Anupam Kher new Censor Board chief

NEW DELHI: Anupam Kher is the new chief of the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), popularly called the Censor Board.
Making the announcement, minister of state for information and broadcasting Ravi Shankar Prasad said Kher had been chosen because he had worked ‘‘in commercial cinema, off-beat cinema even the cross-over cinema and had considerable experience in theatre.’’
‘‘He epitomised within himself the social sensitivities required for the post.’’
The government has renewed its search for a new chief of the CBFC after actor-filmmaker Dev Anand declined the offer last month.
Anand had said that he would be busy shooting for his current film for the next few months and hence, would not be able to spare time.
Search has been on since Hema Malini, the last chief was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. She took over from Vijay Anand, also an actor-director. He left amid acontroversy over his recommendation that X-rated films be duly certified and shown in special theatres.
It is not known whether Anand, the octogenarian artiste who continues to make virtually a film-a-year, resisted the offer because of the bad experience his younger brother Vijay Anand had with the government.
Vijay Anand’s predecessor Asha Parekh, the dancer-actress also invited her share of controversies, but completed a full term before returning to television.
Inviting prominent film personalities to government bodies has had mixed results in the recent years with the former either unable to give adequate time or unable/unwilling to accept the rigours that a government assignment imposes.
Atmaram, brother of the late Guru Dutt and Shakti Samanta have been among the other film personalities who headed the CBFC, at one time called the Central Board of Film Censorship, established way back in the 1940s.