FTII Director Agashe quits

Michael Gonsalves in Pune

The Director of the Pune-based Film and Television of India (FTII), a premier film training centre in Asia, Dr Mohan Agashe has quit one year ahead of his five-year tenure.

"Yes, I have quit", Dr Agashe told rediff.com, adding that he had put in his papers on his own accord.

The FTII director, who submitted his resignation on March 4, has given a month's notice to the FTII governing council (GC). The GC is scheduled to meet on March 22 to consider his resignation.

Dr Agashe is likely to return as director of Pune-based Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health from where he was deputed to FTII in 1997.

With a new batch in attendance and plans to launch a local TV channel with an Information and Broadcasting Ministry's Rs One million grant, the country's premier film training centre is yet again in the eye of the storm.

Dr Agashe's tenure at the FTII was marked with controversy, resulting in three strikes by angry students, the resignation of film director Mahesh Bhatt as chairman of GC, zero semesters and deferred admissions.

The FTII director's ambitious 'conceptual proposals' and his 'one-year integrated course' was boycotted with the students 45-day strike in 2000. Ultimately, bowing to pressure from FTII alumni, the I&B replaced Dr Agashe's proposals with the regular three-year course demanded by the students.

Dr Agashe said since the term of the GC which had unanimously nominated him as director ended on March 3, he had resigned the next day to allow the new GC to identify a director whom they could trust.

However, sources said this was only a 'gimmick' as Dr Agashe would like the new GC to renominate him. They said the director was pressurised to quit by some FTII alumni at a documentary film festival organised by Mumbai International Film Festival in Mumbai in February. Apparently, a discussion -- 'What Ails FTII?' -- was held at the festival where Dr Agashe was invited to participate. He was heavily criticised for mismanagement of FTII.

Established in 1960 on the famed erstwhile Prabhat Studio premises, FTII is considered a centre of excellence in the country and in Asia and Europe. Films made by the students of the institute are entered in film festivals both in India and abroad.

Well-known filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen, Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Mahesh Bhatt and Girish Karnad have served as chairman on the governing council of FTII.

ALSO READ:
'Do you think I can threaten the students?': An interview with Dr Agashe
Battlefield FTII!