Actor Gajendra Chauhan. (Source: Express photo by Dilip Kagda) Actor Gajendra Chauhan. (Source: Express photo by Dilip Kagda)

Six months after his appointment on the Governing Council of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) triggered a storm, leading to a strike by students that stretched for over four months, television actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan is set to assume charge at the institute on December 18.

For the first time since its constitution by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on June 9, 2015, the current 26-member FTII society, which includes nine ex-officio members, will meet on December 18. The meeting, scheduled to take place at the campus, will be chaired by Chauhan, who is also the FTII Society president.

Actors Vidya Balan and Satish Shah and director Raj Kumar Hirani are among the appointees to the FTII Society. Shah, film journalist Bhawana Somaaya and producer B P Singh were appointed as members last month by the I&B ministry in place of veteran director Jahnu Barua, actor Pallavi Joshi and cinematographer Santosh Sivan, who had resigned in July in protest against “unjust and unsuitable” appointments on the Society.

Despite this, the ministry had deferred the FTII Society meeting until the end of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to “avoid unwanted trouble” during the event.

Confirming the latest development, Chauhan told The Sunday Express that he had received a communication from the FTII administration on Friday informing him about the date and venue of the FTII Society meeting and asking him to assume charge.

“Yes, I got a communication from the institute and a go-ahead from the ministry to hold the meeting of the FTII Society. The meeting will take place on December 18 and all society members are likely to attend,” said Chauhan.

Asked about the issues he would discuss in his first meeting at the FTII, Chauhan said he was waiting to get a copy of the agenda of the meeting. Asked if he was anticipating any trouble from students who had in the past vowed to not let him and four other contentious appointees enter the premises, Chauhan said he was confident of a peaceful meeting.

“I want to engage with everyone, including the students. I don’t think they will create any trouble. It will be a peaceful meeting,” he said.

Harishankar Nachimuthu, president of FTII Students’ Association, said a decision regarding their response to the meeting would only be taken after internal deliberations.

“With the current constitution of the society, we don’t welcome the meeting. We

shall make our plans public once we get an official communication about the meeting,” said Vikas Urs, a cinematography student and students’ body spokesperson.

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