New Delhi: Veteran Film actor Anupam Kher has been appointed the new chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

Earlier, TV actor Gajendra Chauhan’s tenure – marked by controversies and protests by the student community of the top film institute of the country ended on March 3.

In fact, the government had to face a lot of flaks from several quarters including from students for appointing its own loyalists to top posts with many alleging that Chauhan was lacking the credentials for the post.

The 62-year-old Anupam Kher has acted over 500 films and many plays. Kher has won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role five times. He also received the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1988 film Vijay.

Even as Gajendra Chauhan was appointed FTII chairman on June 9, 2015, but he took charge only in January 2016 when he entered the FTII campus for the first time. However, FTII students held a massive agitation and a prolonged strike demanding his removal from the post. They refused to attend the classes till Chauhan was removed.

The film industry hailed the move.

Anupam’s wife Kirron Kher, an actress and BJP MP from Chandigarh, told Times NOW: “I’m very happy. Of course, it’s a challenging job for anybody. It’s not going to be an easy job. These chairmanships are crown of thorns. Here, people do get against you, but I am sure Anupam will be able to take them along because he is an extremely talented person.”

Anupam, who began his acting career with “Saaransh” in 1984, also has his own acting institute Actor Prepares.

Kirron said Anupam was the right choice to head the FTII, which provides training in acting, direction and other technical aspects of film making in a country which is one of the largest producers of movies.

“My husband is a very fine actor. He has been in the film industry for so many years. He is very capable of (being FTII head).

“He has been teaching acting for so long. He is the only person who earlier headed CBFC, then National School of Drama and now has been appointed Chairman of FTII.

“So, I am a very proud wife today. I would like to thank the government and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry,” she said.

Asked what she meant by ‘crown of thorns’, she said: “I meant the CBFC, not FTII.”

Bollywood big personalities congratulated Anupam Kher on Twitter