The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday, September 16, announced the reconstitution of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), bringing together prominent names from the Indian film, television, music and cultural spheres. The reconstituted board is headed by Shashi Shekhar, former Prasar Bharati CEO.
The 18-member board includes actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Manoj Joshi, Pallavi Joshi, Roopali Ganguly, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Nishigandha Wad. Filmmaker Priyadarshan, along with directors Abhishek Jain and Neela Madhab Panda, has also been appointed to the board.
In exercise of the powers conferred under Cinematograph Act the Central Government has reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification @shashidigital pic.twitter.com/cjY2lyhCIP
— CBFC केंद्रीय फिल्म प्रमाणन बोर्ड (@CBFC_Bharat) September 16, 2026
The newly constituted board further features Grammy Award-winning musician Ricky Kej, singer and politician Hansraj Hans, producer Supriya Yarlagadda, writer and poet Yatindra Mishra, theatre personality Waman Kendre, Vinod Anupam and Ramesh Patange.
The appointments have been made under Section 3(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, read with Rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The new members will serve for three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The reconstituted board has five women members, reflecting representation across different segments of India’s entertainment and cultural landscape.
The inclusion of well-known personalities from acting, filmmaking, music, literature and theatre gives the new CBFC board a broad-based composition. Its members will be part of the statutory mechanism responsible for film certification in India, a role that places the board at the intersection of cinema, creative expression and the country’s certification framework.
The appointments take effect immediately, with the three-year tenure providing the newly constituted board a fresh mandate as India’s film industry continues to evolve amid changing viewing habits, streaming platforms and debates surrounding film certification.
