CBFC reconstituted after 7 years, 18 members named
India's censor board has been reconstituted with 18 members, its first new team in about seven years.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), also known as the censor board, was reconstituted by the Indian government on Wednesday. The new panel has 18 members in all, the board's first new team in about seven years.
The new list includes actors Pankaj Tripathi, Sunil Shetty and Manoj Joshi, along with actresses Preity Zinta, Rupali Ganguly and Pallavi Joshi. Several other well-known names from cinema, music, literature and the arts have also been given a place on the board.
The reconstituted CBFC includes Vinod Anupam, Manoj Joshi, Abhishek Jain, Ricky Kej, Priyadarshan, Sunil Shetty, Hans Raj Hans, Supriya Yarlagadda, Yatindra Mishra, Rupali Ganguly, Preity Zinta, Nila Madhab Panda, Pankaj Tripathi, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Pallavi Joshi, Nishigandha Wad, Waman Kendre and Ramesh Patange.
The new list gives representation not just to people from entertainment but also to those from music, literature, art and other fields, bringing members with experience across different areas onto the new board.
The CBFC's main task is to certify films. It is the board's responsibility to certify a film before its release, and the board's decisions can directly affect film releases. Once the new panel takes charge, these 18 members will play a key role in various matters related to film certification.
The CBFC's reconstitution has mainly changed the board's members, while its legal role and way of functioning will remain the same as before. The CBFC functions under the Cinematograph Act and the 2024 Film Certification Rules. The new members will have a tenure of up to three years.
The inclusion of popular artistes such as Pankaj Tripathi, Preity Zinta, Sunil Shetty and Pallavi Joshi, alongside well-known personalities from various fields, has sparked discussion about the composition of the new CBFC board.
