#NewsBytesExplainer: Everything about FTII—origin, courses, notable alumni, and legacy
The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), established in 1960 and situated in Pune, is a towering name in the Indian film circles. It is the abode of several stellar artists and has forged numerous remarkable actors, directors, and writers over the years. Its contribution to the Indian film industry can't be overstated. Here's everything you need to know about this coveted institution.
The institute was earlier called Film Institute of India
FTII was established by the central government on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Studios, "a pioneer in the business of filmmaking," per the institute's website. Earlier known as the Film Institute of India, it underwent a name change in 1971 and "became an Autonomous Society under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, run by a Governing Council and its appointed Director," it says.
FTII offers 11 full-time courses
When it was first started, FTII offered only five full-time courses. Now, it provides 11 courses in various disciplines of film and television. In addition, there are also several short-term courses on offer. According to the website, "These courses are held on-campus in Pune as well as off-campus...across centers all over India." Its Centre For Open Learning also offers courses in 40+ cities.
Here are the courses offered by FTII
FTII's film wing offers courses on direction, screenplay writing, cinematography, editing, sound recording and design, art direction and production design, screen acting, and screenwriting. Meanwhile, the TV wing's courses include direction, electronic cinematography, video editing, sound recording, and television engineering. Some of their online courses include foundation courses in film acting, screenplay writing, etc. These are generally priced around Rs. 20,000 for Indian applicants.
These are some of the faculty members of FTII
Professor Sandeep Shahare is currently the Dean (Television). He also holds the additional charge of National Coordinator of the Skilling India in Film & Television (SKIFT) initiative. Jijoy PR, In-Charge Dean (Films) and Associate Professor of Acting, has been teaching at FTII's acting department since 2014. Lastly, Dhiraj A Meshram, who is serving as the Dean (Films), has been working at FTII since 2006.
'You provoke the artist in the student': Shekhar Kapur
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur is FTII's incumbent president-chairman. His message on the website reads, "You simply provoke the artist in the student. You encourage...to explore the artist in themselves. And allow them to learn how to use the technology of their chosen art, the camera lens, the edit machine, the pen, the body, the voice, the soul, to express the world through their own lens."
RK Laxman, Mahesh Bhatt have been at this position, too
Several eminent personalities have previously graced the position of FTII president-chairman. These include actor Vinod Khanna (2001-2005), actor Gajendra Chauhan (2015-2017), actor-writer-director Girish Karnad (1999-2001), director-producer-screenwriter Mahesh Bhatt (1995-1998), cartoonist and illustrator RK Laxman (1977-1980), screenwriter-director Saeed Akhtar Mirza (2011-2014), and actor Anupam Kher (2017-2018), among others. Kher reportedly had the shortest term and resigned from the position after 11 months.
Numerous popular artists have pursued courses at FTII
Many leading artists proudly call FTII their alma mater! These include Bollywood actors Rajkummar Rao, Jaya Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Raza Murad, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Anil Dhawan, and Zarina Wahab, TV actor Amar Upadhyay, director-producer and CID creator BP Singh, director Rajkumar Hirani, filmmaker David Dhawan, director-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and cinematographer Pankaj Kumar, among others. What an illustrious contribution to the contemporary cinema!
