NEW DELHI: Fifteen new members including National School of Drama Chairperson Amal Allana and eminent filmmaker Shaji N Karun have been appointed members of the Central Board of Film Certification for a term of three years.

The new members include some eminent film critics like Rajeev Masand and Shubhra Gupta, telecaster Nikhil Alva, theatre and film actor and director M K Raina, Hindustan Times Political Editor Pankaj Vohra, actress Arundhati Nag, author Anees Jung, Dr Ira Bhaskar who is Professor of Cinema Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, author Dipesh Mehta, journalist-poetess and Padma Shri recipient Mamang Dai, eminent script writer Anjum Rajabali, Bengali film director Harnath Chakraborty, and actor Pankaj Sharma.

Earlier this year, noted Bharatnatyam dancer Leela Samson had been appointed Chairperson of the CBFC, while noted Delhi-based lawyer Lalit Bhasin had been made Chairperson of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal.

Samson, who is also a choreographer, instructor and writer, is also the Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi.

The appointment of Samson was in an honorary capacity from 1 April 2011 for a period of three years, and she succeeds senior thespian Sharmila Tagore.

Deepa Dixit and Gurjeet Singh Behl have also been appointed as Members of the FCAT for a period of three years.