Should we be happy with Anupam Kher's appointment as the chairman of FTII?
The newest in the series of government-friendly faces heading liberal academic institutions is actor Anupam Kher, who was appointed as the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. The government notified on October 11 that Kher would replace Gajendra Chauhan, whose tenure ended in March this year, as the premier institution's head. While Kher's body of work is noteworthy, it is worth noting that it raises questions about whether proximity with the ruling party and batting for the Modi government influenced his appointment.
A good appointment?
Kher’s contribution to cinema is well known. His filmography is a list of stellar cinema and even better acting, with a few questionable choices here and there (but that’s almost everyone). From Saaransh to Khosla Ka Ghosla to Lust, Caution to Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara, Kher's has been a truly accomplished career. And even if one were to shrug off the titles, it is hard to shrug off the sheer number of awards the actor has won. He had previously held the post of chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the National School of Drama (NSD).
Speaking to Hindustan Times about his vast experience in the film industry, Kher said: “In a span of 35 years, I have done 500 films. When I met Woody Allen, he asked me, ‘I’ve heard you have done a lot of films. What is the number?’ I had done 417 films then. He asked me, ‘In how many lives?’”
More than films
While Kher, being a thespian, seems worthy of this post as opposed to Chauhan — whose only memorable work included playing Yudhishthir in BR Chopra’s Doordarshan series Mahabharat (he appeared in several forgettable B-grade films — his appointment could be attributed to his vocal support of the BJP government, Narendra Modi and the party’s ideology. Besides ideological ties with the regime, Kher also has a real one: he is the husband of BJP MP Kirron Kher.
Kirron Kher, speaking to CNN-News 18 about the news, thanked the Indian government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister Smriti Irani for the appointment, adding that students and the institute would benefit from the decision.
Gajendra Chauhan’s appointment was obviously deeply problematic and highly controversial. With students going on strike, a gherao in the campus, and several eminent film personalities condemning the appointment, it is surprising that the actor's tenure as chairman lasted this long. Even his successor, speaking to India Today, had called Chauhan unqualified to run the ship. Anupam Kher's exact words were:
I feel that yes, certainly, a film institute of India needs a more qualified person, who has a much more – greater – body of work. And Gajendra, unfortunately does not have it. We need somebody who knows about world cinema and who represents the country, if anybody can talk about it. I don’t want to pass a judgment on him as a person, but when it comes to the chairmanship of FTII, It’s important to have somebody, who [has] either practically done something about it, or has written books about it. Unfortunately, he does not fit the bill.
A trend
The ruling party's ideology has influenced several key appointments to statutory bodies and academic institutions. These are places that have an agenda very different from the conservative ideals of the Sangh affiliate BJP. From the appointment of BJP vice president Avinash Rai Khanna as a member of National Human Rights Commision, to the appointment of Braj Bihari Kumar, the 76-year-old editor of Sangh-inspired quarterly journals Dialogue and Chintan Srijan, as the chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research, to the appointment of M Jagadesh Kumar — with links to RSS as JNU vice-chancellor — the trend is hard to overlook.
Kher’s appointment as the chairman of FTII, quite like Prasoon Joshi’s as CBFC chief, comes as bittersweet news. Both appointments are meant to be seen with joy, perhaps because they both are better suited for the posts than the government's previous, incompetent choices, but is that enough reason to celebrate?
A better BJP alternative is by no means the only alternative.