'Shola aur Shabnam' producer Pahlaj Nihalani to head Censor Board

Filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani was on Monday appointed chairperson of the Censor Board, days after Leela Samson resigned as its chief, alleging interference by the government in its matters. 

The government also reconstituted the board appointing nine others as members including BJP leader Vani Tripathi Tikoo and filmmakers Ashoke Pandit and Chandra Prakash Dwivedi.

An official statement said that Nihalani was appointed as chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in an honorary capacity for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Mihir Bhuta, Prof. Syed Abdul Bari, Ramesh Patange, George Baker, Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, Jeevitha, Vani Tripathi Tikoo, S Ve Shekhar and Ashoke Pandit have been appointed as the new members of the Censor Board. 

Nihalani, elder brother of renowned director Govind Nihalani, has produced films like Aankhen, Talaash: The Hunt Begins... and Shola Aur Shabnam.

After Samson resigned last week, nine other members of the CBFC had also put in their papers. The government had strongly rebutted the charges levelled by Samson with I&B minister Arun Jaitley asserting that it maintains an arm's length distance from the film certification process. Samson and the nine other members of CBFC resigned following a row about the release of MSG: Messenger Of God.