The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India recently approved the screening of the Tunisian film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, which was previously nominated for an Oscar. This decision follows months of controversy
and an initial ban surrounding the film due to its sensitive political nature. The film is based on the true story of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped inside a car attacked by Israeli forces in Gaza, before
being found dead later. The work had faced censorship obstacles in India since last March. According to Jai Viratra Entertainment, the Mumbai-based distributor of the film in India, the CBFC granted the film an "Adults Only" (+18) rating without any cuts
or modifications to its content. This paves the way for its full commercial release in Indian cinemas starting June 19. This decision marks an important victory for the film after a censorship battle that lasted weeks. Manoj Nandwana, head of Jai
Viratra, had previously revealed in statements to Variety magazine that the company applied for a screening permit last February, in preparation for its release in Indian theaters on March 6, but approval was not issued at that time. "The Voice of
Hind Rajab" is considered one of the most adventurous and daring Arab cinematic experiences in terms of genre, making it a model worthy of study in post-trauma cinema. Nandwana explained that a member of the censorship board had informed him earlier
that screening the film "could harm relations between India and Israel," referring to the sensitivity of the political issue addressed by the work. This initial hesitation by the censorship authorities followed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in late
February, where he received a broad official welcome. This was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel since the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries 25 years ago. The visit aimed to strengthen economic
and technological cooperation and reflected a clear shift in India's foreign policy towards Israel under Modi, compared to India's traditional supportive stance on the Palestinian issue. In an official statement issued on Tuesday, Jai Viratra Entertainment expressed its gratitude to the
Central Board of Film Certification in India for granting the film its exhibition certificate "without any deletions," considering that the decision allows the Indian public to watch "an important cinematic work." The statement added: "At Jai Viratra Entertainment, we believe that
cinema is a powerful medium for storytelling, dialogue, and understanding diverse human experiences, and we appreciate the careful consideration by the CBFC during its evaluation of the film and its facilitation for release in India." The company also extended its thanks
to the media, filmmakers, artists, and everyone who supported efforts to release the film over the past months, emphasizing that "belief in the importance of purposeful cinema played a key role in bringing this work to the Indian audience." "The Voice
of Hind Rajab" had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last September, where it received a warm reception and a standing ovation lasting more than 20 minutes, before winning the "Silver Lion" award at the festival. The film
was later released in the United States through Willa, the distribution arm of the production company, after other American distribution companies refrained from adopting the film.
