Government Reconstitutes CBFC: Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta, and Pankaj Tripathi Join Board
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India has officially reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). According to a notification issued on September 16, 2026, the newly appointed Board takes effect immediately. The panel will serve for three years or until further orders. Reports indicate that these selected members will also form the Revising Committee of the censor board.
The official decision was made using powers granted under Section 3(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, along with Rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The refreshed board consists of 18 distinguished personalities drawn from cinema, literature, music, and the arts.
Several big names from the film industry have been appointed to the new panel. Prominent actors include Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi, Preity Zinta, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Manoj Joshi, Pallavi Joshi, and Rupali Ganguly. The board also features acclaimed filmmakers Priyadarshan, Abhishek Jain, and Nila Madhab Panda. Music and literary arts are represented by Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej, singer Hansraj Hans, and writer Yatindra Mishra.
The full list of 18 board members includes Vinod Anupam, Manoj Joshi, Abhishek Jain, Ricky Kej, Priyadarshan, Suniel Shetty, Hansraj Hans, Supriya Yarlagadda, Yatindra Mishra, Rupali Ganguly, Preity Zinta, Nila Madhab Panda, Pankaj Tripathi, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Pallavi Joshi, Nishigandha Wad, Waman Kendre, and Ramesh Patange.
The inclusion of active film professionals, musicians, and artists brings a wide range of creative experience to the certification body. The primary responsibility of the CBFC remains reviewing feature films submitted for public release and assigning appropriate age ratings according to national certification guidelines. The Ministry issued this regulatory order from New Delhi to ensure smooth functioning under the updated 2024 certification framework.
