Film and Television Institute of India

What links here Related changes Page information
Created by BretBroussard26
Last edited March 26, 2026


Template:Infobox university

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is a film institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and aided by the Central Government of India.[1] It is situated on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune. It was established in 1960 and its alumni includes technicians, actors and directors in the film and television industry.

FTII is a member of the International Liaison Centre of Schools of Cinema and Television (CILECT), an organisation of the world's leading schools of film and television.[2]

The centre will set up a new institute in Arunachal Pradesh as part of an initiative to tap the potential of the North-Eastern region, informed by Jitendra Singh Rana, former Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region.

FTI also sponsors a film award show named Global Indie Film Awards/Festival or GIFA.

History

The institute was established as the Film Institute of India in Pune in 1960 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on the recommendation of the Film Enquiry Committee. The committee, headed by SK Patil, a cabinet minister in the central government, and comprising prominent film industry figures like BN Sircar and V. Shantaram, recommended the creation of a film school. Courses began in 1961 on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune.Film director, screenwriter, and actor Gajanan Jagirdar served as the first director (then principal) of the institute from 1961 to 1962.[3][4] In 1967, the institute launched its first film appreciation course, a one-month residential program with Satish Bahadur as course director and Marie Seton as the main instructor.[5] In 1971, the institute was renamed the 'Film and Television Institute of India' (FTII) with the addition of in-service training programs for Doordarshan, India's public service broadcaster.[6] The Television Training wing, which was earlier functioning in New Delhi, shifted to Pune in 1974. Thereafter, the institute became fully aided by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In July 2011, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said that a bill in Parliament to develop the FTII into a 'Centre of Excellence' would be introduced. This would enable the institute to enjoy the academic status and privileges of a university.

In February 2015, Gajendra Chauhan was appointed as the chairman of the institute,[7] which sparked protests by students at the institute.

On 18 August 2015, police — in a night-time crackdown — arrested striking students who confined FTII director Prashant Pathrabe and other staffers in his office for eight hours. The director claimed that students harassed and mentally tortured him. The students were released on bail. A video showing students surrounding the director and shouting was released by the management. In response, the students released an undated video of cops manhandling students and breaking glass in the director's office. The striking students vehemently condemned the act by the Pune police to come and arrest students past midnight.[8][9]

In 2017, FTII set up its Center for Open Learning (CFOL) with the objective of making quality cinema education accessible to a broader range of people.[10]

Management

The FTII is registered under Societies' Registration Act of 1860. The Society is headed by a president, who also functions as the chairman of the Governing Council, the Academic Council and the Standing Finance Committee. The Governing Council is constituted by election from among the members of the Society. The Governing Council is the apex body of the FTII and is responsible for making all major policy decisions of the institute. The council, in turn, appoints the Academic Council and the Standing Finance Committee, members of both of which are responsible for advising the FTII in policy matters related to academic affairs and financial matters.[11][12]

A director serves as the institute's executive head and implements its policies and programmes. Prashant Pathrabe, a 1992 batch officer of Indian Information Service (IIS), has been given temporary charge as director following end of the term of DJ Narain.[13] Gajendra Chauhan, the designated chairman of the governing council, is yet to join, owing to protest overs his appointment.[11] The protests have been continuing for over 95 days but the logjam over appointment still remains.[14]

List of presidents

Template:Unreferenced section

No. Name Portrait Term of office Refs
1 Roshan Taneja
2 Anwar Jamal Kidwai 1 November 1974 – 30 September 1977 [15]
3 S. M. H. Burney 25 November 1975 – 30 September 1977 [15]
4 R. K. Laxman 1 November 1977 – 30 September 1980 [15]
5 Shyam Benegal 5 February 1981 – 30 September 1983 [15]
6 Mrinal Sen 9 April 1984 – 30 September 1986 [15]
7 Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1 September 1987 – September 1989 [15]
(5) Shyam Benegal Error creating thumbnail: September 1989 – 30 September 1992 [15]
(7) Adoor Gopalakrishnan Error creating thumbnail: 21 November 1992 – 30 September 1995 [15]
8 Mahesh Bhatt File:Mahesh Bhatt still7.jpg 20 November 1995 – 30 September 1998 [15]
9 Girish Karnad File:Girish Karnad Screening Cornell (cropped).JPG 16 February 1999 – 10 October 2001 [15]
10 Vinod Khanna File:Vinod Khanna at Esha Deol's wedding at ISCKON temple 11 (cropped 2).jpg 12 October 2001 – February 2002

4 March 2002 – 3 March 2005

[15]
11 U. R. Ananthamurthy File:യു.ആർ. അനന്തമൂർത്തി.jpg 4 March 2005 – 3 March 2011 [15]
12 Saeed Akhtar Mirza File:Saeed Mirza at Kollam 2024.jpg 4 March 2011 – 3 March 2014 [15]
13 Gajendra Chauhan File:Gajendra Chauhan at the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards 2010.jpg 9 June 2015 – 11 October 2017
14 Anupam Kher File:Anupam Kher at the Shirin Morani’s wedding reception (cropped).jpg 11 October 2017 – 31 October 2018
15 B. P. Singh File:B. P. Singh (cropped).jpg 13 December 2018 – 29 September 2020
16 Shekhar Kapur File:Shekhar kapur 02.jpg 30 September 2020 – 1 September 2023 [16]
17 R. Madhavan File:Madhavan Saala Khadoos (cropped).jpg 1 September 2023 – Incumbent

Notable faculty members

Notable alumni

Template:Div col

Wisdom Tree

Wisdom Tree at FTII is an informal masterclass where students discuss topics with Filmmakers.[34]Poet, lyricist and writer G.D. Madgulkar is believed to have given this natural structure the name "Wisdom Tree."[35][36]

References

  1. ↑ FTII Template:Webarchive Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India Official website.
  2. ↑ About Us(14 November 2008). Retrieved 14 November 2008.
  3. ↑ Rolling since 1960(March 2022).
  4. ↑ Self Portrait (1967)(20 September 2025).
  5. ↑ Pioneer exits. The Hindu(30 July 2010).
  6. ↑ About FTII – Establishment of FTII(21 September 2025).
  7. ↑ Give me a chance: Gajendra Chauhan post FTII furore – The Times of India(February 2019). Retrieved 31 January 2019.Template:Dead link
  8. ↑ FTII stir: Students protest Gajendra Chauhan's appointment – The Times of India. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  9. ↑ Bollywood's talent pool (Diploma films over the years)(5 August 2007). Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Center For Open Learning(21 September 2025).
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 On Gajendra Chauhan's plate, admin and academics. The Indian Express(13 July 2015). Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  12. ↑ FTII Administrative Structure. FTII(13 July 2015). Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  13. ↑ IIS Officer Prashant Pathrabe Appointed New FTII Director. FTII(17 July 2015). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  14. ↑ Govt doing nothing to end logjam: FTII students(15 September 2015). Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 The FTII presidential lineage. The Indian Express(13 July 2015). Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  16. ↑ Shekhar Kapur appointed new president of FTII Society. The Hindu(29 September 2020). Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  17. ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 Template:Cite magazine
  18. ↑ Rolling since 1960(March 2022).
  19. ↑ Satyajit Ray was initially sceptical of film schools. Business Standard(3 March 2014).
  20. ↑ 50 years on its one day at FTII again(28 February 2013).
  21. ↑ One Day (1964) – All India Certificate of Merit for the Best Documentary Film -Jagat Murari, SNS Sastry(21 September 2025).
  22. ↑ Behind the Curtain: Making Music in Mumbai's Film Studios{{#if:D. Booth|, D. Booth}. Oxford University Press(2008). ISBN 9780190296247
  23. ↑ FTII studio reopens after 31 years(6 October 2008). Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  24. ↑ FTII-Film and television institute of india,Pune. Virtualpune.com. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  25. ↑ From Sholay to Ray classics, Mangesh Desai was an indispensable sound re-recordist. indiatimes.com(26 November 2017).
  26. ↑ FTII at Indiatimes Movies. Movies.indiatimes.com(1 January 1970). Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  27. ↑ "The Sunday Standard", Bombay, 10 June 1973. "Screen", New Delhi edition, 19 March 1971. Udaya Tara Nayar, "Screen", Bombay, 11 October 1975.
  28. ↑ Vimukthi Jayasundara. Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  29. ↑ 'Balancing the Wisdom Tree' traces work of women alumni from FTII. Sunday Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  30. ↑ Gaurav Dwivedi : In A Chat With An Actor, admin. FTII People(5 March 2018). Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  31. ↑ FTII Class of '04 raring to go. Hindustan Times(8 May 2006). Retrieved 8 May 2006.
  32. ↑ Who Is Payal Kapadia? The Director Wins Best Documentary Award in Cannes. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  33. ↑ Mr & Mrs FTII. timesofindia.indiatimes.com(17 November 2003). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  34. ↑ FTII students turn to Wisdom Tree in absence of classes- Pune Mirror(5 October 2018). Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  35. ↑ Rolling since 1960(March 2022).
  36. ↑ FTII students turn to Wisdom Tree in absence of classes- Pune Mirror(5 October 2018). Retrieved 28 May 2020.

Template:Commons category

Template:MIBI Template:Film schools in India Template:Pune topics

Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Film_and_Television_Institute_of_India&oldid=466836"
Discover more