Preity Zinta and Pankaj Tripathi joins censor board for three years
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The government has reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with 18 members for a three-year term, bringing a new composition to the body at a time when film certification has been a recurring point of contention for filmmakers and audiences.
An Information and Broadcasting Ministry official told NDTV that the reconstitution had been pending, with some members of the previous board no longer active and the terms of others having ended. The board is generally reconstituted every three years. It was last reconstituted in 2017 with 12 members.
The move comes after several recent films faced certification-related disputes.
Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj, earlier titled Punjab 95, spent nearly three years in the certification process after being submitted to the CBFC in 2022. Its makers had alleged that the board sought 127 cuts. The film was eventually released on ZEE5 in July without cuts, but was removed from the platform in India within 48 hours.
Welcome To The Jungle received a UA 16+ certificate after 18 modifications, while certification-related issues surrounding Jana Nayagan also resulted in delays and legal proceedings.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the reconstitution was carried out under Section 3 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, read with Rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The new board takes effect immediately and will serve for three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The new members include actors Manoj Joshi, Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rupali Ganguly and Pallavi Joshi; filmmaker Priyadarshan; and musician Ricky Kej. Other members are Vinod Anupam, Abhishek Jain, Hansraj Hans, Supriya Yarlagadda, Yatindra Mishra, Neela Madhab Panda, Nishigandha Wad, Waman Kendre and Ramesh Patange.
The CBFC will continue to function under the Cinematograph Act and the 2024 certification rules, with the reconstitution changing the composition of its board.