The Voice of Hind Rajab, an Oscar-nominated film depicting the killing of a 5-year-old girl by Israeli forces during the 2024 Gaza conflict, has been denied certification by India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), according to the film’s distributor, Manoj Nandwana. The theatrical ban was first reported by Hollywood trade publication Variety on March 19, 2026. Nandwana told The Hindu he anticipated the rejection, citing the film’s lack of approval from multiple festivals that require clearance from India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for movies without CBFC certification. He declined to pursue legal action against the decision, noting he had not received a written rejection from the CBFC. “Previously, we submitted a film called Land Jihad, and the Censor Board explicitly warned it could cause communal issues before rejecting it in writing,” he said. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the CBFC did not respond to The Hindu’s inquiries. A senior official revealed the film has been referred to a Revising Committee within the CBFC for review. Over the past two years, the board has censored films with progressive political messaging, often removing references to real-life political events or figures. While right-wing cinema has also faced heavy censorship, its core messages have generally survived the process, according to cutlists reviewed by The Hindu. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor condemned the ban as “disgraceful,” arguing that screening films reflects societal freedom of expression and is unrelated to diplomatic relations. He criticized the government for banning films that could harm foreign ties, calling it “unworthy of a mature democracy.#shashi_tharoor #central_board_of_film_certification #voice_of_hind_rajab #manoj_nandwana #bengaluru_international_film_festival
