BIFFes 2026 Prakash Raj highlights Palestinian films' clearance delay.
Karnataka government yet to respond to BIFF's censorship concerns.
Debate grows over Palestinian films, India festival row, and free expression.
The BIFFes 2026 Prakash Raj controversy has placed the Bengaluru International Film Festival at the centre of a growing debate on censorship and state accountability. Several Palestinian films scheduled to screen at the 17th edition of BIFFes are still awaiting clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification, leaving their fate uncertain even as the festival unfolds.
BIFFes 2026 Palestinian films row explained
According to festival organisers, at least three Palestinian films, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Put Your Soul On Your Hand, Walk, and Yes! remain pending approval. Only Palestine 36 has found a place in the official schedule. The delay mirrors a similar episode at the International Film Festival of Kerala last year, where multiple films linked to Palestine were denied screening permission.
Prakash Raj urges Karnataka government to speak up
During the inauguration, actor and festival brand ambassador Prakash Raj publicly appealed to the Karnataka government to challenge the Centre’s inaction. Drawing on the festival’s founding idea of openness and exchange, he warned that political interference was reshaping BIFFes’ purpose. His remarks, accompanied by lines from Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, drew strong attention and set the tone for the BIFF's Palestinian films row.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while stressing cinema’s responsibility to address inequality and social struggles, stopped short of addressing the stalled Palestinian films directly. This silence has sparked criticism, especially as senior Congress leaders nationally have taken vocal positions on Gaza.
A familiar censorship pattern
Filmmakers and cultural voices have pointed to a pattern. From films blocked at IFFK to earlier BIFFes exclusions and the cancellation of Palestine solidarity events in Bengaluru, critics argue the issue goes beyond procedure. BJP leaders, however, have defended the restrictions, calling the films propaganda.
As BIFFes continues, the controversy underscores unresolved tensions between creative freedom and regulatory power.
