CBFC Reconstituted With 18 New Members Including Preity Zinta and Pankaj Tripathi
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been reconstituted with a new 18-member board, bringing several well-known names from the Indian film, music and entertainment industries into the country’s film certification body.
The new board will have a three-year tenure, or remain in place until further orders, whichever comes earlier, according to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The reconstitution takes effect immediately.
Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi and Suniel Shetty Among New Members
The newly appointed CBFC members include prominent actors such as Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty and Manoj Joshi. Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee is also part of the new board.
The panel also includes filmmaker Priyadarshan and musician Ricky Kej, along with several other personalities associated with cinema, literature, music and the arts.
Other members named to the board are Vinod Anupam, Abhishek Jain, Hansraj Hans, Supriya Yarlagadda, Yatindra Mishra, Rupali Ganguly, Neela Madhab Panda, Pallavi Joshi, Nishigandha Wad, Waman Kendre and Ramesh Patange.
Why Has the CBFC Been Reconstituted?
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the reconstitution had been pending for some time. Some members of the previous board were no longer active, while the terms of others had ended.
The CBFC is generally reconstituted periodically, with members serving terms of up to three years under the applicable rules.
The previous board had been formed in 2017 and consisted of 12 members.
CBFC Certification Has Remained a Major Issue for Filmmakers
The latest changes come amid continued attention on the film certification process in India.
One recent example is Satluj, the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer that was earlier titled Punjab 95. The movie reportedly spent several years going through the certification process after being submitted to the CBFC in 2022.
The filmmakers had previously alleged that a large number of cuts were sought. The movie eventually appeared on ZEE5 in July under its new title, but it was subsequently removed from the platform in India.
Other movies have also encountered certification-related issues.
Welcome To The Jungle, for instance, received a UA 16+ certificate after modifications, while the certification process surrounding Jana Nayagan resulted in delays and legal proceedings.
What Does the New CBFC Board Mean?
The reconstitution changes the people serving on the board, but the statutory role of the CBFC remains unchanged.
The board continues to function under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, along with the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
The government notification stated that the latest appointments were made under the relevant provisions of the Cinematograph Act and the 2024 certification rules.
The CBFC remains responsible for certifying films for public exhibition according to the applicable legal framework.
New CBFC Board: Full List of Members
The 18 members of the newly constituted CBFC board are:
- Manoj Joshi
- Suniel Shetty
- Preity Zinta
- Pankaj Tripathi
- Prosenjit Chatterjee
- Priyadarshan
- Ricky Kej
- Vinod Anupam
- Abhishek Jain
- Hansraj Hans
- Supriya Yarlagadda
- Yatindra Mishra
- Rupali Ganguly
- Neela Madhab Panda
- Pallavi Joshi
- Nishigandha Wad
- Waman Kendre
- Ramesh Patange
The new board will begin its tenure immediately and serve for three years or until further government orders, whichever comes first.
