‘I don’t wish to politicise the issue’
Says Resul Pookutty explainiing his absence from a meeting of FTII alumni at Prithvi Café on Monday; no big names turned up, but students to send an open letter to the I&B Ministry suggesting more ideal choices for post of chairperson.
The appointment of actor turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as the new chairperson of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) has led to students going on strike and alumni, who are prominent members of the film industry, siding with them against the Centre’s decision. They insist that the fight is not against one person in particular but about the lack of transparency in the appointment process.
On Monday afternoon, at a meeting held at the Prithvi Café, a few FTII graduates met to discuss the plan of action. Actress Sayani Gupta, who was seen as Kalki Koechlin’s friend in Margarita with a Straw, was present at the meeting and told Mirror that the real problem is that there is no clarity in the selection process. “The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and governing council of the FTII are refusing to share the appointment process with us, we don’t even know who were the other candidates in consideration along with Gajendra Chauhan,” she said.
The students emphasize that the appointed leader should have a body of work that has influenced cinema and a long-standing association with the institute. “We will put our demands across through a mass rally or silently. Give us a day or two to spread the word,” asserted Nihar, an ex-student, who goes by only one name.
Many popular faces and big names, including Shabana Azmi, Resul Pookutty, Anand Patwardhan and Kundan Shah, were expected to join this discussion but they didn’t show up.
When Mirror contacted Shabana, she said, "I am with my mother in the ICU at Breach Candy."
Academy Award-winning sound designer Pookutty, when contacted said, “I don’t wish to politicise the issue. I’m looking at the larger cause. This protest is not about one person but is far more deep-rooted. I believe the entire procedure and attitude towards the institute has to change.”
He further added that even in the past, chairpersons appointed by the government haven’t really done much for the institute. “This is possibly the last time when everyone together can demand a change,” he reasoned.
Meanwhile, politician Yogendra Yadav who was in Pune for a press conference, heard about the protests at FTII and decided to drive down to Mumbai and take up the issue. He said, “I will speak, write and join any petition. But letters are never meant for the addressee. At the end of the day, it’s the public that you’re addressing, and that is what I plan to do.”
The appointment of actor turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as the new chairperson of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) has led to students going on strike and alumni, who are prominent members of the film industry, siding with them against the Centre’s decision. They insist that the fight is not against one person in particular but about the lack of transparency in the appointment process.
On Monday afternoon, at a meeting held at the Prithvi Café, a few FTII graduates met to discuss the plan of action. Actress Sayani Gupta, who was seen as Kalki Koechlin’s friend in Margarita with a Straw, was present at the meeting and told Mirror that the real problem is that there is no clarity in the selection process. “The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and governing council of the FTII are refusing to share the appointment process with us, we don’t even know who were the other candidates in consideration along with Gajendra Chauhan,” she said.
Sayani, who is spearheading a team of 30 alumni to bring the protest to Mumbai, added, “We need the full backing of the film industry which is why we are mobilising support in Mumbai. We are writing an open letter to the I&B Ministry. The first draft has been finalised. We are suggesting the names of U R Ananthamurthy, Shyam Benegal, Gulzar, Rajkumar Hirani and one more person yet to be decided upon in a list of five as a more ideal choice for chairperson.”
The students emphasize that the appointed leader should have a body of work that has influenced cinema and a long-standing association with the institute. “We will put our demands across through a mass rally or silently. Give us a day or two to spread the word,” asserted Nihar, an ex-student, who goes by only one name.
Many popular faces and big names, including Shabana Azmi, Resul Pookutty, Anand Patwardhan and Kundan Shah, were expected to join this discussion but they didn’t show up.
When Mirror contacted Shabana, she said, "I am with my mother in the ICU at Breach Candy."
Academy Award-winning sound designer Pookutty, when contacted said, “I don’t wish to politicise the issue. I’m looking at the larger cause. This protest is not about one person but is far more deep-rooted. I believe the entire procedure and attitude towards the institute has to change.”
He further added that even in the past, chairpersons appointed by the government haven’t really done much for the institute. “This is possibly the last time when everyone together can demand a change,” he reasoned.
Meanwhile, politician Yogendra Yadav who was in Pune for a press conference, heard about the protests at FTII and decided to drive down to Mumbai and take up the issue. He said, “I will speak, write and join any petition. But letters are never meant for the addressee. At the end of the day, it’s the public that you’re addressing, and that is what I plan to do.”
