“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” the Oscar-nominated true story of the killing of a five-year-old Palestinian girl by Israeli forces in Gaza, has received a censorship certificate, paving the way for its release in theaters on June 19.
The film was initially scheduled to release in India in March, but has been stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the body that certifies theatrical releases.
Nominated in the Best International Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, the film was acquired for release in India as well as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Bangladesh by distributor Manoj Nandwana of Jay Viratra Entertainment Limited.
“We would like to begin by expressing our sincere gratitude to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of India, for granting certification without any interruption to ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ and enabling the Indian audience to engage with this important work of cinema.
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“At Jai Viratra Entertainment Limited, we firmly believe that cinema serves as a powerful medium for storytelling, dialogue and understanding of diverse human experiences. We appreciate the thoughtful consideration given by the CBFC in evaluating the film and facilitating its release in India,” Nandwana said in a statement on Tuesday.
The film, directed by Tunisian director Kawthar Ben Hania, highlights the tragic story of Hend Rajab, whose killing during the war between Israel and Gaza sparked international outrage.
Nandwana added: “The Voice of Hind Rajab is a deeply moving story that reflects the human cost of conflict and the resilience of the human spirit. We hope that the film will foster empathy, understanding and constructive conversations among viewers. The film will be released in cinemas on June 19, 2026.”
Hind Rajab was fleeing Gaza City in January 2024 with her family when their car came under fire from Israeli forces, killing all her relatives. When the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency services tried to contact those in the car, Rajab answered the call and asked to rescue them.
The bodies of Rajab, her family, and rescue workers were later found meters away from each other. Haniyeh chose actors to play real Palestinian Red Crescent members, but she used real audio recordings of Rajab to tell the horrific true story.
In an interview with PTI in March, Hania said she had secured funding for another film when she first heard snippets of Rajab’s voice on social media, which changed her course.
Haniyeh said in the interview: “When I heard Hind Rajab’s voice, it was very strong and put me in a state of anger and sadness. I could not ignore him and continue with my daily life. So I stopped the other movie. I said: No, this is not the right time to do that.” Because doing nothing was complicity in this war crime. “So I did it out of that feeling, but also out of anger and emergency.”
She added: “You know, we cannot live in a world where if you have the biggest weapon, you rule the world. This is not possible, and this is not in the best interest of our children.”
