No meetings, diverted funds & stalled events irk Chalanachitra Academy members

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, established in 2009 with a vision of promoting cinema literacy and improving the quality of films made in the state, is presently facing criticism from its own members. No regular meetings, diversion of funds and stalled programmes have been the key reasons. 

Barring the annual Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) which is primarily organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations, members allege that the academy has been inactive. They say that the academy has only called for two meetings in the last year. The bylaw says four meetings have to be held annually. 

“In the first two meetings, it was decided that the academy would conduct film festivals in border areas, organise regional and women’s film festivals in various districts, and establish film clubs in government colleges across the state. None of this has taken off,” a member said. 

‘Fund diversion’

A major point of contention is funding. Members point out that the academy was promised Rs 2 crore, however, they believe the amount has been diverted towards the construction of the film city in Mysuru. 

The members are also unhappy about being kept out of the planning and organisation of BIFFes, despite the festival being closely associated with the academy’s mandate. 

Stalled vision

Filmmaker T S Nagabharana, the first chairperson of the academy, had compiled an expansive vision document detailing the institution’s responsibilities. These included promoting cinema literacy through film appreciation and workshops across departments, compiling comprehensive information on Kannada cinema, training trainers, establishing film societies and film clubs, exposing Kannada audiences to international cinema, and encouraging research through scholarships. 

It also included the creation of a film museum, a repository and archive of Kannada films and documentaries, a video and audio library, maintenance of records on the history of Kannada cinema, and encouragement of regional cinema in Kodava, Tulu and Konkani languages. Programmes were conducted under initiatives such as Belli Sakshi, Belli Bedagu, Belli Tare Bangara and Belli Achchu. 

Recalling the early years, Nagabharana said the academy had set up film societies across the state. “People would watch good films and discuss them. This was crucial to inculcate good cinematic taste among Kannada audiences,” he said.

He added that around 600 colleges were affiliated to the academy at one point. “Every month, we would send a film to the film clubs. They would screen it, hold a discussion, record it and send it back to the academy. This continued for a year. It is important for students to differentiate between good and bad films and understand visual media,” he said. 

Another key objective was to encourage research on Kannada cinema by offering scholarships and access to research material, thereby strengthening the industry’s academic base. The academy had also aimed to evolve a uniform film curriculum for film schools in Karnataka. “Different institutes follow their own syllabus — one teaches cinematography, another focuses only on acting. There is no common curriculum,” Nagabharana said. 

According to him, apart from BIFFes, all other programmes were gradually discontinued. “The government gets recognition and publicity through BIFFes, and that is the only reason the festival continues,” he alleged.

He also stressed the need for enforcing a comprehensive film policy, especially since the government provides subsidies, and for introducing welfare measures such as a retirement plan for film workers. 

Books without readers

Members also raised concerns about the academy’s publications. While the KCA continues to publish books every year, these are not available to the public. At BIFFes last year, the academy released five titles, including ‘Karnad Kaleidoscope’ by senior journalist Muralidhar Khajane and works on Kannada cinema by N S Sridhar Murthy, A N Prahlad Rao, D D P Satish Chandra and J M Prahlad.