Mandakini’s character would have been a flop.” Yet Boong is deeply personal for Lakshmipriya; it contains snapshots of her own childhood. If Boong represents a ‘male version’ of herself, she sees herself in the impudent Juliana. In the film, she flips the ‘insider-outsider’ thesis, holding a mirror to society. The theme of ‘othering’ is rooted in her own experiences. Having faced discrimination while living in New Delhi, she insists, “Boong’s best friend in the film had to be none other than a Marwari.” The film’s overriding message, she stresses, is not the prejudices we hold but the importance of closure and moving forward—both for the people of her state and beyond. Though unsure how to respond to effusive praise, she believes deeply in the power of cinema and “the need to use it responsibly, especially in times of hatred and violence.” An assistant riya Devi director for akshmip L decades (Lakshya, PK, Dahaad and more), she explains why she waited so long to direct: “I didn’t want to direct till I had a story to tell.” ilm not a a small f ie film, king I was mabuster. An ind re was block n top of it; the er at p o regional for Boong on pa ade it no hope ut once it was m n. least. B d a life of its ow foun - PRODUCERS’ MIGHT All my producers brought something to the table; it was like a marriage. Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment ensured that a small indie film like Boong had a theatrical release at PVR. Alan McAle is an indie stalwart with films like Santosh and Sister Midnight under his belt and then Vikesh Bhutani who is so good on the field is someone all indie makers are dying to work with. c m y b CHAT UP PEECEE RECALLS MOTHER’S FIERCE ACT Priyanka Chopra Jonas says motherhood shaped her role as Bloody Mary in The Bluff, recalling how her mother once grabbed a Delhi cab driver’s throat after he took a wrong turn late at night. BAD BUNNY LANDS PORTO RICO LEAD Grammy winner Bad Bunny is set to lead historical drama Porto Rico alongside Edward Norton, Javier Bardem and Viggo Mortensen. Directed by Rene Perez Joglar in his feature debut and co-written with Alexander Dinelaris. SONY JOINS AI COPYRIGHT PROTEST Sony Pictures has joined other Hollywood studios in protesting ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 over alleged AI copyright infringement, demanding the removal of IP such as Breaking Bad and the Spider-Verse films from its training data.