Actor Ali Fazal has openly criticized the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, for what he considers hypocrisy in their celebration of alumnus Payal Kapadia’s significant achievement at the Cannes Film Festival.
FTII’s Announcement
On a Sunday, the FTII’s official social media account highlighted the accomplishments of its former students, Payal Kapadia and Chidanand Naik, at the Cannes Film Festival. Kapadia received the Grand Prix for her directorial debut, “All We Imagine As Light,” Naik was awarded the La Cinef Award for Best Short with his film “Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know.”
The post expressed pride in the historic achievements of its alums at Cannes, marking a standout year for Indian cinema at the festival’s 77th edition.
Feedback on FTII’s Post
Ali Fazal, in response, shared FTII’s post with a sceptical remark, hinting at the institution’s previous actions against Kapadia. In 2015, Kapadia faced disciplinary measures for leading a protest against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as FTII president, disputing his qualifications for the role.
Moreover, a confrontation with the then-director of FTII, Prashant Pathrabe, over the assessment of incomplete student projects led to filing a chargesheet against 35 students, including Kapadia. The protest participants faced scholarship denials. Yet, in a turn of events in 2017, the new director, Bhupendra Kainthola, supported Kapadia, assisting with her travel expenses for a Cannes screening of her short film “Afternoon Clouds.”