From airwaves to silver screen: Shashi Shekhar Vempati takes helm at CBFC

New Delhi: For Shashi Shekhar Vempati, the move from public broadcasting to film certification feels like turning the page to a new chapter in the same book.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday named the former Prasar Bharati CEO as Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification. Vempati, who led India’s public broadcaster from 2017 to 2022, is known in media circles as a technocrat with a quiet, methodical style. Colleagues recall him walking the floors of Akashvani Bhavan, asking editors about signal reach in border villages and streaming latency on mobile apps.

His appointment comes just days after lyricist Prasoon Joshi took charge as Chairman of Prasar Bharati — a passing of the baton between two leaders who have shaped how millions of Indians watch and listen.

At the CBFC, Vempati steps into a role that sits at the intersection of art, law, and public sentiment. Filmmakers know the boardroom well. So do audiences. For Vempati, the job now is to listen to both.