From Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi to Grammy winner Ricky Kej: Meet the new 18-member CBFC board

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the reconstituted panel, with Shashi Shekhar Vempati continuing as chairperson.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has a new 18-member board for the next three years, bringing together well-known names from film, television, music, theatre and literature. The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the reconstituted panel, with Shashi Shekhar Vempati continuing as chairperson. The new board includes popular actors alongside regional filmmakers, producers, theatre personalities, musicians, writers and critics, giving it representation across several parts of India's entertainment industry. Here’s a closer look at the new members and their work across the creative space.

Who’s on the new CBFC board? Pankaj Tripathi, Preity Zinta, Priyadarshan and more.

Actors

Pankaj Tripathi

Pankaj Tripathi has years of experience across mainstream films, independent cinema and OTT to the board. The National Film Award-winning actor has carved a niche for himself with characters that feel rooted, and layered. He is currently enjoying the massive success of Mirzapur: The Movie.

Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta brings with her years of experience as one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable stars. She was part of several much-loved films of the late 1990s and 2000s, including Dil Chahta Hai and Veer-Zaara, and has seen the industry change from the inside.

Suniel Shetty

Suniel Shetty brings over three decades of experience in Hindi cinema to the board, with more than 100 films to his credit. One of the popular action stars of the 1990s, he has since taken on a range of roles across films and other formats.

Prosenjit Chatterjee

Prosenjit Chatterjee has been one of the most recognisable faces of Bengali cinema for decades. Fondly called "Bumba Da", he has worked across mainstream entertainers as well as acclaimed films such as Chokher Bali and Autograph, building a career that reflects the many sides of Bengali cinema.

Rupali Ganguly

Rupali Ganguly is a familiar face for television audiences, best known for playing the lead in Anupamaa. She has also shown her comic side in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, making her equally experienced with both everyday family dramas and lighter, character-driven storytelling.

Pallavi Joshi

Pallavi Joshi brings years of experience as both an actor and filmmaker, having worked across mainstream and parallel cinema. She was also a producer and actor on The Kashmir Files, which became a major box-office success.

Manoj Joshi

Manoj Joshi has built a career across Hindi films, Gujarati theatre and television, taking on everything from comic roles to characters in period dramas. He is also a National Award recipient.

Nishigandha Wad

Nishigandha Wad brings years of experience in Marathi and Hindi cinema to the board. The veteran actor and writer has also been a familiar face on television, with a career spanning several decades and multiple mediums.

Filmmakers
Priyadarshan

Priyadarshan has spent decades working across Malayalam and Hindi cinema, while also exploring stories in several Indian languages. From popular Hindi films such as Hera Pheri and Bhool Bhulaiyaa to his acclaimed Malayalam work, his career has moved comfortably between different industries and genres.

Nila Madhab Panda

Nila Madhab Panda brings years of experience in independent filmmaking to the board. The National Award-winning filmmaker has made films such as I Am Kalam and Kadvi Hawa, often telling grounded stories around social issues, climate change and the lives of people on the margins.

Abhishek Jain

Abhishek Jain brings a strong Gujarati cinema perspective to the board. As a filmmaker and producer, he has been closely associated with films such as Kevi Rite Jaish and Bey Yaar, which helped put contemporary, urban Gujarati stories on the map and connect them with a younger audience.

Supriya Yarlagadda

Supriya Yarlagadda brings years of experience from the Telugu film industry, having worked as both an actor and producer. She is closely associated with Annapurna Studios and has been part of the industry across different stages of film production.

Waman Kendre

Waman Kendre, who continues on the board from its previous term, brings with him decades of experience in theatre. A respected theatre director and former Director of the National School of Drama, Kendre has worked extensively across India's performing arts space.

Music, literature and more

Ricky Kej

Three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej brings a strong global music perspective to the board. With his work spanning international collaborations and his long-standing focus on environmental causes, Ricky adds experience from beyond the traditional film industry to the panel.

Hans Raj Hans

Hans Raj Hans, the Padma Shri-winning Punjabi singer, brings years of experience across Sufi, folk and devotional music. His long career, which also includes work in mainstream music, adds a strong connection to Punjab’s musical traditions and India’s diverse cultural heritage.

Yatindra Mishra brings years of work as an author, poet and scholar of Indian classical music. His writing has often focused on the worlds of music and cinema, as well as the artists and cultural figures who have shaped them. Vinod Anupam, a film critic and author, brings his experience of closely following and writing about Indian cinema. Ramesh Patange, who has been retained from the previous board, is a writer and social thinker whose work engages with cultural and socio-political issues.