Naseeruddin Shah has added one of Hindi cinema’s most authoritative voices to the student protest at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata. In a video message shared on Saturday, the 76-year-old backed the sit-in demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera and accused the BJP of pursuing revenge after what he called its “manipulative victory” in the Bengal elections.
What Shah said
Shah said the party was, in his words, acting out of “revenge on anyone who does not subscribe to their beliefs.” He listed the students’ alleged costs of protest: show-cause notices, surveillance, threats and orders to vacate hostels.
He then turned to what the institute produces. The BJP, he said, was “hoping either to brainwash or frighten the future filmmakers of this country,” before promising “that is not going to happen.” Shah urged “all right-minded citizens” to support the students.
Why SRFTI matters beyond Kolkata
SRFTI is a key training ground for Indian film and television talent, so a fight over campus safety is also a fight about the next generation of storytellers. Filmmaker Payal Kapadia had earlier posted her own video saying she was horrified by the alleged violence. Show-cause notices are formal demands for an explanation before disciplinary action can follow, and they usually mark the start of a disciplinary process.
The stand-off in dates
- September 27: Students allege campus violence was orchestrated by RSS members.
- October 1: Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera called the events unfortunate and said there can be no justification for violence in an educational institution.
- October 4: The institute said outsiders gathered near the main gate and disrupted security; a formal complaint was filed.
- October 15: SRFTI said a student manhandled the Vice-Chancellor while others gheraoed and abused him.
The institute has said it is cooperating with authorities and taking measures to strengthen campus safety. It has not, in the statements reported so far, agreed to the students’ demand for the Vice-Chancellor’s resignation.
What to follow next
The next meaningful signals are the formal complaint process and any institute-student talks. For readers, the safest approach is to compare the students’ public demands with official SRFTI statements, and to avoid unverified clips while the facts are still being contested.
Source: Hindustan Times