The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been reconstituted with an 18-member panel for the next three years, bringing together prominent names from Indian cinema, television, theatre, music and literature.
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the new board, with Shashi Shekhar Vempati continuing as chairperson.
The panel includes actors Pankaj Tripathi, Preity Zinta, Suniel Shetty, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rupali Ganguly, Pallavi Joshi, Manoj Joshi and Nishigandha Wad.
Filmmakers Priyadarshan, Nila Madhab Panda, Abhishek Jain, Supriya Yarlagadda and Waman Kendre are also part of the board.
The remaining members include Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej, singer Hans Raj Hans, author and poet Yatindra Mishra, film critic and author Vinod Anupam, and writer and social thinker Ramesh Patange.
Actors On The New CBFC Board
Pankaj Tripathi brings experience across mainstream films, independent cinema and OTT. The National Film Award-winning actor has appeared in a wide range of roles and is known for performances across different genres.
Preity Zinta joins the board with a career spanning several decades in Hindi cinema. Her film credits include Dil Chahta Hai and Veer-Zaara.
Suniel Shetty, who has worked in Hindi cinema for more than three decades, has more than 100 films to his credit and has appeared across action, drama and other genres.
Prosenjit Chatterjee is a prominent figure in Bengali cinema, with a career spanning mainstream films as well as critically acclaimed projects such as Chokher Bali and Autograph.
Television actor Rupali Ganguly, best known for Anupama countryis also part of the panel. Her career includes television projects across family drama and comedy.
Pallavi Joshi, an actor and filmmaker, has worked across mainstream and parallel cinema. She was also associated with The Kashmir Files as a producer and actor.
Manoj Joshi has worked extensively across Hindi films, Gujarati theatre and television. He is also a National Award recipient.
Veteran actor and writer Nishigandha Wad brings experience from Marathi and Hindi cinema as well as television.
Filmmakers On The Panel
Filmmaker Priyadarshan has worked across Malayalam and Hindi cinema and has directed films spanning multiple genres and languages, including Hera Pheri and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.
National Award-winning filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda is known for films including I Am Kalam and Kadvi Hawawith his work often addressing social and environmental themes.
Gujarati filmmaker and producer Abhishek Jain has been associated with films such as Kevi Rite Jaish and Like Yaarbringing a regional cinema perspective to the board.
Supriya Yarlagadda, from the Telugu film industry, has worked as an actor and producer and is associated with Annapurna Studios.
Waman Kendre, who has been retained from the previous board, brings extensive experience in theatre. He is a former director of the National School of Drama and has worked extensively in India’s performing arts sector.
Music, Literature And Cultural Voices
Three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej brings international music experience to the panel. His work includes global collaborations and a long-standing focus on environmental themes.
Hans Raj Hans, the Padma Shri-winning Punjabi singer, adds experience from Sufi, folk, devotional and mainstream music.
Yatindra Mishra, an author, poet and scholar of Indian classical music, has written extensively about music, cinema and prominent cultural figures.
Vinod Anupam, a film critic and author, brings experience of writing about and analysing Indian cinema.
Ramesh Patange, retained from the previous board, is a writer and social thinker whose work covers cultural and socio-political subjects.
Shashi Shekhar Vempati To Continue As Chairperson
With the reconstitution of the board, Shashi Shekhar Vempati will continue as CBFC chairperson for the new three-year term.
The new panel brings together professionals from different areas of India’s creative industries, including mainstream and regional cinema, television, theatre, music, literature and film criticism.