The India release of the Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab—a docudrama about the tragic death of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza in 2024—has been stalled due to delays in obtaining a censor certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The film, directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in September 2025, where it won the Grand Jury Prize (Silver Lion) and received a 23-minute standing ovation. It later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and earned an Academy Award nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Oscars earlier this month.
Backed by high-profile executive producers including Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer, the movie reconstructs Hind Rajab’s final moments using her actual recorded voice. It depicts the child trapped in a car under fire from Israeli forces while fleeing Gaza City with her family, pleading with Palestinian Red Crescent volunteers for help as she describes her cousins’ deaths.
Her body was later discovered 12 days after the incident, alongside relatives and two rescue volunteers.Indian distributor Manoj Nandwana of Jai Viratra Entertainment acquired rights for India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. He submitted the film to the CBFC in February 2026, aiming for a March release timed before the Oscars.
During screening, the board reportedly found no issues with violence, nudity, or political content but deemed it “very sensitive” due to strong India-Israel relations—especially as the review occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Israel.Nandwana quoted CBFC feedback indicating the film could not be released because of diplomatic ties, with one member allegedly stating it might “break up the India-Israel relationship.”
No formal cuts were suggested, but the film was referred to a revising committee, leaving the distributor pessimistic: “There is no point in having false hope when they have given the basic reason that, according to them, the film is against Israel.”The CBFC and its chairperson Prasoon Joshi did not respond to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
The decision has drawn criticism over freedom of expression. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called it “pretty disgraceful,” stating on X: “In a democracy, screening a film is a reflection of our society’s freedom of expression and has nothing to do with government to government relations. This practice of banning films or books because of the offence they might cause to foreign countries must stop immediately.
It’s unworthy of a mature democracy. #HindRajab”NCP (SP) leader Anish Gawande described it as a “blot on our collective conscience,” adding: “Those who claim to uphold the values of Gandhi are parroting the policy of Goebbels. Will looking away, shutting our eyes, prevent us from being complicit in the horror unleashed in Gaza?”This isn’t the first such case; similar certification issues affected films like Santosh (UK’s Oscar entry in 2025), which also failed to secure clearance for theatrical or streaming release in India.
Director Ben Hania has emphasized the film’s purpose: to amplify Hind’s voice amid media noise, urging viewers to remember and reflect on her story.
