3 min readNew DelhiMar 20, 2026 09:33 PM IST
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has blocked the Indian theatrical release of Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab. The film was scheduled to release in India on March 6, ahead of the Oscars on March 16, but was denied clearance over concerns that it could strain India-Israel relations.
Distributor Manoj Nandwana, head of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment, told Variety that the CBFC refused certification because “the film is very sensitive.”
The Voice of Hind Rajab is based on the real story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped in a car attacked by Israeli forces in Gaza and was later found dead.
Manoj Nandwana revealed that he had screened the film for the CBFC in February in hopes of securing timely approval for its planned March 6 release. However, the clearance never came through. According to him, a CBFC member said, “If it gets released, it would affect the India-Israel relationship.”
Disagreeing with the reasoning, Nandwana said, “I told them the India-Israel relationship is strong enough that it’s unrealistic to think a film could break it. The Voice of Hind Rajab has already been released in the U.S., U.K., Italy, France, and several other countries that share ties with Israel.”
The decision comes amid deepening diplomatic ties between India and Israel under Narendra Modi, with his recent visit marking a significant milestone in a relationship that has steadily evolved over the decades.
The Voice of Hind Rajab had earlier received widespread acclaim, earning over 20 minutes of standing ovation at its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, where it also won the Silver Lion.
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This development adds to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the CBFC, which has frequently made headlines for its censorship decisions—often criticised as inconsistent. While certain films face cuts or delays over political or thematic concerns, others have been cleared with relatively fewer objections.
In a recent critique for SCREEN, Jyothi Jha highlighted such inconsistencies, noting that while the CBFC objected to Akshay Kumar portraying Lord Shiva in OMG 2—prompting changes to avoid hurting religious sentiments—it raised no issue with the objectification, crass humour, and voyeuristic elements in Housefull 5, which was granted a U/A certificate. Tamil film Jana Nayagan is still battling it out in the court to get a censor clearance. That film was supposed to release in January for Pongal.
