Prasoon Joshi Appointed New CBFC Chairman
Prasoon Joshi, CEO, India and Chairman (Asia Pacific) of McCann Worldgroup has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Announcing the new appointment, I&B Ministry in a press statement 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 reconstitute the existing Central Board of Film Certification as follows with immediate effect for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.”
Joshi replaces filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani who was appointed as CBFC Chairman in 2015. During his tenure as the CBFC Chief, Nihalani courted controversy for his views on censorship. He was criticized for muzzling the creative expression.
Post Joshi’s appointment, CBFC has also set up a new board. The board members include names like: Gautami Tadimalla, Narendra Kohli, Naresh Chandra Lal, Neil Herbert Nongkynrih, Vivek Agnihotri, Waman Kendre, Vidya Balan, T.S. Nagabharana, Ramesh Patange, Vani Tripati Tikoo, Jeevitha Rajasekhar and Mihir Bhuta.
Joshi is known for his award winning ad campaigns and also as an acclaimed scriptwriter and lyricist. He was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2015 for his contributions towards the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising.
