Vijay Singh
Venice [Italy], September 10: In a historic moment for international cross-cultural cinema, Bollywood actress and producer Niharica Raizada, representing India and Luxembourg, made her debut at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Marking the global launch of her banner Raizada Entertainments, Raizada walked the red carpet at the prestigious Sala Grande on September 5, 2026, for the world premiere of legendary director Amos Gitai’s latest work, The Road to Jericho, screening Out of Competition in the Venice Open section.
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2026
“Cinema must not turn away from human suffering. Standing in the Sala Grande
for ‘The Road to Jericho’, I felt the immense weight of memory, displacement,
and the urgent need for empathy in our world today.”
— Niharica Raizada
A Hybrid Poem on the Israeli-Palestinian Reality
Amos Gitai’s The Road to Jericho is a poignant, 76-minute hybrid of documentary and narrative fiction. Tracing the historic corridor between Jerusalem and Jericho, the film focuses on Khan El Ahmar—a fragile Bedouin hamlet constructed of earth and tires, currently facing the threat of eviction.
The film weaves contemporary desert realities with archival material, featuring the voices of figures such as Jeanne Moreau, Arthur Miller, Samuel Fuller, and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. By contrasting historical peace efforts with the present struggles of the Bedouin community, Gitai creates a meditation on memory, displacement, and human destiny.
Emotional Resonance on the Global Stage
For Niharica Raizada—an actress (Sooryavanshi, IB71), medical scientist, and granddaughter of music composer O.P. Nayyar—attending the premiere of a film addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a deeply emotional milestone.
“As an artist representing India and Bollywood on this global stage, I felt profoundly moved by Amos Gitai’s vision,” Raizada reflected following the screening. “The Bedouin children of Khan El Ahmar represent a universal human spirit. At a time of intense geopolitical tension, ‘The Road to Jericho’ serves as a reminder of the power of peace, memory, and shared humanity.”
By bringing Raizada Entertainments to La Biennale di Venezia, Raizada aligns her production banner with cinema that tackles complex geopolitical themes while bridging Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
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