"I don't want to work as an agent. They (government) need an obedient chairman. I am afraid I am a bit disobedient," said renowned Malayalam film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who resigned as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi.

Adoor had handed over his resignation letter to the Chief Minister A K Antony following a tiff with the Culture department over alleged interference in the routine affairs of the Akademi.

Adoor told reporters that the Chief Minister had told him that the letter would be held in abeyance and he would discuss the issue with Culture minister G Karthikeyan. "It depends. Anyway, I cannot continue in the post in the present circumstances", was his reply when asked whether his decision was final.

Adoor said he did not have an experience of this kind while working as chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) for six years. The minister's office here had even nominated members of the jury for film awards, he alleged.