New Delhi: The Central Board of Film Certification has blocked the release of Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab in India. Local distributors point to political sensitivities behind the decision. The board was reportedly concerned that the film’s release could potentially affect India’s diplomatic relationship with Israel.
The docudrama shows the efforts of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society as they attempt to rescue six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was trapped inside a vehicle in Gaza during the Israel Defense Force’s attacks.
The film premiered in the main competition at the Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize along with six other parallel awards. It also received over 20 minutes of applause and went on to win the Silver Lion.
“Very sensitive” film
Starring Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, and Clara Khoury, The Voice of Hind Rajab was later released in theatres in December 2025, with a broader release in January.
Distributor Manoj Nandwana, head of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment, said the board found the subject “very sensitive.” He had screened the film for the CBFC in February and was planning a 6 March release in India, timing it ahead of the Oscars on 16 March.
However, the film was ultimately denied clearance. Nandwana claimed he was told by a CBFC member that releasing it could “break up the India-Israel relationship.”
He pushed back on this reasoning, arguing that the film had already been released in countries such as the US, the UK, Italy, and France, many of which also have diplomatic ties with Israel.
“I told them: the India-Israel relationship is so strong that it’s idiotic to think this movie will break it,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Israel, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister in the 25-year diplomatic relationship between the two nations.
This isn’t the first time the CBFC has blocked politically sensitive films. Last year, it halted the release of Santosh, directed by Sandhya Suri. The film, set in a fictional North Indian state, dealt heavily with themes of caste and religion in India.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)