(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Anupam Kher, who has acted in over 500 films and is a vocal supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was yesterday named chairman of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune.
The film industry hailed the move. Kher said he will give his best to the role.
Kher, 62, husband of actress-and-Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirron Kher, will succeed the controversial Gajendra Chauhan, whose appointment in 2014 had triggered widespread student protests.
'I feel deeply humbled and honoured to be apportioned as the chairman of iconic FTII. I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities, Kher tweeted.
His wife told Times now channel that Kher was the right choice to head the FTII, which provides training in acting, direction and other technical aspects of filmmaking in India, one of the largest producers of movies.
'My husband is a very fine actor. He has been in the film industry for so many years. He is very capable of (being FTII head), she said.
'He has been teaching acting for so long. He is the only person who earlier headed CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification), then the National School of Drama and now has been appointed chairman of FTII.
Kher, who began his acting career with Saaransh in 1984, also has his own acting institute Actor Prepares.
Apart from featuring in Hindi films like Karma, Daddy, Lamhe, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, A Wednesday and Baby, the National Award-winner has dabbled in international projects like Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice, Speedy Singhs, The Mistress of Spices, Lust, Caution and the Academy Award winning Silver Linings Playbook.
He was honoured with Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution to the field of arts.
His appointment was welcomed by the film fraternity with open arms.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted: 'Heartiest congratulations to Anupam Kher. Filmmaker Pritish Nandy called it an 'excellent change at FTII. 'Finally, the government is listening to us.
Actor Kabir Bedi said Kher 'would do wonders in his new role, and director Kunal Kohli said 'no one could be more appropriate to set it back on track.
Chauhan, however, said FTII needs a good administrator, not just a good actor.
Conveying his good wishes to Kher, Chauhan said: 'In FTII, it's more important to be a good administrator than a good actor. He is quite experienced and runs his own (acting) institute in Mumbai. So, I think he will be able to handle it quite nicely. I wish all the best to Anupamji and hope he will complete all the work which I left due to the end of my chairmanship.
Chauhan completed his tenure in March. His appointment had triggered student protests at the institute. Kher had then said the FTII needed a person with much more qualifications than Chauhan had as a producer, director or actor.
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