New Delhi, Aug 12/8/17:: Government today sacked filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani as Censor Board chief, replacing him with adman and Bollywood lyricist Prasoon Joshi.
It also reconstituted the board , including as it’s members actress Vidya Balan , actor turned politician Vani Tripathi Tikoo and filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri.
Joining Prasoon Joshi on the Censor Board will be Ms. Gautami Tadimalla, Mr Narendra Kohli, Mr Naresh Chandra Lal, Mr Neil Herbert Nongkynrih, Mr Vivek Agnihotri, Mr Waman Kendre ,Mr T.S. Nagabharana, Mr Ramesh Patange,Ms. Jeevitha Rajasekhar and Mr Mihir Bhuta among others.

Gautami Tadimalla,
Actress-designer

Acclaimed South Indian actress, costume designer and winner of two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for her work in Namma Ooru Poovatha and most recently, Vishwaroopam.

Narendra Kohli,
Author

Delhi-based author credited with reinventing the ancient forms of writing into modern prose. Regarded as a pioneer of literary works based on the Puranas. Owing to his acclaimed contribution to literature since 1975, the period is referred to as the Kohli Era in Hindi literary circles.

Naresh Chandra Lal,
Filmmaker-Activist

National School of Drama alumnus, Padma Shri and founder of Andaman People Theatre Association (APTA). Organized street plays on alcoholism, polio AIDS, family planning, women empowerment and sanitation in 1998 and was awarded the Bharat Jyoti Award and the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal for his patriotic-drama, Gandhi – The Mahatma.

Neil Herbert Nongkynrih,
Musician-pianist

Award winning concert pianist from Shillong and founder, mentor and conductor of Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC), Neil won the reality TV show, India’s Got Talent in 2010 and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015.

Vivek Agnihotri,
filmmaker

Filmmaker-activist, whose last release, Buddha In a Traffic Jam ran into controversy after it was denied a screening by the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s administration due to the unstable political atmosphere. The film was later invited by students and subsequently screened to faculty and politicians and wellreceived nationally.

Waman Kendre,
Academician

Director of the National School of Drama (NSD), National Award-winner for Theatre Direction in recognition of his work for the Sangeet Natak Akademi and Eight-time winner of Maharashtra Government Award for Theatre.

Vidya Balan,
Actress

Padma Shri, National Award and five-time Filmfare Award-winning actress who established herself as an A-lister in 2011 with the commercially successful heroine-centric films No One Killed Jessica and The Dirty Picture. Went on to capitalise on the hits with 2012 thriller, Kahaani.

TS Nagabharana,
Director

Pioneer of parallel cinema in Kannada films, winner of nine National awards and founder of the acclaimed theatre organisation called Benaka.

Ramesh Patange,
Journalist-author, member of CBFC

A senior member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and founder of Samarasata Manch. Authored 40 books as the foundingeditor of a Marathi weekly from 1984 to 2009.

Vani Tripati Tikoo,
Actress, member of CBFC

Former National Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the former actress has featured in films like Chalte Chalte and Dushman. Has brieflly served as visiting faculty at the NSD and is actively involved with the Madhya Pradesh School of Drama.

Jeevitha Rajasekhar,
Actress

Actress and filmmaker, known for the acclaimed South Indian films Ankusham, Aahuthi and Dharma Pathni.

Mihir Bhuta,
screenwriter, member of CBFC

Writer of the acclaimed 1996 Marathi language TV Series, Maharath, and winner of the ITA Award for best dialogue. Wrote the Gujarati play, Aflatoon, which inspired the first instalment of the Golmaal franchise.