The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been reconstituted by the Government of India with 18 new members, ending a nine-year gap since the last major overhaul. The new panel includes some of the most recognisable names from Indian cinema, television, music and theatre. Actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Rupali Ganguly, Manoj Joshi, Pallavi Joshi and Prosenjit Chatterjee are part of the fresh board, along with filmmaker Priyadarshan and Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej. The appointments take effect immediately and will run for three years or until further orders, whichever comes earlier.
Who Are the 18 Members on the New CBFC Board
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued the notification on September 16, 2026, under Section 3(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, read with Rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024 . The full list of members, as confirmed by the Press Information Bureau, is:
- Vinod Anupam (film critic)
- Manoj Joshi (actor)
- Abhishek Jain (filmmaker)
- Ricky Kej (musician)
- Priyadarshan (filmmaker)
- Suniel Shetty (actor)
- Hansraj Hans (singer and former parliamentarian)
- Supriya Yarlagadda (producer)
- Yatindra Mishra (poet and author)
- Roopali Ganguly (television actor)
- Preity Zinta (actor)
- Neela Madhab Panda (filmmaker)
- Pankaj Tripathi (actor)
- Prosenjit Chatterjee (actor)
- Pallavi Joshi (actor)
- Nishigandha Wad (actor)
- Waman Kendre (theatre director)
- Ramesh Patange (writer)
The list brings together people from films, TV, music, theatre and literature . Five women are part of the new board .
Shashi Shekhar Vempati Leads the Board as Chairperson
Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO of Prasar Bharati, was appointed as CBFC Chairperson on May 6, 2026, for a three-year term . He succeeded Prasoon Joshi, who moved to head Prasar Bharati . Vempati shared the new member list on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:
Congratulations and welcome to the new Board Members of @CBFC_Bharat.
The announcement did not name a chairperson in the September notification, as Vempati had already been serving in that role since May . An official from the I&B Ministry told NDTV, “The reconstitution had been pending for some time, with some members of the previous board no longer active and the terms of some others having passed away” .
Why the CBFC Was Reconstituted After 9 Years
The CBFC was last reconstituted in August 2017 under Prasoon Joshi, with 12 members on the panel . That board included names like Vidya Balan, Vivek Agnihotri, Gautami Tadimalla and former footballer Mihir Bhutia . Over the years, two members — Narendra Kohli (2021) and Neil Herbert Nongkynrih (2022) — passed away, and no replacements were appointed .
A government official told Hindustan Times that while 10 members remained on the board, only a few were actively involved in its functioning, which made a broader reconstitution necessary. The new 18-member composition is being described as a “full-fledged board” . Only Waman Kendre and Ramesh Patange from the previous board have been retained in the new panel .
CBFC Criticism That Led to the Shake-Up
The reconstitution comes after the CBFC faced heavy criticism for how it handled film certifications in recent months. Diljit Dosanjh’s film Satluj, earlier titled Punjab 95, spent nearly three years stuck in the certification process after being submitted in 2022. Its makers alleged the board demanded 127 cuts. When the film finally appeared on ZEE5 in July under its new title, it was released without cuts but was pulled from the platform in India within 48 hours .
Tom Holland and Zendaya’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day received a UA 13 certification in India in July. A brief kissing scene was cut, with a source telling ANI that the eight-second scene “was found to be inappropriate for children below the age of 13” . Akshay Kumar’s Welcome To The Jungle received a UA 16+ certificate only after 18 modifications . Vijay’s Tamil film Jana Nayagan was postponed from its planned Pongal release in January after the examining committee sent it to a revising committee. It finally released in July, and the film leaked online in HD before its theatrical debut .
The statutory role of the CBFC remains unchanged. The board continues to operate under the Cinematograph Act and the 2024 certification rules, with members appointed for a term of up to three years .
Related:
What the CBFC Does
The CBFC is responsible for certifying films for public exhibition in India. It works through the certification system laid down under the Cinematograph Act and applicable rules . Under the Act, the board must have between 12 and 25 members, excluding the chairperson . The new board meets that requirement with its 18-member composition.
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