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Why is India banning the release of this Oscar-nominated Gaza drama?

EuroNews · · 626 words · By David Mouriquand
Israel-India relations Film censorship Palestinian conflict

The article discusses the banning of the film 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' in India, linking it to shifts in Israel-India relations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It highlights the film's international acclaim and criticizes the censorship decision, while noting past instances of politically sensitive film bans by India's ratings board.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/culture/2026/03/20/indian-film-board-blocks-release-of-…

analyticsAnalysis

60%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 80%
Significant concerns. Multiple propaganda techniques detected.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

19 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 9
help Insufficient Evidence 6
verified Verified By Reference 4
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“The release of Kaouther Ben Hania's Venice-winning and Oscar-nominated docu-drama 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' has been blocked by the country's ratings body.”
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“It premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival to a record-breaking 23-minute standing ovation and went on to receive the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize.”
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“It was Golden Globe nominated and made the five-film Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature Feature this year.”
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“The Tunisian film about the death of a five-year-old girl during the Israel-Gaza war has been blocked by the country’s ratings body, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).”
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“In a report by Variety, Manoj Nandwana of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment said that he was told that if the film was released, it would 'break up' India-Israel relations.”
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“The sole survivor of an Israeli attack in Gaza, Rajab made a distress call to the Palestine emergency services... confirmed and documented by The Washington Post and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor that the IDF riddled the car with 355 bullets and killed two paramedics coming to the girl’s rescue.”
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“The Voice of Hind Rajab has been released in several territories. Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón and Jonathan Glazer got behind the film as executive producers.”
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“India has historically supported the Palestinians, but the country under Narendra Modi has been outspoken in its support for Israel. Modi undertook an official visit to Israel in February - the first visit by an Indian premier in the 25 years since the two countries established full diplomatic relations – marking a further shift in Israel-India relations.”
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verified
“The release of Kaouther Ben Hania's Venice-winning and Oscar-nominated docu-drama 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' has been blocked by the country's ratings body.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries confirm the film's existence and subject matter but do not mention any blocking by a ratings body. No corroborating sources found.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hind Rami Iyad Rajab (Arabic: هند رامي إياد رجب; 3 May 2018 – 29 January 2024) was a five-year-old Palestinian girl in the Gaza Strip who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Gaza …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Hind_Rajab
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Saja Kilani (Arabic: سجىٰ كيلاني) is a Canadian-Jordanian film actress and spoken‑word poet of Palestinian descent. She gained international recognition for her leading role in the docudrama The Voice…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saja_Kilani
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Voice of Hind Rajab (Arabic: صوت هند رجب, romanized: Ṣawt Hind Rajab) is a 2025 docudrama film written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. It follows the Red Crescent response during the killing o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voice_of_Hind_Rajab
verified
“It premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival to a record-breaking 23-minute standing ovation and went on to receive the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries about Venice Film Festival dates do not specify the film's premiere, ovation duration, or awards. No direct evidence supports the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 76th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 28 August to 7 September 2019, at Venice Lido in Italy. Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel was the jury president for the main competi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/76th_Venice_International_Film…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 82nd annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 27 August to 6 September 2025, at Venice Lido in Italy. American filmmaker Alexander Payne served as Jury President for the main compet…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82nd_Venice_International_Film…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (Italian: Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice_Film_Festival
verified
“It was Golden Globe nominated and made the five-film Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature Feature this year.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries about Golden Globe awards do not mention the film's nominations. No evidence confirms the claim.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 83rd Golden Globes was an awards ceremony that honored excellence in film and American television productions of 2025. The winners were revealed during the live telecast, airing on CBS and streami…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/83rd_Golden_Globes
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. Previously, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Globe_Award_for_Best_Ac…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy is a Golden Globe Award first presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. It is given in honor of an actor who h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Globe_Award_for_Best_Ac…
help
“But despite all these achievements, Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab will be banned in India.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in live sources or archives to support the claim of the film being banned in India.
help
“The Tunisian film about the death of a five-year-old girl during the Israel-Gaza war has been blocked by the country’s ratings body, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
Wikipedia confirms the subject matter but no evidence of CBFC involvement or blocking. No corroborating sources found.
help
“In a report by Variety, Manoj Nandwana of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment said that he was told that if the film was released, it would 'break up' India-Israel relations.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in live sources or archives to support Manoj Nandwana's claim.
verified
“Written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, the film depicts the death of Hind Rajab, who was murdered on 29 January 2024.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia explicitly states Hind Rajab was killed on 29 January 2024, directly confirming the claim.
help
“The rescue attempt failed, as it was confirmed and documented by The Washington Post and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor that the IDF riddled the car with 355 bullets and killed two paramedics coming to the girl’s rescue.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in live sources or archives to support the specific details about the IDF's actions.
help
“India has historically supported the Palestinians, but the country under Narendra Modi has been outspoken in its support for Israel.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in live sources or archives to support historical claims about India's foreign policy shifts.
help
“Modi undertook an official visit to Israel in February - the first visit by an Indian premier in the 25 years since the two countries established full diplomatic relations – marking a further shift in Israel-India relations.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in live sources or archives to confirm Modi's visit to Israel in February 2024.
schedule
“The Voice of Hind Rajab has been released in several territories. Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón and Jonathan Glazer got behind the film as executive producers.”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.