Oscar nominated filmmaker David Bradbury detained at Chennai airport likely over 2012 documentary on Tamil Nadu nuclear plant

Immigration officials at Chennai Airport allegedly stopped Australian filmmaker and two-time Oscar nominee David Bradbury on September 11 and was forced to leave the country, TOI has reported.

Known for his documentary on anti-nuclear protests in southern Tamil Nadu's Kudankulam, Bradbury had arrived for a family trip across India with his daughter Nakeita, 21, and son Omar, 14.

As per the report, the filmmaker was detained and deported to Thailand without explanation.


"He was taken to a room, detained for 24 hours and then forced to fly to Thailand. By 3am, we were asked to leave the airport but were given no details about my dad. He called us only after he reached Thailand," Nakeita spoke to TOI over the phone from Milan.

Their father's detention, suspected by Nakeita to be connected to his documentary on the 2012 Kudankulam nuclear plant protests, has not been officially confirmed.

Bradbury's planned journey across India, meant as a heartfelt tribute to his late partner Treena Lenthall. While the siblings cleared immigration easily, their father faced detention by officials.

The siblings decided to carry on with the trip, which was intended as a "journey of discovery and remembrance." It led them through cities including Puducherry, Salem, Kerala, Varanasi, and New Delhi.

Despite the disruption, Nakeita and Omar honored Lenthall with traditional Hindu rituals, maintaining their itinerary across India.

Officials from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Chennai stated they would "look into the matter" but offered no further details.

The siblings completed their two-week journey with the help of Google Maps and local assistance, despite facing numerous challenges. "We were tricked many times," Nakeita shared, recounting random charges at petrol stations, toll gates, and hotels. "It was not fair, but we pulled through."

On Wednesday, Nakeita and Omar departed India to reunite with their father in Milan, concluding their trip to India.

(With inputs from TOI)