David Bradbury, Oscar-nominated Australian Filmmaker, Detained At Chennai Airport, Deported

David Bradbury, the Oscar-nominated Australian filmmaker, landed at Chennai airport, along with his two children, on September 10. The 73-year-old filmmaker was reportedly on a two-week trip to India, five months after his wife Treena Lenthall's death. However, David's trip was cut short when he was stopped by immigration authorities and detained for over 24 hours before being deported to Thailand, from where the family of three had travelled. Only the children Nakeita Bradbury (21) and Omar Bradbury (14) were allowed to continue their journey in India.

Why was David Bradbury detained?

According to a report in The Wire, David was detained for over 24 hours, deprived of medication, and denied access to the Australian embassy and toilet. The filmmaker told the portal he was taken to a "small room with high ceilings". He described it as a "pretty disgusting room with papers and rubbish on the floor under a bed with a filthy mattress and no sheets.” There the authorities asked him to explain the purpose of his current visit, the reason for his 2012 visit and his contacts in the country. The filmmaker added that the officers insisted he unlock his phone and share the contact numbers, but he refused. Eventually, the pressure on my bladder forced me to urinate into a paper cup I found,” the filmmaker recounts.

Not much is known as to why he was detained and then deported back to Bangkok, but the filmmaker believes that it is related to his past visit to the country.

Understanding the connection between David Bradbury's detention and his 2012 Indian visit

In 2012, David visited India as a member of the jury for the Mumbai International Film Festival.  After the event, he along with his wife Treena Lenthall and son Omar, visited Idinthakarai, a coastal village in the Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, located a few kilometres from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. The family stayed in the village for over two weeks and documented the ongoing protests. The villagers, who led the protest against the nuclear plant, faced multiple charges and police brutality.

Upon returning to Australia, Bradbury published an article in a local news outlet regarding the protest.

What was the current purpose of the India visit?

David, along with his children, had planned to visit Varanasi. "I wanted to show my son Omar how Hindus deal with death and say farewell to their loved ones in the next life,” he told The Wire.