More film-makers return awards

'In a boost to the ‘award wapsi’ movement, film-makers Kundan Shah and Saeed Mirza were among two dozen artists who returned national awards on Thursday. Mr. Shah, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), felt it was necessary to protest the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as FTII chairman. Kundan Shah sees larger plot to ‘take over culture’. Kundan Shah and Saeed Mirza, were among 24 members of the film fraternity, returning their national awards on Thursday, registering their protest against increasing intolerance on the part of the Government to listen to the voices of the people, including students and members of various communities..

Mr. Shah, an alumnus of the Film Technology Institute of India (FTII) and director of the cult film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, said he was sad to be giving up his national award, but said he had to do it to protest the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as FTII chairman. “This is the only National Award I have for Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and I feel very sad to part with it. I owe this award to my alma mater FTII; there would have been no JBDY if I had not studied at FTII,” he said at a press conference in Mumbai...'