When the CBFC announced its fresh 18‑member lineup, the buzz was that the board was now a who's‑who of Bollywood, a cross‑disciplinary mix of actors, a director and a musician. The last reconstitution in 2017 had only 12 members, so this jump is a clear sign that the government is looking to shake things up.
The timing of this overhaul is no accident. Satluj, the Diljit Dosanjh‑starrer that spent almost three years in the certification limbo, was slapped with 127 cuts before finally rolling out on ZEE5—only to be pulled off the platform again within 48 hours. The film’s saga, along with similar disputes over Welcome To The Jungle and Jana Nayagan, shows how the CBFC can make or break a movie’s release.
The new board is a mix of talent: Manoj Joshi, Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan, and music maestro Ricky Kej. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the reconstitution was carried out “in exercise of the powers conferred under sub‑section (1) of Section 3 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.” The board takes effect immediately and will serve for three years or until further orders.
What this means for filmmakers and audiences is a potential shift in how content is vetted. With such high‑profile members on the bench, one could expect a more nuanced approach to cuts and ratings—or perhaps a more stringent one, depending on who sits in the chair. Either way, the industry will be watching closely.
For the next few months, keep an eye on upcoming releases and any ripple effects in the certification process. If the new CBFC proves anything, it’s that film‑making in India is still a battlefield where power, art and public opinion clash in real time.