Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania has questioned the Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) decision to stall the theatrical release of her Oscar-nominated docudrama, The Voice of Hind Rajab.
The film, which was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, is about a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in 2024 during the Gaza war.
According to the film's distributor, Manoj Nandwana, the CBFC has not cleared the film for release in India, reportedly due to concerns about India-Israel relations.
Ben Hania has taken to social media, questioning the decision and asking if the 'honeymoon' between India and Israel is so fragile that a film could break it.
The post has sparked widespread discussion online, with social media users expressing strong reactions, including one who wrote, 'I watched the film. This decision is one that abets genocide and as an Indian, I, in no uncertain terms, strongly condemn it.'
The Voice of Hind Rajab was earlier scheduled for release in India on March 6, but its distributor has now been told that it would impact 'India's relationship with Israel' if it gets released.
