THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Amid row over appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Pune Film Institute chairman, the institute’s alumni have come out in support of the students strike.
The alumni association - Graftii (The Graduates of FTII) Kerala chapter - which has renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan in its advisory board, also urged the Union Information Ministry to replace Chauhan and re-constitute the governing council. The association pointed out that for over three decades, FTII Pune has been functioning as an autonomous body governing film professionals known for their exceptional contribution to the art and craft of cinema. While there is provision for 8 non-official members to be nominated for eminence in the fields of cinema, television, literature, fine arts and performing arts, barring three (Jahnu Barua, Pallavi Joshi, Vidya Balan) the rest can claim no eminence in any of the categories specified. Santosh Sivan, who was appointed in the alumni category has already resigned, they pointed out.
“All know that the Chairman of the institute should be one capable of guiding a pre-eminent institution to greater glories. He should be one who can command respect and admiration from the students as well as the faculty. One cannot imagine. Chauhan alongside stalwarts like Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, Girish Karnad, U R Anantha Murthy and Saed Mirza who had chaired the Institution in the past,” said Ramachandrababu, president of the Graduates of FTII, Kerala chapter.
The association exhorted all concerned to actively support the struggle.
They also asked the Central Government to re-constitute the institute’s governing council.
