India committed "international suicide" by banning a documentary on the December 16 Delhi gang rape from screening in the country, the British director behind the controversial film has said.   

Leslee Udwin, the director of 'India's Daughter' also said it was ironical that her purpose of "giving a gift of gratitude" to India has been misinterpreted as "pointing fingers" at the country.   

She said, "My whole purpose was to give a gift of gratitude to India, to actually praise India, to single India out as a country that was exemplary in its response to this rape, as a country where one could actually see change beginning. The supreme irony is that they are now accusing me of having wanted to point fingers at India, defame India, and it is they who have committed international suicide by banning this film."