Amole Gupte to screen children’s films directly to students

By Subhash K. Jha -

January 28, 2013 - 10:12 AM IST

As the new chairperson of the Children's Film Society Of India (CFSI), Amole Gupte will fight for an alternative distribution system for children's films. Rather than focus on individual family units' participation in visiting movie theatres, Amole would like children's films to be screened directly for school children.

He would also be putting forth a proposal to include cinema as a subject in the school syllabi.

Says Amole, "When a family with its children enjoys a Dabangg in a theatre how can we presume they'd take the time out to watch a Gattu? We must start building cinema into the school curriculum in India so that good films would be woven into a child's aesthetic sensibilities from early in his life. I'd like our children to view Iranian and European films in the same way that they enjoy other school activities like elocution and debate. At the moment the arts and culture are set aside by students when they reach Class 8. Why can't cinema and the arts be given the same importance as Science and Chemistry? Give our children early access to aesthetics."

Amole also suggests regular screening of CFSI produced films in schools. "In theory this has been around for many years. But we need to implement the screening of CFSI films in schools more diligently."

Amole Gupte intends to take his job as the chairperson of the Children's Film Society Of India (CSFI) to a new level. He plans to closely monitor the media's role regarding children.

One came to know he intends tie up with the Tata Institute Of Social Sciences to research on the role of children in cinema and television.

Amole is going to undertake a research on the impact of cinema on children.

Says Amole, "For example films that get a UA certificate from the censor board, meaning a film with potentially adult content, can be seen by children provided they are accompanied by a parent. Are we that broadminded to sit and discuss adult content on the dinner table with our children? If not then how can we sit and watch adult content with children in a theatre?"

Says Amole, "I'm deeply concerned about the way children are made to shoot films serials and ads at the cost of their studies. Every child in my film Stanley Ka Dabba worked during their vacations. In the US and Europe kids can't shoot more than 5 hours a day. The same should be the case in India. That's more than enough for children. Filmmakers have to work around a child actor's timetable, not the other way around. I blame the parents of child actors for their inhuman treatment."

Amole intends to assign films to many of his colleagues. "But we can't have the same handful of directors doing children's films. I want to open up the CFSI to new directors. I intend to discover new talent from every state in India."

More mandate for the CFSI chief: "Children should be sensitized to their regional roots through films made by directors from that particular region. At the moment there is very little regard for cinema that is not commercial. It seems every film has to be supported by advertisers. We need to appeal to corporate houses to support children's cinema. Television channels devoted to children are another feasible route."

Amole also has great hopes for animation films. "So many Indian filmmakers have started making animation films. But they don't know where to go. Parents take their children to Hollywood animation films. For them to come to Bollywood animation films we need a quality-escalation. The same goes for children's cinema on the whole."

Says Amole, "As the CFSI chairperson I should make a difference to children's cinema. Otherwise what's the point? I have the Information & Broadcasting Ministry's full support. My first mandate is to find an alternative distribution network for children's films through schools. Why not take children's films to schools directly?"