New Delhi, June 9: The Centre today appointed a BJP member and television actor who played Yudhisthir in B.R. Chopra's epic TV series Mahabharat as president of the Film and Television Institute of India, triggering reactions of surprise from the industry.

Bollywood veterans questioned the information and broadcasting ministry's choice of Gajendra Chauhan, saying he has not had any association with the premier institute in the past, nor could be placed in the same league as some of his predecessors.

Chauhan, who has been associated with the BJP for over 20 years but became an official member in 2004, had campaigned extensively for the party in Haryana during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections last year.

"The FTII once produced gems of actors and directors who have been gifts to the Indian film industry. It is sad that appointments now are only about extending political largesse," said producer Mukesh Bhatt, who is also the president of the Film and TV Producers Guild of India.

The institute - which counts among its alumni Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Prakash Jha, the late Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi and Rajkumar Hirani - has of late not been attracting quality faculty. There have also been allegations of increased bureaucratic meddling, according to more than one filmmaker.# An official statement said the government had reconstituted the FTII Society for a three-year period. Actress Vidya Balan, filmmakers Hirani and Jahnu Barua and cinematographer Santosh Sivan were among those nominated as new members of the reconstituted council.

While the ministry has declared the FTII "an institution of national importance", the autonomous body did not have a president for more than a year since Saeed Akhtar Mirza's term ended in March 2014.

Akhtar, a screenwriter and director, made important films like Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai and directed Nukkad, a popular serial in the eighties.

An alumnus of the iconic film school, who did not wish to be quoted, said the BJP government was "diluting the credibility of the 54-year old institute".

"A TV actor, with absolutely no understanding of the difficulties and issues plaguing the institute, will now head it, so its credibility and respectability will take a further hit," he said. "This looks like an I&B ministry ploy to remote-control the FTII through bureaucrats, which is sad since the government should not have anything to do with creative space. In my opinion, it should ideally be handed over to the film industry to run and operate."

Actor Raza Murad, another alumnus who has also been a member of the governing council, said it would require a lot of competence to head the FTII. "When an institute that is supposed to train artistes has to deal with politicians and bureaucrats with little understanding of the creative world, a lot of manoeuvring is required. I hope he (Chauhan) manages to pull through."

Chauhan said his top priority would be to "pace up pending works". "Since the institute has been headless for over a year, a lot of work would be incomplete there. I will try to expedite things," he said.

Government sources said the ministry had been embarrassed after failing to place the institute's annual report and audited accounts for the last financial year in Parliament.

Earlier, Chauhan's name was also in the reckoning as member of the censor board but was not included in the final list that was announced in January this year.