Shashi Tharoor, the articulate Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP, responded on Tuesday to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise of filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s triumph at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Tharoor urged the BJP-led central government to drop the case against Kapadia and other FTII students who protested against the government’s appointment of an unqualified Chairman.
On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor wrote, “Modi ji, if India is proud of her, should your government not immediately #WithdrawTheCases against her and fellow FTII students protesting against your government’s arbitrary appointment of an unqualified Chairman?”
PM Modi had earlier taken to X to celebrate Payal Kapadia’s achievement, marking the first Indian entry in the festival’s main competition in 30 years. She was awarded the prestigious Grand Prix for her debut feature film ‘All We Imagine as Light.’ In his May 26 post, Modi stated, “India is proud of Payal Kapadia for her historic feat of winning the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her work ‘All We Imagine as Light’.”
He further noted, “An alumnus of FTII, her remarkable talent continues to shine on the global stage, showcasing the rich creativity of India. This prestigious accolade not only honours her exceptional skills but also inspires a new generation of Indian filmmakers.”
Payal Kapadia, the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix, studied film direction at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from 2015 to 2018. She and other students face legal challenges following their 2015 protests against the appointment of actor-turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as FTII president.
This protest at FTII’s Law College Road campus in Pune was one of the longest in the institute’s history, lasting 139 days. Thirty-five students, including Kapadia, boycotted classes and academic activities. Their next court hearing is on June 26 in Pune Sessions court. The students are charged with rioting and the wrongful confinement of the institute’s then-director, Prashant Pathrabe, in his office.
‘All We Imagine as Light,’ a drama film written and directed by Payal Kapadia, features Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon in lead roles. The film was co-produced by international companies from France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Italy, as well as India.
