Oscar-Nominated ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ Denied Certification by CBFC

The Oscar-nominated documentary The Voice of Hind Rajab has been denied certification for theatrical release in India by the Central Board of Film Certification, according to the film’s local distributor.

Manoj Nandwana, who acquired the film’s India distribution rights, said the board had communicated the decision orally and had not issued a written rejection. The film centres on a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in early 2024 during the Israel–Gaza War (2023–present).

The reported ban was first noted by a the trade publication on Thursday. Nandwana later confirmed the development in comments to The Hindu.

According to the distributor, he had anticipated difficulties securing certification. He said the film had previously struggled to obtain clearances required for festival screenings in India. Events such as the Bengaluru International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India in Goa reportedly did not receive approval from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to screen the film.

Nandwana said the only Indian festival where the film was screened was the Kolkata International Film Festival. He suggested that the organisers may have proceeded without seeking central government clearance.

The distributor said he did not plan to pursue a legal challenge against the decision. He added that the film’s producers were surprised by the outcome and that his acquisition of the distribution rights had not been insured against a possible ban. Nandwana said he had purchased the rights to the Tunisian-produced film several years earlier at the Venice Film Festival, before it became an awards contender. The deal was reportedly valued at around ₹1 crore.

The decision has drawn criticism from some political figures. Shashi Tharoor, a member of parliament from Thiruvananthapuram representing the Indian National Congress, described the reported ban as “disgraceful” and argued that the screening of films should be treated as a matter of freedom of expression rather than foreign policy considerations.

Officials from the CBFC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have not issued an official comment.