Highlights
- Alia Bhatt joins the presenter lineup for the 79th BAFTA Film Awards
- Ceremony will take place at Royal Festival Hall on 22 February
- Manipuri film Boong set to compete in children’s and family category
A London stage with global representation
The British Academy has confirmed that Alia Bhatt will present an award at this year’s BAFTA Film Awards, adding a strong South Asian presence to one of cinema’s most prominent international nights.
The ceremony, which honours achievements across global filmmaking, returns to London later this month, bringing together a wide range of actors and industry figures from across continents.
A star-studded presenters’ roster
Bhatt joins an extensive list of guest presenters that reflects the awards’ international outlook. Among those set to appear are Alicia Vikander, Bryan Cranston, Cillian Murphy, Delroy Lindo, Emily Watson, Ethan Hawke, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Hannah Waddingham, Monica Bellucci, Regé-Jean Page, Riz Ahmed and Stellan Skarsgård.
Their presence underscores the ceremony’s role as a meeting point for different film industries and creative traditions.
Spotlight on ‘Boong’ and regional storytelling
Alongside Bhatt’s appearance, filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi will attend the ceremony with her Manipuri-language feature Boong, which has secured a nomination in the best children’s and family film category.
The film follows a young boy from the Manipur valley who sets out to surprise his mother with a gift, offering a story rooted in regional culture and everyday emotion. It is backed by producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under their banner Excel Entertainment.
Competition in the children’s category
Boong will compete against major international titles including Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia 2 and the animated science-fantasy film Arco.
The mix of studio productions and independent storytelling highlights the breadth of work recognised by the BAFTAs, where big-budget animation and regional cinema share the same platform.
