Priyadarshan demits Chairman post of Kerala Film Academy

Thiruvananthapuram: Noted director Priyadarshan has demitted his office as Chairman of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy following his three-year term coming to end on July last.

Confirming this, Minister for Environment and Cinema, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters here today that a fresh committee of the Academy with new Chairman would be constituted very soon. Priyadarshan in his letter to Radhakrishnan had stated that he was stepping down from the post due to professional compulsions. There was urgency in re-constituting the committee of the Academy as the next edition of International Film Festival, Kerala, (IFF-K) was stated to be held in December, Radhakrishnan pointed out. "What one can do if he wanted not to continue in the post", Radhakrishnan said when asked whether government urged him to continue till the IFFK. Government was waiting for the report of the sub-committee headed by ace director Adoor Gopalakrishnan appointed to suggest recommendations for the improvement of activities of the Academy, he said. Priyadarshan took over as the Chairman when film actor turned politician K B Ganeshkumar was the Minister for Cinema in 2011. Priyadarshan had expressed his desire to quit the post when Ganeshkumar resigned due to political reasons in 2013 April, but continued with reports that Ganesh would be re-inducted as ministerr.