A file photo of Rajkumar Hirani.
Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani will not replace Film and Television Institute of India's (FTII) chairman Gajendra Chauhan, Mr Hirani's spokesperson said on September 8.
"He is not replacing Gajendra Chauhan, who is heading the governing council of FTII. He has been asked to head the academic council, but will not be able to take it up as his film work keeps him occupied and he would not have the bandwidth to handle FTII work," the director's spokesperson said in a statement.
"However, he will continue helping from the outside to end this deadlock between the ministry and the students," the spokesperson added, with reference to the students who have been on a strike to oppose the appointment of actor and BJP member Mr Chauhan, as the institute's chairman.
The statement, on behalf of Mr Hirani, was issued following rumours that he might replace Mr Chauhan as the chairperson of FTII, the country's premier institution for film studies.(Also Read:
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Plea on FTII Protests)
Mr Hirani is an FTII alumnus himself, and had studied film editing.
On September 8, the students' strike completed 89 days. Students and teachers are now on a hunger strike.