Distributor says authorities warned screening Tunisian film-maker Kaouther Ben Hania’s docudrama could harm India–Israel relations
The Indian release of The Voice of Hind Rajab, the Oscar-nominated Tunisian film about the death of a five-year-old girl during the Israel-Gaza war, has been blocked by the country’s ratings body, according to the film’s Indian distributor.
In a report by Variety, Manoj Nandwana of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment said that he was told that if the film was released, it would “break up” India-Israel relations.
Nandwana said that he had submitted the film to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in February, with a view to releasing in mid-March, shortly before the Academy Awards. However, Nandwana said the film had not been approved for release. He said: “I told them: the India-Israel relationship is so strong that it’s idiotic to think this movie will break it.”
Written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, the film depicts the death of Rajab in January 2024, as she and her family attempted to escape bombing in Gaza City. The film uses the actual audio of Rajab’s panicked phone conversation with emergency operators as she waited for help, with the latter played by actors. It was nominated for the best international feature film Oscar alongside It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value, but did not win.
