The general council of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy will be recast soon as the council headed by Chairman S. Priyadarsan has completed the term.
The council will be reconstituted in view of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in December, Minister for Cinema Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told a press conference here on Thursday.
“The government is open to proposals and there is no haste in reconstituting the council,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said confirming that Mr. Priyadarsan had given a letter informing that he was demitting office on August 31 due to professional compulsions and on completing the three-year term as chairman on July 13.
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Mr. Radhakrishnan said there was no need for a controversy as he had not raised any complaint against the academy. “The government is thankful to him. He had not asked for continuing in the post and we had also not asked him to continue. He is the pride of Kerala.”
The government had held consultations with filmmakers such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Shaji N. Karun and veteran actor Madhu. Their suggestions would be incorporated and the committee would be reconstituted in a responsible way, he said.
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Pointing out that there were criticisms about the last edition of the IFFK, the Minister said the government had positive intentions and the report of a committee headed by Mr. Gopalakrishnan was ready.
The film festival was part of the activities of the academy. The draft report of the committee was with the government and changes would be made once the final report was submitted to the government.
On the functioning of the academy in the absence of the chairman and the committee, the Minister said technically the outgoing committee would continue till a new one was in place. Arrangements had also been made for the smooth functioning of the academy.
To a query, Mr. Radhakrishnan said steps had been taken for posting the Deputy Director (Festivals) and the IFFK Artistic Director and other personnel.