Anupam Kher to head FTII, replaces Gajendra Chauhan: All you need to know

Actor Anupam Kher was today appointed chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India, Information and Broadcasting ministry officials said.

Kher replaces Gajendra Chauhan, who had a controversial tenure as head of the Pune-based institute. His term had ended in March.

A notification regarding Kher's appointment has been issued, officials said.

Anupam Kher has previously held the post of chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification and the National School of Drama.

He is a recipient of the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016. Anupam Kher is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming film, Ranchi Diaries.

Anupam Kher, a staunch supporter of the government

Anupam Kher is undoubtedly considered as the biggest follower of Modi’s ideologies and his schemes. He has always been vocal over the schemes of Modi government. He had once even called himself "Chamcha" of Modi, and he takes pride in it.

His wife Kirron Kher is a BJP MP.

FTII, an autonomous body, was in the past headed by legendary film personalities including Shyam Benegal, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Saeed Mirza, Mahesh Bhatt, Mrinal Sen, Vinod Khanna and Girish Karnad.

Many popular film personalities have come out of FTII, including Naseeruddin Shah, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Shatrughan Sinha, Raza Murad, Resul Pookutty and the late Smita Patil and Om Puri.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher was today appointed chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India, succeeding Gajendra Chauhan who had a controversial tenure as head of the Pune-based institute, officials in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said.

Kher, 62, said he was "deeply humbled and honoured" to be appointed chairman of the "iconic FTII".

"I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities," he said in a tweet.

Kher, a graduate from Delhi's National School of Drama (NSD) who has appeared in over 500 films and many plays, was conferred the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts.

His predecessor, best known for playing Yudhisthir in the TV show Mahabharata, helmed the institute for about two years. Chauhan's tenure, which ended in March this year, was marked by a 139-day strike by students protesting what they perceived was a politically-motivated appointment.

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