India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has declined to approve the release of The Voice of Hind Rajab, an Oscar-nominated docudrama that reconstructs the tragic final hours of a young Palestinian girl killed during Israel’s 2024 invasion of Gaza.
Directed by acclaimed Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the 2025 film blends real audio recordings and dramatized sequences to portray the desperate last phone calls of Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old trapped inside a bullet-ridden car after Israeli forces allegedly opened fire on her fleeing family in Gaza City. Hind and six relatives were killed in the incident, which drew worldwide outrage and sympathy after the audio of her distress calls to emergency responders went viral.
According to industry sources, the Indian distributor, Manoj Nandwana of Jai Viratra Entertainment, submitted the film to the CBFC in early 2026 for certification ahead of a planned March theatrical release. However, the board reportedly withheld clearance, citing the film’s “sensitive nature” and potential to “harm diplomatic relations” between India and Israel. Despite reports of an initial ‘A’ (Adults Only) certification, subsequent delays and demands for edits effectively blocked its release.
Nandwana has said the film was meant to be screened before the Academy Awards, where The Voice of Hind Rajab is nominated for Best International Feature Film after winning the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. It also served as Tunisia’s official Oscar entry.
The 89-minute hybrid docudrama features Palestinian actors including Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, and Clara Khoury. Its most striking element is the use of Hind’s real emergency call recordings, which anchor the film’s emotional core and serve as testimony to the human cost of the Gaza conflict.
While the film has played widely in Europe, North America, and the Middle East—grossing more than USD 5.6 million—it remains unavailable in India. The ban has reignited debate over the CBFC’s tightening approach toward politically contentious international films, particularly those dealing with conflicts involving India’s diplomatic partners.
Ben Hania, known for The Man Who Sold His Skin, has described The Voice of Hind Rajab as “a cry for empathy,” while critics have hailed it as one of the most powerful cinematic memorials to emerge from the Gaza war.
