Pune: The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) administration has made it compulsory for students to take its approval before screening movies at the Classroom Theatre (CRT). Now, students of the institute will need to let the authorities know the name of the movie they want screened and then wait for its approval. Earlier, students could screen any movie at CRT without informing the administration.

Robin Joy, president of FTII students’ association, said, “The FTII is a film institute where we study film making. The CRT is our classroom to learn about films. How can the administration decide which movie we should watch? The registrar or the director of the institute are bureaucrats and they have no understanding of films.”

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a student said, “Before the students’ strike opposing appointment of Gajendra Chuahan, we had easy access to the CRT and it was open all seven days. One of the students used to have keys to the CRT. But after the strike, students screened films about the strike, which did not go down well with the administration. So the keys to the CRT were handed to the security,” he said.

“But after we organised the programme for Ambedkar Jayanti, that included screening of a couple of movies, the administration sent a notice, asking us to furnish in writing, details of the movie to be screened, some 48 hours in advance,” he said.

Bhupendra Kainthola, director of FTII, said, “We have made that rule so that students do not watch non-certified films. But there has been no instance where we have denied permission for screening.”