KOLKATA: Noted filmmakers Aparna Sen, Asoke Vishwanathan and several others on Monday questioned the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the FTII and demanded his resignation. And Sen pointed out, “The FTII chairman also represents the country at various international film festivals and Chauhan certainly is neither capable nor has the credibility to do it.”
“The Sangh parivar’s interference in an institute like the FTII, which has a tradition of being non-partisan, is intolerable. Never before did any government try to impose an incapable person as chairman because of his proximity to the ruling party,” she said.
According to Vishwanathan, “Luminaries Satyajit Ray, who was (FTII) president as there was no post of chairman, and Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal had been past chairmen. Even during Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government’s tenure, famous filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan and U Ananthamurthy had been chairmen. Further, he said, “Arun Jaitely is a former I&B Minister. We are not questioning political affinity but there are pro-BJP film personalities like Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, Rupa Ganguly or even an ideologue like Arun Shourie, who could have been appointed.”
The filmmakers and several former FTII students, who are now working in the film industry, expressed solidarity with the agitating FTII students and demanded that the Central government should oust Chauhan.