FTII gates open after 2 years

After two years of no admission at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the gates of Asia's prestigious film institute were finally opened for a fresh lot of 71 students. These 71 students will be learning different facets of film making through seven different courses at FTII over the period of three years.

Talking to India Today the Director of FTII Bhupendra Keinthola, said that the last two years were declared as zero year. Keinthola said, "It is after a wait of 2 years that admissions to all the 7 film wing departments are now taking place. They are direction & screenplay writing, cinematography, sound, editing, art direction & production design, acting and screenplay writing. Today out of 71 students called, 66 have reported. In the film wing, only screenplay writing admissions took place in 2014, while no admissions took place in film wing in 2015."

Explaining about no admission for last two years the FTII director said it was due to backlog of projects, incomplete courses. Many students who had to clear their diploma films had to stay in institute hostel, there were no rooms in hostels for the new comers. Thus the decision of no admission was taken by the earlier administration.

2015 also saw one of the longest strike at FTII where there no classes for 139 days because students objected to the appointment of Gajendra Chouhan's chairmanship of FTII governing council. The FTII students had also raised questions on the process of appointment of FTII Governing Council.

Some of the seniors expressed that there should not be any zero years as there are many who have to suffer. Mayank Khurana, a senior FTII student said, "It is very said that two years there were no admissions, zero year is very sad."

ALL IS NOT WELL

Although it seems that everything has been streamlined at FTII, with new batch coming in and the senior students busy completing their diploma films but this not the real story. The seniors have yet again started protesting against the affidavits that are being getting signed by the new comers. There are in total 5 affidavits but the seniors have their contentions with the affidavits that ask for guarantee of good conduct, good behaviour, and respect to the faculty members.

FTII students Association President, Nachi Muthu, a cinematography student of 2012 batch lambasted at the new administration. Muthu said, "You ask us to respect the elders in the institute, then shouldn't the faculty members respect the young students. When faculty member and administration give me bad words, when they are harassing the students. Harassment over my cast and identity, then did the administration ask for affidavit from the faculty member. Why this mistrust setting in and why these rules only after the strike. And this administration says the affidavits were inpractice since 2014, they didn't you take affidavit from me. "

NEW STUDENTS PROUD TO BE PART OF FTII

On one hand when the senior FTII students are objecting to the affidavits the new students are of the opinion that they dont have any problem abiding by the rules set by this prestigious institute. The new set of students feel that getting admission is more important. Sandeep from Hyderabad said, "FTII was in controversy but do you know that the teaching is top class, faculty like Tom Alter are so good and experienced."