Even as he congratulates Anupam Kher for taking over as the chairperson of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Gajendra Chauhan warns him of thorns in his path ahead.

“Anupam has a long and tough job ahead,” says his predecessor. “It won’t be easy, simply because we’re both seen as pro-government. I remember a lot of elements protesting against my appointment. Now, not hours after Anupam’s appointment was announced, there have been murmurs of protests. I’d advice him to ignore them and concentrate on doing the job at hand.”

That, he says, won’t be easy. “Anupam will have to do a lot of time management. When we’re given a government job to do, over and above the other responsibilities we already have, the time to devote to this is entirely up to us. Anupam has his plate full, but he can’t afford to not give ample time to his duties at the FTII. How much time he gives is between him and his conscience and sense of commitment,” Gajendra says.