FTII autonomy row: The story so far

FTII students not allowed to attend IFFI; launch rebel festival

FTII students, who were protesting to showcase their films at the 46th International Film Festival of India, launched their two-day parallel screening. According to the reports, the 'Retrieving Freedom- Goa Chapter' was launched at Nossa Senhora de Piedade Institute near the IFFI venue amid tight security. The students and alumni screened 10 films on the first day to raise awareness about their protests since June, demanding the removal of Gajendra Chauhan as the institute's chairman. Moreover, the students had to drop recently made films after North Goa District Magistrate sent the institute a notice a day earlier seeking details about the films being screened and whether they had Censor Board certification. Talking about the issue, Chennai-based filmmaker, RV Ramani said, "How can students' films be left out. Film festivals are primarily for students. It is like having a wedding or a big meal and keeping the children out."

Click on the next slide to know what Soumitra Chatterjee had to say about the FTII students...

"Who is Gajendra Chauhan?"

Veteran actor, Soumitra Chatterjee, is the latest celeb to join the league of celebs who are supporting the FTII students’ strike. As per a report on NDTV.com, Soumitra Chatterjee has said that he has never heard of Gajendra Chauhan. He further added, "I don't know who he is. Anyone who will occupy a responsible position should have good body of work. Does he have that? Who is he?" He also said, "For so many days there have been protests, but the government is not listening."

But Soumitra Chatterjee is not the only celeb to have questioned Gajendra Chauhan's appointment. Let's take a look at what Paresh Rawal had to say about the issue...

Paresh Rawal thinks Rahul Gandhi is an actor?

With the ongoing FTII row, BJP leader and veteran actor, Paresh Rawal, took a dig at Rahul Gandhi for politicising the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman. According to a report on PTI, Rawal was quoted saying that, "I have not listened to Rahul Gandhi's questions. He has got a topic. We should at least allow him to be happy and celebrate. We will answer him later." He further added, "I just want to ask the students at FTII that if they are seeing a political worker in Gajendra Chauhan, then are they seeing an actor in Rahul Gandhi?" he asked.

While Gajendra Chauhan's appointment has created a stir, read on to know the story so far...

The appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as chairperson of the governing council of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) faced a serious roadblock with students of the Pune institute boycotting classes and going on a strike. The issue has been simmering for almost a month now but Chauhan, who played the role of Yudhishtir in the television series Mahabharat, remains unfazed by criticism. Harishankar Nachimuthu, president of the FTII's students' association, said: "The post of the chairperson is an academic one, not an honorary post. Chauhan has no connection with filmmaking and his appointment is based solely on his affiliation to the party." The association will write to the ministry of information and broadcasting against his appointment. "Unlike NFDC and CBFC, where the government has meddled with the appointments, FTII is not going to take the bait. Our class boycott will continue. We have nothing personal against him, but we need a chairperson who has some credibility in films or other art form. We've had distinguished people, including writer U R Ananthamurthy, as chairperson. It will be in the best of our interests if the chairperson is an alumnus," Nachimuthu said, adding students had nothing against the appointment of a mainstream actor.

FTII students held a press conference at their campus where they said that the I&B ministry, during their meeting on July 3, had promised them everything for the future but evaded all the core issues for which they are on a strike. "We went with a lot of hope but were disappointed with our interaction with the ministry officials and I&B minister Arun Jaitley. The minister could do little but offer assurances for the future. Our concerns are of the present. The concerns regarding the newly-appointed FTII society members were repeatedly evaded by the minister. We have no option but to continue with the strike. The government has been kind to help us with more funds and infrastructural facilities, but they have provided no solution to the strike. We have been promised the status of Centre of National Excellence by an Act of Parliament now by various governments in power for the last 45 years but we are yet to see the implementation. More than that, we need right people in our society and governing council," said Vikas Urs, representative of the FTII students' association.

Pallavi Joshi has written to the secretary in the I&B ministry saying she does not want to be part of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) society. This puts the effectiveness of the society in question as earlier noted filmmaker Jahnu Barua and eminent cinematographer Santosh Sivan had also written to the authorities saying they did not want to be considered as members of the FTII society or its governing council. Speaking to TOI, Joshi said that she had written to the ministry three days back. "I do not want to be part of the FTII society after this cloud of negativity. When I had learnt about my nomination, I was looking forward to the experience as I would be able to share my experiences with the students. But what is the use of being on the society or in the governing council if the students are unhappy and dissatisfied? I am not at all political and I have no views on who has been selected in the society. But my heart goes out to the students who have been so dignified and have conducted a peaceful protest so far. It is commendable how they are trying to have a dialogue with the ministry. I am a person of art and all I know is that art cannot prosper in such a negative environment," she said.

The appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as Film and Television Institute of India's president has become the talk of the town. Is the decision fair or unfair, has became a topic of discussion these days for industry people and the students of FTII. However, Bollywood's Rockstar Ranbir Kapoor, in an video interview with the students of FTII, stated that the appointment of the chairman goes against the students' wishes and they deserve a fair hearing of what they want. Ranbir further said that he agrees with what the students are asking for as that is logical, and he doesn't think that the students are asking for the moon. They are just asking for a fair chance, a fair opportunity, correct faculty and a correct syllabus, said Ranbir in the video.

Ever since Gajendra Chauhan was appointed as the Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), students of the institute have been on constant protest. After son Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, too, has spoken up in favour of the students. He feels that the students’ demand is justified. The veteran actor took to micro-blogging site, Twitter, to tweet about the same. He wrote "Advice. After all the protests and controversy, Gajendra Chauhan, the FTII Chairman should voluntarily retire. Will do good to the students. If they don't want you, they don't want you. By pushing for the chairmanship is getting you nowhere. Let self pride play a role and retire.” [sic]

Veteran actor Anupam Kher today said Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) needs a "much qualified" person at the helm of affairs and also supported the idea of turning the government institute into an autonomous body. Gajendra Chauhan, best known for playing Yudhisthira on TV epic Mahabharata, took over as the chairman of the Pune-based institute's governing council last month. His appointment was heavily criticised by current and former students of the institute. FTII students have been boycotting classes, abandoning academic work in protest against the appointment of Chauhan, who they allege lacks "stature and vision" to head the institution. "I personally feel that FTII represents a certain art form...it does certainly need a person having a great body of work which means he is supposed to know world cinema, he is supposed to know the present state of cinema like editing. But certainly FTII needs somebody who is much more qualified than whatever Gajendraji's qualifications are coming across. I certainly do not think Gajendraji is qualified as a producer, director or actor," 60-year old actor said.

Bollywood's showman Subhas Ghai, who is an FTII alumnus, claimed ignorance about Chauhan's works. "Intermittently, there have been wrong appointments. I understand the students' sentiments when they say they want to be led by a cine-academic." National award-winning director Jahnu Baruah, who has served three terms as a governing council member, said, "I'm a 1974 FTII passout and can't say I'm happy with the chairperson's appointment. I understand why students want a stalwart as chairperson. If FTII well-wishers like me are unhappy, the matter needs to be taken up seriously by the government." Baruah dismissed reports claiming he has resigned from the post of governing council member. "I haven't been offered the post yet," Baruah said. Director Indranil Roychowdhury, a 1995 FTII passout, said, "Chauhan's appointment is a farce. I fail to understand his connection with a film school. Film schools are like white elephants for the government. But it can't shut them down because of political implications. So the government is doing everything to make it difficult to run them."

In his defence, Gajendra Chauhan says, "I have 34 years of experience in film and television. For two decades, I have been associated with the Cine and Television Association and rose to the rank of its president. Somebody is opposing my appointment. But opposition will only make me work better. It will inspire you. Students must first see my efficiency before staging a protest. I am prepared to listen to them individually too. My foremost agenda is to reclaim the glory of FTII that the institute was known for in the 60s and 70s." In an interview with Times Now, Gajendra said, "I would request them to have a meeting across the table, sit and talk over. If you still feel (the same) then we will go for another option. The ministry of information and broadcasting has taken its own time to decide about my name. They must have checked out my background and my capabilities. It is not only that I am associated with the party, there are other things also."

Defending the appointment of TV actor Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of Pune-based FTII's governing council, Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani has accused the striking students of indulging in politics and advised them to start attending the classes. The students of the Film & Television Institute of India have been opposing Chauhan's appointment, alleging that he lacked the "credentials and vision" to head an institution such as FTII, which is supposed to give direction to the Indian cinema. "How can the students demand that we want this teacher or we want this chairman? At the FTII, they're trying to put politics in between. I think they should go and do their work. They have come to learn and let them learn what they want to. Allow Chauhan to do some good work. He is not going to take classes," Nihalani told PTI. When asked about the allegations of lack of merit and cronyism, which have sprung up following the appointment of BJP's campaign filmmakers to such bodies, Nihalani retorted saying no one questioned the appointments done by the previous Congress government. "I don't think this (lack of merit) is the right thing. Nobody has questioned why the Congress nominees are on the board or as any other panel members," he said.