Payal Kapadia, winner of the Grand Prize for ‘All We Imagine as Light’, poses for photographers during a photo call following the Awards Ceremony at the 77th International Film Festival, Cannes, Southern France, Saturday, May 25, 2024 | Photo Credit: Scott A. Garfitt
Amidst the flood of congratulatory messages for Payal Kapadia for winning the second highest honour at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, a message from her alma mater FTII praising her has attracted a lot of attention.
Kapadia created history at the ceremony held on Saturday when he became the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix award. We all imagine ourselves as light,
On Sunday, the Film and Television Institute of India said in a post that it is a proud moment for FTII as its alumni have made history at Cannes. It congratulated Kapadia for the award.
In 2015, Kapadia was in a confrontation with the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).
He had led a student protest against the appointment of actor-turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan, best known for his role of Yudhishthira in the mega TV serial MahabharataThe chairman of the premier institute based in Pune, Dr.
According to the protesting students, Chauhan does not match the vision and stature of previous chairmen of the FTII Governing Council and his appointment appears to be “politically motivated”.
During the 139-day strike, the students allegedly surrounded the then FTII director Prashant Pathrabe in his office and held him hostage over some academic issues. This forced the police to enter the campus and arrest some protesters.
Later, 35 students, including Kapadia, were booked under sections 143, 147, 149, 323, 353 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with offences related to unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation and rioting, some of which are non-bailable.
The chargesheet in the case was filed in 2016. The defence lawyer representing the students said the next court hearing is scheduled for June 26.
“It is a proud moment for FTII as its alumni create history at Cannes. As we witness an unprecedented year for Indian cinema at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, FTII cherishes the remarkable achievements of its alumni at this mega international stage of cinema,” the institute said in a post on X.
The post further said, “We congratulate Payal Kapadia for winning the Grand Prix Award, Santosh Sivan for receiving the Pierre Agenaux Tribute Award, Maisam Ali for his debut in Acid and Chidanand S Naik for winning La Cinéfe. Their achievements are taking Indian cinema to new heights.”
Oscar-winning Indian sound designer Resul Pookutty said in a post on social media that the mainstream Indian film industry has nothing to do with the pride and they “only see us as outcasts”.
He said the only reason they won was not because “we had inspirational teachers, some but not all.”
He added, “Payal (accused no. 25) is coming back from Cannes and next month she will have to go to court to hear the case filed by FTII against her for staging a strike against the appointment of Mr Chauhan as chairman! Interesting isn’t it?!” Ameya Gore, one of the 35 students booked in the case, said that after the incident, most of the students faced problems in getting scholarships and passports.
“The case is still going on in the sessions court but there has been no progress from the prosecution side. The trial has not started yet. Usually, hearings are scheduled every two to three months but nothing happens as no one appears from the prosecution side,” Gore said.
Advocate Chinmoy Inamdar, defending the students, said though the prosecution has filed the chargesheet, it has not produced the video file in the form of a CD/DVD or pen drive of the incident of gherao of the director in 2015.
“We have filed an application before the court to get a copy so that we can file a discharge application for the students and the matter is pending for the same. The next hearing is scheduled on June 26,” he said.
Kapadia’s presence at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival was a triple feather for Indian talent. We all imagine ourselves as light, Sunflower was the first to know By FTII students Chidananda S Naik and Anasuya Sengupta shameless It gained fame by winning major awards in all three competitive sections at Cannes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India is proud of Kapadia’s historic achievement.
“An FTII alumnus, her remarkable talent is shining on the global stage, reflecting the rich creativity in India. This prestigious honour not only honours her exceptional skills but also inspires a new generation of Indian filmmakers,” he said in a post on X.
