The removal of Pahlaj Nihalani, and the subsequent appointment of lyricist Prasoon Joshi, as the head of the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) is a sign that the information & broadcasting ministry was not too happy with the direction the board was taking.
Exclusive: Shyam Benegal, Ashoke Pandit vouch for Prasoon Joshi as CBFC chief
The government has now constituted a new board with nine members including actress Vidya Balan, Gautami Tadimalla and director Vivek Agnihotri.
In a press release, the I&B ministry said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 (37 of 1952) read with rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983, the Central Government is pleased to appoint Sh. Prasoon Joshi as Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification in an honorary capacity from 11th August, 2017 for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier."
Joshi's takeover on 11 August will see him supported by a new board which includes:
Gautami Tadimalla — An actress of Tamil and Telugu films, she is best known for films like Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989), Thevar Magan (1992) and Iruvar (1997). She has also done successful Telugu, Malayam, Hindi and Kanada.
Narendra Kohli — A Hindi language author, Kohli is known for his contemporary literary work based on the ancient Indian literature. He was awarded the Vyas Samman in 2012, and the Padma Shri in 2017.
Naresh Chandra Lal — A film director and producer, Lal is known for his contribution to street and folk theatre in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016 for his contribution to the field.
Neil Herbert Nongkynrih — An award winning concert pianist from Shillong, Meghalaya, Nongkynrih is the founder, mentor and conductor of Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC) which won the reality show India’s Got Talent in 2010. He was also awarded the Padma Shri in 2015.
Vivek Agnihotri — Producer, screenwriter and director Agnihotri will also join the board. He is known for his movies like Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007), Chocolate (2005) and Buddha in a Traffic Jam (2016).
Waman Kendre — Kendre is the current director of the prestigious National School of Drama.
Vidya Balan — The most popular face of the board, Balan is a National Award winner. Known for her works like Kahaani (2012), The Dirty Picture (2011), Ishqiya (2010) and Begum Jaan (2017), Balan has established herself as one of the leading actresses of her generation. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the government of India in 2014.
TS Nagabharana — Talakadu Srinivasaiah Nagabharana is a National Award winning maker of films in Kannada. A leading face of the parallel cinema movement in Kannada cinema, he is known for films such as Grahana (1978), Banker Margayya (1983), and Kallarali Hoovagi (2006).
Vani Tripati Tikoo — An actress, and former national secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Tripathi has also taught at the National School of Drama and the Madhya Pradesh of School of Drama.
Jeevitha Rajasekhar — An actress and director, Jeevitha has directed the Telugu films Seshu (2002), Satyameva Jayate (2009) and Mahankali (2013).
Mihir Bhuta — A screenwriter and playwright, Bhuta is better known as the writer of the television series, Maharath (1996).
Dr Ramesh Patange — Dr Patange is an author, activist, and member of the Samajik Samarasta Manch.
Vidya tweeted the following to her followers: "I am very happy to join the CBFC and I hope to fulfill my responsibilities as a member to the best of my abilities. I look forward to this new and exciting phase where our cinema will be allowed to reflect the sensibilities, realities and complexities of the society we are living in today."
The new board members, with Joshi in charge, are expected to have taken charge on 11 August.