GHATAK WAS HERE

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amitraj1177
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GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by amitraj1177 »

For the past couple of years after passing out going back to the institute always gave mixed feelings, the familiar place but unfamiliar faces which keep on increasing with every visit are a big reason for this too, as you people might know that there are 4 or 5 batches( shit it's always so confusing these days) running in the institute presently. So expecting to see a couple of more new faces I entered the Institute on Saturday( 4th April 09) morning and what do I see, a 100 odd people both the staff and students gathered under the wisdom tree and shouting slogans like ‘ REGISTAR RESIGN KARO’ ‘ REGISTRAR WAPAS JAO’. I must say I was surprised to see this amount of activity in the Institute after a long time, so I started walking to the Wisdom Tree and before I reached it I had found out what is it all about. Seems like this new Registrar is very unpopular with everyone including the students and staff and the core issue was non payment of arrears of the staff due since a long time. There had been repeated meetings, false promises and postponements between the staff and him previously and some time back the student body too declared their support for the staff on this issue. So there was Shinde mam, Palweji, Moreji, Nirlekar, Patki, Shedke with his cap,Joshi, Gloria, Begde, the TV staff, Film Staff, Staff from all other dept. and the students all gathered there and demanding that the Registrar resign and their arrears be paid. The director was not in town and was supposed to come on Monday, while the Registrar as I came to know was trying to wash his hands from the whole thing saying its not under his duties to look into it, although as usual it is. I just went and sat under the Wisdom Tree to see what all was happening, there were discussions happening, letters being written and read out, slogans being shouted I must say the atmosphere was electric, to see the place buzzing with all this activity was really a wonderful feeling. It was good to see the student body wholeheartedly supporting the staff as in the end these are the two parties which althogh keep fighting and arguing all the time but are the people responsible for getting the films made actually. Plus all’s not well with the students also as I already said about the number of batches which is always confusing so I decided to find out what is the actual picture and its like this.
So there’s a first year batch and then there's another first year batch so now when a guy who looks like just out of college tells you ‘I’m from the First year’ how do you know which first year he’s talking about well you name the batch just in the ZERO YEAR BATCH. Yes that’s what the senior batches have done the new first year is called the Zero year , so there are 2 first year batches one second year batch who are in the middle of their Dialogue/Documentary exercise and a third year who’ve probably just finished their playbacks. Now the point to notice here is that this 3rd year batch has already completed their 3 years at the institute in Dec.’08 and they have still not even started with their diplomas, which are scheduled to start in May 09 which means to complete them they’ll take another year till May 2010 (that’s being a little optimistic I know) and then pass out in 4.5 years. Well it doesn’t end here the real problem is that the Administration is planning to get another new batch in May this year and if that happens there will be 2 FIRST YEARS, 2 SECOND YEARS AND 2 3RD YEAR batches with none of them anywhere close to passing out. Now with 6 film batches plus all the other courses including TV, Scriptwriting, Art, Animation etc. what is going to happen is anybodies guess.
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Paramvir Singh
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by Paramvir Singh »

Its indeed a case for worry, Amit. Last time when I was in the institute, I saw 18 people to a class of camera. One can only imagine the resource crunch. I dont know what needs to be done to solve the situation, but I always felt we had a certain 'space' in the institute that ket us think, introspect, retospect, imagine etc in peace. A bustling campus will take that space away. As creative individuals, especially when under training/learning, a certain space IS required. Perhaps thars the reason monasteries have been built traditionally i far away desolate spaces.

Where are all the studenrs staying? Is there enough hostel space?
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by Paramvir Singh »

Its indeed a case for worry, Amit. Last time when I was in the institute, I saw 18 people to a class of camera. One can only imagine the resource crunch. I dont know what needs to be done to solve the situation, but I always felt we had a certain 'space' in the institute that ket us think, introspect, retospect, imagine etc in peace. A bustling campus will take that space away. As creative individuals, especially when under training/learning, a certain space IS required. Perhaps thars the reason monasteries have been built traditionally i far away desolate spaces.

Where are all the studenrs staying? Is there enough hostel space?
amitraj1177
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by amitraj1177 »

ye Param really a cause for worry as for living space i heard now they have put bunk beds in the A block to accomodate students. BUNK BEDS...BUNK BEDS can you imagine...Well it doesn't end there you know the new batch which the Director wants to admit in May/June they are planning to take in 17 students per stream now in the film course so now you can imagine what will happen to the resources with 4 batches already there and this new batch with 17 students per stream.
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by Paramvir Singh »

i believe the 1st year batch currently ALREADY has 17 students?
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by amitraj1177 »

ye, so imagine what will happen when another batch with 17 students joins them in a few months...
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by jabeen »

Hey, Amit

Could you please register on the GraFTII Forums and also start this topic on that site? The more this gets known and discussed, the better.

The situation is actually even more complicated. As far as I know, there is a court order which says that the FTII has to admit new students every year. The history behind that is: I don't remember which year it was, this was when Mrinal Desai and Neeraj Sahay were in their second year. There was only one batch of students on campus, because the then Director had a plan to 'cleanse' the Institute of all students before having any new admissions. The logic was the the seniors were poisoning the minds of the juniors and causing them to go on strike. The students' association went to court with a petition saying that the FTII was run on public funds and it was defeating its purpose if it did not admit students every year. They won the case, and a new batch was admitted.

I'm not saying that this is right. Clearly, resources are overstretched and they have to do something quick fast. But the whole thing has wheels within wheels. Scary.

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amitraj1177
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by amitraj1177 »

hi Jabeen,
i have actually just submitted my request 2 days back and have got a mail reply saying the it'll be processed and i'll be given my login details soon. So once i get it i'll definitely start this on the website.
Thanks
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by Saihmee Dara Singh »

Hi,
Came to know about this great bit of information thought should share it:
there's a placard placed on the wisdom tree nowadays written GHATAK IS HERE on it.Now when things regarding the above mentioned strike which amit has written about started heating up in the institute ,students placed the ghatak is here placard under the wisdom tree .The new security officer saw it and got paranoid and wanted high security as he decoded the message as Ghaatak(sunny deol waala :-)) WAS HERE as a hidden message to ,screw up the place.....wat else do i say more :-)........

long live ftii
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by kalradipika »

if I may share my bit of information here for further discussion, it seems that the classes these days are held from 10am to 10pm. well its nice to hear that students are getting lots of practice time but its at the cost of evening screening... which is hardly attended by a handfull of students, besides the fact there are only 1 or 2 projectionists.
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by kalradipika »

well there seems to be no solution for their plight unless the current students pull up their socks. maybe they can organise morning screenings at 8am and forgo their precious sleep. before all of this the diploma yr has to give themsleves deadlines and finish their projects and vacate the hostel. taking into account technical fuck-ups, it still does not take 12 mnths to finish a 20 min film. and once we strt clearing teh backlog we might see some ease of infrastructure for the junior yrs.
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by DEEPTI KHURANA »

Hi Amit, Paramvir, Deepika, Jabeen, Dara n others...

To add on to worries I just got to know that all Diplomas are held up as the insti is closed coz of supreme court orders(due to swine flu, which is rubbish) being followed. This uncalled vacation is extending every week. For the last 3 months my batch was doing the completion of there docu/dialogue stuff, and when now its completed we had plans to start with our classes by Sept first week. But whatever the situation is now, we cant see our 3rd year starting anywhere near November even. I have heard from the insti it can b January too, which sounds scary. I landed up in FTII in Nov, 2006...Does that mean i ll b completing my diploma in 5 years? Phew...Most of us including me are not on campus. A few ppol are goin for Polar meet Solar...Thats okey but can others who r here plan a 3rd year ahead and see it to start asap. I am coming back the very next day even if 10 ppol from my batch r ther to talk it out with admin and deptt., atleast we can start with our master classes.

well guys i addressed above i was just updating u with the present situation, as I could see you equally worried for ur FTII.
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by meghpant »

reminds me of a blue line going no where, moving front and back
dhola kuan ... dholkuan ... kamala nagar .. booder booder booder
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by Nikhil Mulay »

While I agree that this vacation is at a mighty inconvenient time, please refrain from saying that the government orders shutting the institute down are rubbish. While we still have about two people dying in Pune everyday, I do not think that this is a matter to be taken lightly.
The other day I was in the institute when the orders for the vacation were being issued, there were some students near the wisdom tree saying the government does not understand the place. They should make an exception for FTII and not declare a holiday. But, I ask you, are the students also an exception to the human population? Are they so different that the 'flu' wont affect anyone? This kind of attitude is not good for the long term when it comes to our beloved institute.
Another incident which reflects the cavalier attitude of the students and which certainly shows that their love for the institute is superficial at most... Nobody can think beyond themselves any more.. And certainly not for the greater good of FTII.
There are students complaining about the hostels being painted! Cmon people, I for one would like it if there is a nice clean place for me to stay in. A few days ago, some students spruced up the mess area by adding little stone slabs, clay ashtrays and a small 'terrace' garden. And in one night, what do you know, some students with an 'artistic' flair go ahead and give it their own touch by 'painting' a monstrosity right over there. Doing bullshit in the name of artistic freedom is certainly uncalled for but is happening all the while. Everyone wants to leave their own 'mark' in the institute it seems.
Shammi has been in the institute for some time now and for the first time in my stay at the institute, I am getting good, healthy food. But then again, some people go and say that it is terrible because there is no oil and masala!!
Sometimes I really do wonder, do we deserve a place like FTII? Do we deserve good food in the mess and nice clean hostels to stay in? It really makes me wonder...
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Re: GHATAK WAS HERE

Post by DEEPTI KHURANA »

Well why I found it rubbish, coz i can see media creating unnecessary panic about the flu. Its dangerous then the simple flu or common cold but then people can stay away from swine flu by taking proper precautions. I still see so many people in Delhi get down from metro and go to CCD or other counters to fill in ther stomach without washing hands. In crowded metro where our hands touch all the walls, hangers, pipes, and seats. yaar people still find washing away the germs a cumbersome task or few like me forget at times (I had a sandwich without washing my hands after i traveled for one hour, and on top of that i never realized sandwich was stale, all engrossed in talking to my frends i finished more than half of my meal. Now Um seeing the results: puking since yesterday). Anyway why um telling this coz right now um in bed, yesterday I was traveling in the same metro..I hope its not the swine flu n just a minor food poisoning case. :-\ As far as I know we need to take precautions and be extra cautious. People who are dying have low immune system, having diseases already like diabetes etc Swine flu can be treated in time, if we get late treatment ofcourse it get worse.

Well I am not blaming anyone here except the circumstances, was just thinking there would be some way like diplomas which are supposed to be done outside pune...or u know I mean somehow if things are carried on slow pace like whatever. I find just closing down the insti and all the gates, is that the solution? I just hope something can be done soon...as um home and will b there in pune next week, um completely unaware of the exact situation over there...

Apart from this...Shammi is there in campus is a good news. I was also the part of eating food in mess last time he came there. I became regular goer to Boys' mess just coz we started getting oil free and less spicey food there, it was tasty too. Well Nikhil, u know that time also we had same debates, people die for taste and they hardly think if food is unhealthy or junk...same as they dont care to take precautions. We who like healthy food made by Shammi have to just promote it and enjoy it...For Others...? I guess let them learn from ther own mistakes vaala funda hai. I miss peanut curd, chutneys etc. You know also few dumbs dont know what exactly is organic food. They think thats the way of cooking jabki, its the way vegetables, spices are grown and produced. Ways of cooking can be varied according to you tastes guys! khair Shammi ye bhi samjha ke thak chuke hongey um sure.

Would like to taste gr8 food Shammi, um coming soon!
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