Gajendra Chauhan talks about how he deserves a chance to prove himself as the FTII chairperson.
The clamour for your removal grows by the day. What is your stand?
It is as if all the self-appointed intellectuals have nothing better to do than to prove how incapable I am of doing the job that the Indian government has given me to do. I am currently the softest target in the media. I am trending as one of the top targets in the world. Can you believe it?
The protesters say you are not qualified for the job.
Let the government say that. I won’t quit until asked to step down by the government. I didn’t ask for the job. Now that it has been given to me, I’ll carry out my responsibility to the best of my abilities.
What about the ones opposing your appointment?
I am not new to dissent. When I came into the film industry, people said I won’t get any work. By God’s grace, I’ve been in the entertainment industry for 35 years. I’ve done 800-900 serials and four of my serials are currently on air. And a number of my films are on the floors. All this I have achieved without the help of any godfather.
Are you feeling pressurised and victimised?
I’ve to admit, yes. With due respect, I feel the names that were suggested for the job (Gulzar, Anupam Kher, Shyam Benegal Adoor Gopalkrishnan) are way too eminent and busy personalities to devote ample time to FTII. The job needs a person who can take up the challenges. I’ve more time to give to this job than them.
What are these challenges?
No ‘society’ had been formed for a whole year. The audit report has not been tabled in Parliament last year. The housing and administrative wing have to be set in order. And retired personnel of FTII have not received their pension for as far back as 1973 and 1982.
You are ready to tackle these problems at the FTII?
Yes. But people are not allowing me. They are stuck on my past credentials. They are making issues of my presence in films like Khuli Khidki and Jungle Love. Yes, I’ve done these films and I don’t disown them. But there is a difference between what I do on screen and what I am in real life. And besides, these are films that were passed by the Censor Board and were watched by the Indian audiences. And there were so many talented actors and technicians in these films. Khuli Khidki starred Amjad Khan saab with me. Why would he have associated with a bad film?
