India’s film certification board gets a major shake-up with Preity Zinta and Pankaj Tripathi joining

Highlights

• Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty and Priyadarshan are among the new CBFC members.
• The 18-member board has been reconstituted for a three-year term or until further orders.
• The move comes after a long gap in the reconstitution of the Central Board of Film Certification.

India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has a new line-up, with several familiar names from the film industry joining the body responsible for certifying movies in the country.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry reconstituted the 18-member board on Wednesday, September 16. Actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty and Prasenjit Chatterjee are among the new members.

Actor Roopali Ganguly and actor-producer Pallavi Joshi have also been appointed, along with filmmaker Priyadarshan, composer Ricky Kej and several writers, filmmakers and film professionals from across India.

Who is joining the new CBFC board?

The new board brings together film personalities from different parts of the Indian entertainment industry.

The members include filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda, film and art critic Vinod Anupam, Marathi actor and writer Nishigandha Wad, writer and activist Ramesh Patange, Telugu film producer Supriya Yarlagadda and filmmaker Abhishek Jain.

Singer and BJP politician Hans Raj Hans, actor Manoj Joshi and others are also part of the new board.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry said officials believe the new board has regional diversity, with several younger filmmakers also being brought in.

Why has the CBFC been reconstituted now?

The reconstitution comes after a significant gap. The previous CBFC board was last reconstituted on August 1, 2017, despite the Cinematograph Rules providing for the board to be reconstituted every three years.

The new 18-member board has been appointed under the Cinematograph Act of 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. Its term will run for three years or until further orders.

The move also follows renewed activity within the certification body. The CBFC held its 149th meeting on August 29, marking its first meeting after a six-year gap.

What does the new board do?

The CBFC is responsible for certifying films for public exhibition in India.

Under the 2024 certification rules, the board is required to meet once every quarter. During its recent meeting, members discussed issues including films that had sparked controversy, the functioning of Revising Committees and industry outreach.

The board also discussed the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, including the distinction between the age-based certification categories of 16 and 18.

With its new line-up now in place, the CBFC is set to continue deliberating on certification-related decisions and other issues concerning the way films are reviewed and released in India.