The Voice of Hind Rajab, an Oscar nominated film about a 5-year-old girl who was killed by Israeli forces in early 2024 in the Gaza war, has been orally rejected by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the film’s India distributor Manoj Nandwana said. The theatrical ban on the film was first reported on Thursday (March 19, 2026) by Hollywood trade publication Variety. Over the last two years, the CBFC has rejected and censored films that have progressive political messaging. But the film was denied screening at multiple festivals, including the Bengaluru International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India in Goa. The only festival it has played at in India is in the Kolkata International Film Festival, Mr. Nandwana said, speculating that this was because the organisers did not bother with clearances from the Union government.

Source: The Hindu March 20, 2026 15:14 UTC