India Bans Oscar-Nominated Gaza Drama ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’
India-West News Desk
MUMBAI –The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has reportedly declined to clear the Oscar-nominated docudrama ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ for theatrical release in India. The decision centers on the film’s subject matter, which was deemed sensitive in the context of India’s diplomatic ties with Israel.
Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film was nominated for Best International Feature at the most recent Academy Awards and secured the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The project features high-profile backing from executive producers including Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer.
Manoj Nandwana of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment told Variety that the board’s decision was conveyed “orally,” with officials indicating the film was “very sensitive” and suggesting its release could strain India–Israel relations. Nandwana disputed this reasoning, telling The Hindu newspaper that the film has already been cleared for audiences in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy.
The film reconstructs the final moments of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in January 2024. It utilizes real emergency call recordings and dramatized sequences to follow the perspective of Red Crescent rescue workers attempting to reach her under fire.
In a post on Instagram, Ben Hania questioned the reported blockade: “Is the honeymoon between the ‘world’s largest democracy’ and the ‘only democracy in the Middle East’ so fragile that a film could break it?”
The development has drawn sharp political reactions within India. Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor wrote on X that “screening a film is a reflection of our society’s freedom of expression,” describing the censorship as “unworthy of a mature democracy.”
The development comes amid evolving ties between India and Israel. During a recent visit to Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed that India stands with the country “firmly, with full conviction, in this moment and beyond.”
