Film historian laments dearth of teaching staff

PUNE: Founder-director of the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), P.K. Nair, on Saturday expressed serious concern at the declining number of film teachers, and said there was an urgent need for more people to join the teaching fraternity.
Nair was speaking at the valedictory function of the 28th film appreciation course here.
"Film teaching as a career has always remained a secondary choice, a side activity for most who are in the field, as compared to other streams, such as film-making, or even technicians," Nair, who headed the NFAI for 27 years, said.
He suggested that a teachers'' body be formed to generate interest among the younger generation to take up film teaching as a career.
Even the film appreciation course, which was started 30 years ago with this intention, has not been able to achieve the desired results,Nair said, pointing out that the need for film teachers was greater today than ever before.
Prof. (retd.) Satish Bahadur, who was instrumental in introducing the onemonth course, stressed the need to streamline the methodology of teaching film-making and acting.
Course director and FTII registrar Suresh Chhabria said plans were afoot to introduce a two-week course, focusing on Indian cinema, by next year, besides increasing the frequency of the appreciation course.
The course is organised annually by the Film and Television Institute of India, in collaboration with NFAI.
Film-maker Sai Paranjpye gave away certificates to about 75 students who completed the course this year.