Centre’s new censor board includes BJP leaders, Kashmir Files makers
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New Delhi: The inclusion of two BJP-linked figures and producer Pallavi Joshi, associated with the controversial film The Kashmir Files, has drawn attention to the Centre’s reconstitution of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), as reported by The Indian Express. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reconstituted the board on Wednesday, September 16, appointing 18 members for a three-year term.
Actor Rupali Ganguly, who joined the BJP in 2024, and singer Hans Raj Hans, who served as the BJP’s MP from North-West Delhi between 2019 and 2024, are among the new members. Pallavi Joshi, meanwhile, is one of the producers of The Kashmir Files, the 2022 film directed and co-produced by her husband, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri. Agnihotri had himself served on the previous CBFC Board.
The appointments come after a long gap in the board’s reconstitution. According to The Indian Express, the previous CBFC board was last reconstituted in August 2017, despite the Cinematograph Rules providing for reconstitution every three years. The rules allow existing members to continue until new members are appointed.
The appointment of Joshi brings a filmmaker closely associated with The Kashmir Files into the statutory body responsible for film certification. Released in 2022, the film generated significant political and public controversy over its portrayal of the Kashmir issue. Critics questioned its treatment of the subject, while concerns were also raised over its use by BJP and Sangh Parivar activists and leaders in political campaigns and debates around the film.
The new board also includes several prominent figures from the film industry, including actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, and Suniel Shetty; filmmaker Priyadarshan; and musician Ricky Kej. The 18-member panel is headed by CBFC chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati.
The reconstitution comes alongside a separate push within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to address content on OTT platforms. The Indian Express has reported that the RSS has formed an informal group to recommend measures against what it calls “cultural pollution” on streaming platforms.
The group reportedly includes former vice-chancellors and RSS pracharaks involved in education and cultural activities. Its proposals are expected to be submitted to the Union Ministry of Culture and other central government stakeholders.
The reported initiative follows repeated criticism of OTT content by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. In his Vijayadashami address in Nagpur in October 2024, Bhagwat had called for legal measures to regulate content that he said was contributing to moral corruption.
The developments place film certification and OTT regulation under renewed scrutiny. While the Centre has now brought a new set of members into the CBFC, including BJP-linked politicians and the producer of a politically contentious film, the RSS is separately examining ways to establish greater control over content on digital streaming platforms.