The Voice of Hind Rajab, the Oscar-nominated film by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, has been cleared for theatrical release in India after an earlier certification delay sparked concerns about censorship, according to a report by Variety. The film has been granted an ‘A’ certificate without cuts by India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), setting up a nationwide theatrical release on June 19 through Mumbai-based distributor Jai Viratra Entertainment.
The film, based on the real story of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, recounts the final hours before she was found dead in Gaza after becoming trapped inside a vehicle attacked during the Israel-Gaza conflict. Its India release had initially stalled in March after distributor Manoj Nandwana claimed the film was not being cleared for certification.
According to Variety, Nandwana had earlier said he was informally told by a CBFC member that releasing the film “would break up the India-Israel relationship”, a claim he publicly rejected, noting that the film had already released in several countries maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel.
The Voice of Hind Rajab premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Silver Lion, and later received an Oscar nomination.
