The Indian Government yesterday announced that Shashi Shekhar Vempati will be the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), succeeding Prasoon Joshi who was named last week national broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s chief.

Incidentally, technocrat Vempati has served as the CEO of India’s pubcaster Prasar Bharati from 2017-2022.

The government, through a notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting dated May 6, 2026, announced Vempati’s new assignment and he would hold office for a period of three years from the date of joining.

According to an official statement yesterday, consequent to the appointment of Joshi as Chairman of Prasar Bharati, he has stepped down from the position at CBFC leading to the present appointment.

Vempati brings with him extensive experience in media, broadcasting, and public communication. His appointment is expected to further strengthen the functioning of the CBFC, which has been inundated with questions on many films certified by it. He is expected to navigate these choppy waters keeping in mind that creative freedom ought to be nurtured, but balanced against cultural sensitivities.

Apart from communications expert Joshi, others who have been Chairpersons of the Central Board of Film Certification include filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani, who held office from January 21, 2015, until August 11, 2017 and noted dancer-choreographer Leela Samson, who served as Chairperson from April 1, 2011 to January 19, 2015.

Earlier, noted actor Sharmila Tagore chaired the Board from October 13, 2004 to March 31, 2011. Before her, actor Anupam Kher held the position from October 16, 2003 until October 13, 2004.

Central Board of Film Certification is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952. Films can be publicly exhibited in India only after they have been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification.

The Board consists of non-official members and a Chairman (all of whom are appointed by the federal government) and functions with headquarters at Mumbai. It has nine regional offices, one each at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Cuttack and Guwahati. The Regional Offices are assisted in the examination of films by Advisory Panels.