Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur appointed new president of FTII’s Governing Council

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on Tuesday evening, announced that filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has been appointed as the new President of the Governing Council of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). His tenure will be till March 3, 2023.

The position was earlier occupied by the crime series CID fame producer Brijendra Pal (BP) Singh, who is also the current FTII Chairman.

While the students acknowledge that Kapur is a “great filmmaker”, they also wish to see him paying attention to the Institute’s “real problems”. “We hope that with his filmmaking experience, he will take FTII to a new height, and at the same time will address the actual problems like continuous fee hike,” an FTII student said anonymously.

Last year, Kapur was at the receiving end of the flak after he tweeted about his ‘fear for intellectuals’.

Started life as refugee of Partition. Parents gave everything to make a life for kids. Was always in fear of ‘intellectuals’. They made me feel insignicant. Small. Then suddenly embraced me after my films. I still fear them. Their embrace is like a bite of snake. Still a refugee.

— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 27, 2019

The students’ body FTII Students’ Union has released its official reaction on the appointment.

"FTII , a public funded institution , which has influenced Indian cinema and the society through its vision of Film education to the citizens from all parts of country. There has been a constant attack on public education institutions in the country with continuous fees hikes and curbing of student voices of dissent and representation. We hope Mr.Shekar Kapur who is a noted filmmaker with his experience will carry out the vision of the institution and take it forward. We also strongly urge him to take note and make action on the ongoing fee hike issues and the curbing of students voices in Academic council of FTII which is an attack on the Constitution of Academic council itself," said Aadhith, the President of FTIISA.

The film producer, director and actor is known for his contribution to Hindi as well as international cinema. The 74-year-old is a recipient of Padma Shri, National Film Award, Golden Globe Awards, British Academy Film Awards, etc. Kapur was also in news recently after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput by suicide, when the former had tweeted that the actor was upset.

Edited to include student body statement and some minor changes at 22:31, 29-09