Mumbai: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has appointed Prithul Kumar as interim NFDC managing director, effective immediately, replacing NFDC MD Ravinder Bhakar.

MIB issued an order dated 11 January 2023, with the approval of Anurag Thakur.

The order being circulated states that "Prithul Kumar, working as joint secretary (films) in the ministry of information & broadcasting is hereby given the additional charge of managing director, National Film Development Corp. (NFDC) with immediate effect for a period of 06 (six) months or till the appointment of a regular MD or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. He will continue to discharge all responsibilities as joint secretary (films) in the ministry of information & broadcasting."

Prithul Kumar comes from the railways, as did his predecessor Bhakar. Bhakar is a 1999 batch officer of the Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS), and Kumar is from the 2000 batch of IRTS (Indian Railway Traffic Service), a prestigious Group A civil service cadre of the central government.

Kumar, on the other hand, will only be filling the void left by Bhakar's departure for six months, beginning January 11, 2023, or until a permanent managing director is assigned. Kumar, who was then the executive director and joint director of mechanical engineering (computerisation and information systems) at the Railway Board, was appointed joint secretary of MIB for a five-year term in August 2022.

In June 2020, Bhakar was appointed the CBFC's CEO. In addition to his responsibilities as the CEO of the organisation that certifies films, he was given three additional responsibilities in December 2021: managing director (MD) of the NFDC, director general of the films division (FD), and director of the Children's Film Society of India (CFSI).