Jakarta – India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has reportedly blocked the release of Oscar-nominated documentary drama, *The Voice of Hind Rajab*, due to concerns it could jeopardize diplomatic relations between India and Israel.
The film, directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, tells the heartbreaking true story of six-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab.
Rajab was trapped inside a car under fire from Israeli forces in Gaza in January 2024, while her entire family was killed around her.
According to Jai Viratra Entertainment, the film’s distributor in India, Manoj Nandwana, the censor board denied a release certificate despite a scheduled release date of March 6, 2026.
“A member of the CBFC committee told me that if the film was released, it could harm India-Israel relations,” Nandwana said.
He added that the reasoning felt unusual, given the film has already been screened in several countries with strong diplomatic ties to Israel, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy.
The decision has sparked protests within India. Shashi Tharoor, an opposition politician from the Congress party, called the ban “a disgrace to a democracy.”
“In a democracy, the screening of a film is a reflection of the freedom of expression of the people and has nothing to do with inter-governmental relations. The practice of banning films or books for reasons of offending a foreign country must stop immediately,” Tharoor stated on social media.
The film is particularly poignant, utilizing actual audio recordings of Hind Rajab’s desperate emergency calls to the Palestinian Red Crescent as she pleaded for support for hours before her death. Two paramedics attempting to rescue her were also reportedly killed in the attack.
Despite receiving critical acclaim at international film festivals, including the Venice Film Festival, and a nomination for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars, Indian audiences will now miss the opportunity to see the film on the sizeable screen. The film’s powerful story has resonated globally, prompting discussions about the human cost of conflict.
The distributor is currently filing for a revision with the CBFC committee, but there is no confirmation yet whether the decision will be overturned.
(ass/aay)
