# Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi among 18 on new censor board

2026-09-16T14:59:38+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

The Centre has reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with immediate effect, appointing an 18-member panel including actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan and musician Ricky Kej. Shashi Shekhar Vempati continues as chairperson. The board will serve for three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The previous board, headed by Prasoon Joshi, was last reconstituted in August 2017. Its members remained in office beyond 2020 as no fresh board was appointed. Only two members from the outgoing panel, theatre director Waman Kendre and writer Ramesh Patange, have been retained. A ministry source said the reconstitution had been pending as some members were no longer active.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three outlets report the same list of appointees and the three-year term, making this straight wire-style coverage. Times Now adds context about recent CBFC censorship controversies, cuts to films and a web series being pulled, which NDTV and The Federal omit. The outgoing board's political links (Vivek Agnihotri's wife Pallavi Joshi on the new panel, Rupali Ganguly having joined the BJP) appear only in The Federal. The new board's composition shows continuity: two members retained and a chairperson carried over.

## Coverage

- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/preity-zinta-pankaj-tripathi-and-suniel-shetty-among-18-members-of-new-censor-board-12055257>
  Leads with the appointment list and effective date, no added context.
- thefederal.com (neutral report) <https://thefederal.com/category/entertainment/cbfc-reconstituted-after-nine-years-preity-zinta-pankaj-tripathi-join-256792>
  Leads with PTI wire, adds political affiliations of new members.
- timesnownews.com (sensationalist) <https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/bollywood/suniel-shetty-preity-zinta-rupali-ganguly-in-18-member-board-as-govt-reconstitutes-cbfc-article-156169845>
  Leads with reconstitution reason, highlights recent CBFC controversies and speculation.

Tags: Central Board of Film Certification, Pankaj Tripathi, Preity Zinta, Priyadarshan, Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Suniel Shetty
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