Cinema VinesThe Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been reconstituted after a six‑year hiatus, with a star‑studded lineup that includes veteran director Priyadarshan, actress Preity Zinta, actor Pankaj Tripathi and actor‑turned‑producer Suniel Shetty. The announcement came on Wednesday, ending the unusually long tenure of the previous panel whose three‑year term had stretched beyond its intended duration. The new board, chaired by Shashi Shekhar Vempati, will serve for a maximum of three years or until further orders, whichever comes first, and is required to convene at least once each quarter under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
Alongside the four film‑industry heavyweights, the 18‑member panel now features Grammy‑winning musician Ricky Kej, acclaimed actress Pallavi Joshi, filmmaker Prosenjit Chatterjee, film critic Vinod Anupam, actor Manoj Joshi, filmmaker Abhishek Jain, singer‑parliamentarian Hans Raj Hans, producer Supriya Yarlagadda, poet‑writer Yatindra Mishra, actress Roopali Ganguly, filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda, actress Nishigandha Wad, theatre director Waman Kendre and writer‑RSS pracharak Ramesh Patange. The only two members from the former board retained are Kendre and Patange.
The overhaul follows the CBFC’s first board meeting in six years, held on 29 August, and comes after Parliament had raised concerns about the board’s extended tenure. The last reconstitution was on 11 August 2017 for a three‑year term that ended in 2020, yet members continued beyond that period because the rules allow them to stay until successors are appointed. The new panel’s composition includes several individuals with ties to the ruling BJP or the Sangh Parivar: Roopali Ganguly joined the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Hans Raj Hans served as a BJP MP for North West Delhi from 2019 to 2024, and RSS pracharak Ramesh Patange is the author of a book fore‑written by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Notably, Pallavi Joshi, who is married to filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, was part of the production team for “The Kashmir Files,” a film that sparked political controversy under Agnihotri’s direction. The new board’s diverse mix of filmmakers, actors, musicians, critics and political figures signals a significant shift in the CBFC’s composition and is expected to influence the certification process moving forward.
