All you needed to know about the FTII controversy

Cinema and arts are big part of India’s heritage. India is home to one of the largest film industries in the world. Every year thousands of movies are produced in India. Indian film industry comprises of Hindi films, regional movies and art cinema. The Indian film industry is supported mainly by a vast film-going Indian public, though Indian films have been gaining increasing popularity in the rest of the world, especially in countries with large numbers of emigrant Indians. However, since the past few weeks, the media is abuzz regarding the FTII controversy which has shook the best institution for acting in India. While controversy continues over the appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) with students even hitting to streets in protest, he has denied to quit the top post.

What is the FTII controversy?

Students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the country’s premier film education centre, have gone on an indefinite strike since June 12 protesting the Information & Broadcast Ministry’s surprise appointment of television actor-turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as Chairman of the institute. They are appalled that a premier institute that at one time boasted of chiefs such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shyam Benegal and till a year ago, Saeed Mirza, and has turned out a vast number of illustrious alumni should now be headed by relatively a non-entity whose filmic past includes outings such as Khuli Khidki.

About Gajendra Chauhan

Gajendra Chauhan is best known as Yudhishthira in the hugely popular Mahabharata TV series produced by B.R. Chopra and aired on Doordarshan between1988-90. Other than this, Mr. Chauhan has appeared in numerous television soaps, generally of inferior quality, and several ‘B’ grade Bollywood ventures. Associated with the BJP for two decades, Mr. Chauhan formally joined the party in 2004. He extensively campaigned for the BJP in Haryana during the Lok Sabha elections last year. His appointment as FTII chief on June 10 sent ripples across the film fraternity, with many viewing it as an instance of political largesse.

Students fighting back

Given that he is not a highly respected or even well-known name in the world of cinema, what could have motivated the NDA government to plant him in FTII? What is it about Chauhan that impressed the I&B ministry so much that they decided to pluck him out of relative obscurity and hand over this top job, a decision they must have known will raise some dust?

Three possibilities must be considered. First, he was chosen because he was a hard-core party man and he — and his political godfathers — may have felt he needed to be rewarded. That is par for the course for political parties who have to keep their rank and file and hacks happy by dispensing some loaves and fishes of office. The second reason could be that the government wanted a pliant man in the job. Since it has come to power, the BJP has systematically installed its own chosen personages in posts ranging from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) to the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC). It wants to seize control of institutions, especially those that preside over culture, a prime project of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which feels history and culture as they are taught in modern India is antithetical to the Hindu point of view.

That still does not answer why Chauhan was chosen. Could it be because the Sangh — and the BJP — just does not have truly talented people in its fold? The party’s poor bench strength has been widely noted; when someone like Chauhan is the best it can do, this impression gets confirmed. Or contrariwise, does the government actually think he is a talented and capable man who will do a good job? If so, what exactly gave it that impression?

His pliability goes in his favour, but surely the government could have got someone who was not ill-disposed towards the Sangh or the BJP and could be relied upon to be amenable.

Perhaps it is a combination of all these factors. A small-time actor with no reputation or administrative experience who would be beholden to his political bosses and will never show any streak of independence — he is the best kind of person the BJP wants. We have already seen that in the case of Pahlaj Nihalani, maker of mediocre Hindi films who is now presiding over the CBFC (angering, it may be pointed out, even other BJP nominees).

The students of the FTII have gone on strike though the film industry in general and the famous alumni in particular have been strangely silent. The FTII has been troubled for a few years and needed a firm and inspiring hand to guide it over the next few years. It still produces first-class technicians who are valued by the Indian film industry. All it needs is a top-class manager with a fine cinematic understanding, a sense of imagination. Nothing in Chauhan’s CV so far indicates he has it.

This episode once again shows that while the BJP wants to get rid of those appointed by previous governments and keep an iron grip on institutions, it is finding it hard to come up with professionals of quality, certainly from within its ranks. And it is not prepared to look outside its fold because it does not trust anyone else.

When narrow, party loyalty is the chief criteria for selecting people to manage important cultural — and other — institutions, the Nihalanis and Chauhans will be the best that we will see, the interests of the institutions and the students be damned.

Views from Bollywood celebrities

Anupam Kher

The veteran actor has said that FTII needs a "much qualified" person than Chauhan as its chief. The former chairman of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and National School of Drama (NSD) also supported the idea of converting the government institute into an autonomous body. Known for his versatility, Kher said that FTII represents a certain art form and requires a person who is supposed to know all forms of cinema. He said that Chauhan is neither qualified as producer or director nor actor to lead FTII. Kher was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2004 for his contribution to Indian cinema.

Salman Khan       

Salman said the "Mahabharat" star should pay heed to the students and resign from the post. The Bollywood heart-throb's support came a day after the institute warned the agitating students to end the strike or face "strong administrative action which may include rustication".

Ranbir Kapoor

The actor backed Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students, who are protesting against Chauhan's appointment. In a video posted on YouTube by the FTII student body, Ranbir said that "students want to look up to someone with a body of work they can aspire to". The Bombay Velvet actor said that "the appointment of the new chairman has gone against their wishes. Don't think what the students are asking is illogical, don't think they are asking for the moon. They are just asking for correct faculty, correct syllabus,"

Rajkummar Rao

The National Award-winning actor has also criticised Chauhan's appointment as the chairman, saying the premier institute needs to be in "safe hands". The 30-year-old actor has said students need a better chief than Chauhan. The FTII alumnus said on Twitter: "#FTII needs to be in safe hands. Students need somebody who they can trust and look up to. It is their future which is at stake here."

Rishi Kapoor

The Bollywood veteran has advised Chauhan to resign. He selected microblogging site Twitter to be his mouthpiece after his son, actor Ranbir Kapooor extended support to FTII students who are protesting against Chauhan's appointment. Rishi Kapoor, who got the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, said: "Advice. After all the protests and controversy, Gajendra Chauhan, the FTII chairman should voluntarily retire. Will do well to the students." He added: "If they (students) 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!"

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

He extended support to FTII students, saying the post of chairman demands a creative person. Siddiqui told India Today: "This post demands creativity. There are people who are far more efficient. There are many options and people with such background must come forward...I am not saying that the person appointed on post has a bad background." He strongly objected the idea of privatising FTII as everyone cannot afford the fee charged by a private institute.

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