Why Gajendra Chauhan is the worst thing to happen to FTII

I am extremely appalled by the recent appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the governing council of the very eminent institution of filmmaking in south Asia, Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Known for producing some of the best global talents in the art of cinema making, an institute with a strong legacy deserves a cinema maestro and not a mere actor. The craft of cinema extends far beyond make-up and dance sequences in this day and age.

An evolved cinema person is one who has the demonstrated the ability to capture nuances in this age of technology-driven production. For an institution of this repute to be headed by a TV actor is an extremely regressive decision by the government. It is, in fact, ironic how the ruling government contradicts its own aims and ambitions by first considering a status of "Institute of National Importance," for FTII and then denigrating the same institution by selecting a TV actor to head the apex institution of filmmaking. For an institution that has been spearheaded by masters of Indian cinema in the past, including Shyam Benegal and Girish Karnad, a politically motivated decision such as this is detrimental to the interest of students and the cinema industry at large.

A varsity known for admitting extraordinary talent has produced some of the renowned personalities of Indian cinema over the years. A regressive decision such as this will only see it losing its sheen in due course of time. I appeal to the government to change the decision and replace Gajendra as soon as possible. I wonder how and why talented artists such as Jahnu Barua on the panel were skipped only to select a TV actor with no wide knowledge of filmmaking and its technology.