A leading film-industry development institution in India, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), has decided to cancel an Israeli movie festival after facing criticism and protests from actors and academics in Mumbai. The event, which was organized by the NFDC, was set to take place at the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai over two days.

The decision to cancel the festival came after a petition garnered over 1,000 signatures, with notable figures like Bollywood star Naseeruddin Shah, documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and author Tushar Arun Gandhi - the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi - expressing their opposition. The petition argued that holding the festival amidst the background of Israel’s actions against Palestine is inappropriate.

"Shamefully being held at a time, when the entire world is witness to Israeli war crimes, the ongoing Holocaust and the genocide in Gaza, and across all of Palestine,” said a petition against the festival.