FTII denies any political pressure behind cancellation of screening

PUNE: The Film and Television Institute of India denied receiving threats or “pressure” from the right-wing student groups before cancelling the screening of a documentary made by a final-year student on Thursday evening.


The students’ association of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) alleged in a press statement that the institute’s management revoked the permission to screen Harishankar Nachimuthu’s documentary ‘Hora’ about the Ambedkarite and Dalit assertion movement with focus on the life of Rupali Jadhav, associated with the

Kabir Kala Manch

.

The Kabir Kala Manch group is known for its fierce advocacy of Dalit causes through music and theatre. But detractors, including the government, have accused it of being a front for “subversive” and Maoist groups.

Nachimuthu, a visible figure during the 2015 campus protests, said, “I chose to do this film because it focuses on the life and transformation of Rupali Jadhav with her husband Sagar Gorkhe often being in jail over Maoist accusations, and how Rupali herself becomes an Ambedkarite Buddhist and a politically conscious individual. Only a part of the film features Kabir Kala Manch. I had planned to screen it at the FTII main theatre at 6pm on Thursday. But I have now been told that the institute has revoked the permission because certain right-wing groups were issuing threats and police informed the FTII about it.”

In contrast, the police said that they were not aware of any such development. “As far as I know, no one in our police station has spoken to anyone in the FTII over the film-screening matter,” said an officer of the

Deccan Gymkhana

police.

The top FTII management denied the allegations, calling them “preposterous and baseless”.

“Nachimuthu did not give prior requisition to book the main theatre. The first screening of a student’s new documentary is normally meant for internal viewing. Public screenings of students’ films are not allowed without permission because various pre-requisites have to be met, like CBFC certificate and adequate infrastructure. This film does not have any CBFC certificates and Nachimuthu invited outsiders without any intimation to the authorities. The allegations of cancellation under pressure from a particular organization are so preposterous and baseless that replying to it would lend dignity to it,” Bhupendra Kainthola, the FTII director, told TOI.