Exclusive: Rajkumar Hirani may replace Gajendra Singh Chauhan as FTII chairman

There may be some respite in sight for the students and alumni of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), who have been protesting for months against the appointment of actor Gajendra Singh Chauhan as the chairperson of the institute.

According to sources, Chauhan may soon be removed from the post. And filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani could be appointed to head the prestigious film institute.

Hirani is known for having directed crowd-pullers with a strong social message - including films like Munna Bhai MBBS (2003), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and PK (2014) in his kitty. He is one of the few filmmakers in the industry today who has managed to consistently churn out films that win critical acclaim while also raking in impressive collections.

Also read: Beyond Yudhishthir, who really is FTII's Gajendra Chauhan?

The director also dabbles in screenplay writing and film editing. During an almost 22-year long career in the film industry, Hirani has won 11 Filmfare awards.

Photo: IANS

Chauhan's appointment as the FTII chairman in June 2015 triggered unprecedented protests by students and the institute's celebrated alumni. The protesters questioned Chauhan's ability to head the organisation - that has produced some of the best known names in the Indian film industry.

Also read: 34 words and the job is yours: the curious case of Gajendra Chauhan's CV for FTII

The students launched an indefinite strike on 12 June. In October, the students resumed their classes, calling for an informal end to the protest. However, violent protests were sparked once again on 7 January - when Chauhan took charge and chaired a meeting of the institute's governing council.

The FTII has already nominated Rajkumar Hirani as a member of the institute's governing council. The council includes veteran actors like Satish Shah, Pranjal Saikia, Narendra Pathak and veteran film journalist Bhawana Somaaya.

Also read: #CatchFlashBack: When Shah Rukh Khan was Rajkumar Hirani's 'Munnabhai'

An official confirmation on Hirani's appointment is awaited.