CBFC gets new 18-member panel: Preity Zinta, Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi among members

Actors Preity Zinta, Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi and Manoj Joshi are among the prominent names inducted into the newly reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The Centre has constituted an 18-member board with immediate effect for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, according to news agency ANI.

The new panel, headed by CBFC Chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati, also includes actor-filmmaker Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan, filmmaker and actor Pallavi Joshi, filmmaker Abhishek Jain, Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej and singer and former parliamentarian Hans Raj Hans.

The reconstitution comes after the previous board, constituted in August 2017, continued beyond its original three-year term as members remained in office until their successors were appointed.

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Full list of new CBFC members

The 18-member board comprises:

1. Vinod Anupam
2. Manoj Joshi
3. Abhishek Jain
4. Ricky Kej
5. Priyadarshan
6. Suniel Shetty
7. Hans Raj Hans
8. Supriya Yarlagadda
9. Yatindra Mishra
10. Roopali Ganguly
11. Preity Zinta
12. Neela Madhab Panda
13. Pankaj Tripathi
14. Prosenjit Chatterjee
15. Pallavi Joshi
16. Nishigandha Wad
17. Waman Kendre
18. Ramesh Patange

The government has reconstituted the board under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.

Two members retained from previous board

The newly constituted panel also retains theatre director Waman Kendre and writer Ramesh Patange, who were members of the previous CBFC board.

The outgoing board had included names such as actor Vidya Balan, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, former footballer Mihir Bhutia, actor Gautami Tadimalla, Vani Tripathi Tikoo, actor Jeevitha Rajasekhar, filmmaker T S Nagabharana and filmmaker Naresh Chandra Lal.

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Pallavi Joshi, Roopali Ganguly among notable names

Pallavi Joshi, who has been inducted into the new board, was among the producers and cast members of The Kashmir Files, directed by her husband Vivek Agnihotri.

Television actor Roopali Ganguly, known for shows including Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Anupamaa, is also part of the new panel.

The CBFC is the statutory body responsible for examining and certifying films for public exhibition in India. Under the current certification framework, films are examined according to the provisions of the Cinematograph Act and the 2024 certification rules.

Separately, Shashi Shekhar Vempati was appointed CBFC chairperson in May 2026 for a three-year term after Prasoon Joshi stepped down following his appointment as chairman of Prasar Bharati.

(With inputs from ANI)