Pahlaj Nihalani sacked as CBFC chief, Prasoon Joshi to take over

Controversial censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani was sacked as Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief on Friday and lyricist Prasoon Joshi is set to replace him.

Pahlaj Nihalani has been removed as chief of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and replaced by noted lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

Nihalani was embroiled in a number of controversies during his tenure as CBFC chief. He had assumed office as the chairperson of the CBFC in January 2015.

Recently, he was under attack from all quarters for bleeping certain phrases in the documentary on eminent economist Amartya Sen.

In 2015, Pahlaj Nihalani chopped intimate scenes in the James Bond film Spectre. Udta Punjab was another story altogether as the Board objected to several scenes in the film which chronicled the drug menace in the state.

Nihalani also blocked Konkona Sensharma's Lipstick Under My Burkha on grounds of the film being 'lady-oriented.' And recently, Nihalani objected to the word 'intercourse' which was used in one of the mini trails of Shah Rukh Khan's film Jab Harry Met Sejal. Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Babumoshai Bandookbaaz has not been spared either as the board had demanded 48 cuts for his film.

Filmmakers like Prakash Jha and Madhur Bhandarkar, as well as producer Chandraprakash Dwivedi, were rumoured to be considered for the CBFC chief's post.

Who is Prasoon Joshi?

Prasoon Joshi is noted writer and lyricist in Bollywood. He is known for his work on Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Taare Zameen Par (2007) and Rang De Basanti (2006). He has received the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times, in 2007 and 2008 and in 2014. He has also received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice, for his work in Taare Zameen Par (2007), and Chittagong (2013).

He was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2015, for his contributions towards the field of Arts, Literature and Advertising.

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