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{{ | {{Short description|Indian costume designer and painter (1929–2020)}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}} | {{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| name = Bhanu Athaiya | | name = Bhanu Athaiya | ||
| image = Bhanu Athaiya.jpg | | image = Bhanu Athaiya (nee Rajopadhye).jpg | ||
| imagesize = | | imagesize = | ||
| caption = | | caption = Athaiya at the [[Academy Awards]], 1983 | ||
| birthname = Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye | | birthname = Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye | ||
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1929|04|28}} | | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1929|04|28}} | ||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2020|10|15|1929|4|28}} | | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2020|10|15|1929|4|28}} | ||
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India | | death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India | ||
| yearsactive = | | education = [[Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art]] | ||
| occupation = [[Costume designer]] | | yearsactive = 1947–2015 | ||
| spouse = Satyendra Athaiya | | occupation = [[Costume designer]] and [[Painter]] | ||
| movement = [[Bombay Progressive Artists' Group]] | |||
| awards = {{ulist|[[Academy Award for Costume Design]] (1983) for ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' | | spouse = Satyendra Athaiya | ||
| awards = {{ulist|Usha Deshmukh Gold Medal - JJ School of Art (1951) for ''[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhanu_Athaiya_-_Lady_in_Repose_(1951).tif Lady In Repose]'' | |||
|[[Academy Award for Costume Design]] (1983) for ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' | |||
|Nominated for [[BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design]] (1983) for ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' | |||
|[[National Film Award for Best Costume Design]] (1991) for <br /> 1991: ''[[Lekin...]]''|[[National Film Award for Best Costume Design]] (2002) for ''[[Lagaan]]''}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Bhanu Athaiya''' (née ''' | '''Bhanu Athaiya''' (née '''Rajopadhye'''; 28 April 1929{{spnd}}15 October 2020) was an Indian costume designer and painter.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-10-15 |title=Bhanu Athaiya: Costume designer who won India's first Oscar dies |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-54560058 |access-date=2023-01-14}}</ref> She was the first Indian to win an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gates |first=Anita |date=2021-04-22 |title=Overlooked No More: Bhanu Athaiya, Who Won India Its First Oscar |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/obituaries/bhanu-athaiya-overlooked.html |access-date=2023-01-14 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2020-10-15 |title=Bhanu Athaiya, India's First Oscar Winner for 'Gandhi,' Dies at 91 |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/bhanu-athaiya-india-oscar-winner-gandhi-dead-1234806093/ |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Alongside being Bollywood's most iconic costume designer, she had a historically important early career as an artist with contemporaries like [[M. F. Husain]], [[F. N. Souza]] and [[Vasudeo S. Gaitonde]].<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/44563664/Bhanu_Rajopadhye_Athaiya_The_Legacy_of_a_Long_hidden_Sun_Ranjit_Hoskote Ranjit Hoskote, Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya:The Legacy of a Long-hidden Sun, Academia, December 2020]</ref> She was the only woman member of the [[Bombay Progressive Artists' Group]].<ref>[https://scroll.in/magazine/886646/before-bhanu-athaiya-the-oscar-winning-designer-there-was-bhanu-athaiya-the-modernist-painter Before Bhanu Athaiya, the Oscar-winning designer, there was Bhanu Athaiya, the modernist painter. Scroll. Jul 31, 2018]</ref> Two of Bhanu Rajopadhye's artworks were included in the 1953 Progressive Artists' Group show in Bombay.<ref name="static.prinseps.com">[https://static.prinseps.com/media/uploads/1950s-progressive-artists-group-bhanu-athaiya.pdf 1953 Progressive Artists' Group Exhibition Catalogue]</ref> | ||
After her switch from art to cinema, Bhanu went on to become one of the leading creators of the aesthetic of a young India through her work on costumes for Bollywood films. She worked on over 100 films, with Indian filmmakers such as [[Guru Dutt]], [[Yash Chopra]], [[B.R. Chopra]], [[Raj Kapoor]], [[Vijay Anand (filmmaker)|Vijay Anand]], [[Raj Khosla]], and [[Ashutosh Gowariker]], notably in films like ''[[C.I.D. (1956 film)|C.I.D.]]'' (1956), ''[[Pyaasa]]'' (1957), ''[[Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam]]'' (1962), ''[[Guide (film)|Guide]]'' (1965), ''[[Amrapali (film)|Amrapali]]'' (1966), ''[[Teesri Manzil]]'' (1966), ''[[Satyam Shivam Sundaram]]'' (1979), ''[[Razia Sultan (film)|Razia Sultan]]'' (1983), ''[[Chandni (1989 film)|Chandni]]'' (1989), ''[[Lekin...]]'' (1990), ''[[1942: A Love Story]]'' (1993), ''[[Lagaan]]'' (2001),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |date=2002-05-10 |title=Cricket in the Face of Colonialism |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-10-et-thomas10-story.html |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Swades]] (2004). She also worked on international projects with directors such [[Conrad Rooks]] in ''[[Siddhartha (1972 film)|Siddhartha]]'' (1972) and [[Richard Attenborough]] in ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' (1982). | |||
For ''Gandhi'', Bhanu won the [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harmetz |first=Aljean |date=1983-04-12 |title='GANDHI' IS WINNER OF EIGHT ACADEMY AWARDS |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/12/movies/gandhi-is-winner-of-eight-academy-awards.html |access-date=2023-01-14 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and was nominated for a [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Award]] for [[BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=BAFTA Awards |url=https://awards.bafta.org/award/1983/film/costume-design |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114154135/https://awards.bafta.org/award/1983/film/costume-design |archive-date=Jan 14, 2023 |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=awards.bafta.org}}</ref> | |||
She was honored in the 'In memoriam' segment of the [[93rd Academy Awards]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Gittins |first=William |date=April 24, 2021 |title=In Memoriam Oscars 2021: directors, actors and writers who died in 2020 |url=https://en.as.com/en/2021/04/25/latest_news/1619317219_989708.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425142051/https://en.as.com/en/2021/04/25/latest_news/1619317219_989708.html |archive-date=April 25, 2021 |access-date=April 27, 2021 |work=[[Diario AS]]}}</ref> | |||
==Early life and background== | |||
Bhanu was born into a [[Marathi people|Marathi]] [[Marathi Brahmin|Brahmin]] family<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kolhapur residents mourn daughter who put town on world map By Nikhil Deshmukh|url=https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2020/10/15/bom38-mh-bhanu-athaiya-memories.html|access-date=2022-01-10|website=The Week|language=en}}</ref> in [[Kolhapur]] (in present-day [[Maharashtra]]). She was the third of seven children born to Annasaheb and Shantabai Rajopadhye. Athaiya's father, Annasaheb was a self-taught artist and photographer who worked in the films of [[Baburao Painter]]. He died when Athaiya was 11 years old.<ref>{{cite news |first=Smita|last=Lala|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080507/jsp/telekids/story_9233599.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525221923/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080507/jsp/telekids/story_9233599.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 May 2011|title=My Fundays: Bhanu Athaiya|date=7 May 2008|access-date= 3 May 2013|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-54560058|title= Bhanu Athaiya: Costume designer who won India's first Oscar dies|website=BBC News|date=15 October 2020}}</ref> | |||
She studied at [[Sir J J School of Art]], Mumbai, where she won the Usha Deshmukh Gold medal in 1951 for the artwork titled 'Lady In Repose'.<ref name=arch>{{cite web|url = https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/prinsepss-bhanu-athaiya-estate-sale-sets-give-ace-designer-due-artist/|title= Prinseps's 'Bhanu Athaiya Estate Sale' sets out to give the late designer her due as an artist|website= Architectural Digest|date=1 December 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url =https://prinseps.com/auctions/lots/lady-in-repose-bhanu-rajopadhye-athaiya-28-16/|title= Bhanu Athaiya's Lady In Repose|website=Prinseps|date=December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCLhyoLWHQ4|title= Discussion With Bhanu Athaiya's Daughter|website= [[YouTube]]|date=June 2022}}</ref> [[File:Bhanu-athaiya-j-j-school-gold-medal-2.jpg|thumb|Gold Medal Awarded by JJ School of Art in 1951 - Verso]] [[File:Bhanu-athaiya-j-j-school-gold-medal-1.jpg|thumb|Gold Medal Awarded by JJ School of Art in 1951 - Recto]] | |||
==Career== | ==Career== | ||
Bhanu started her career as an artist in Mumbai while still studying at JJ School of Art. Later she became a member of the [[Bombay Progressive Artists' Group|Progressive Artists' Group]] and exhibited with them.<ref name="static.prinseps.com"/><ref>[https://static.prinseps.com/catalogue/Bhanu%20Athaiya%20December%202020%20Auction.pdf Bhanu Athaiya Estate Sale Catalogue December 2020]</ref> She continued her part-time stint as a freelance fashion illustrator for women's magazine like "Eve's Weekly" and "Fashion & Beauty". while at the JJ School of Art.<ref>[https://prinseps.com/auctions/lots/eves-weekly-spread-pages-bhanu-rajopadhye-athaiya-30-16/ Bhanu's Eve's Weekly Spread Pages, Bhanu Athaiya Estate Auction December 2020]</ref> Later when the Eve's Weekly editor opened a boutique, she asked Athaiya to try designing dresses, hereupon she discovered her flair for designing clothes. Her success as a designer soon led to her switching career paths. Her costume designing career began by designing clothes for [[Guru Dutt]]'s films, starting with ''[[C.I.D. (1956 film)|C.I.D.]]'' (1956). She soon became a part of the [[Guru Dutt team]].<ref name=guru>''Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema'', by Nasreen Munni Kabir. Published by Oxford University Press, 1996. {{ISBN|0-19-563849-2}}. ''pp 117-118''.</ref> | |||
She made her debut as a film costume designer with the film ''[[C.I.D. (1956 film)|C.I.D.]]'' in 1956,<ref name="cid">{{cite news|first=Madhusree |last=Chatterjee |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/archive/Bhanu-Athaiya-India-s-first-Oscar-winner-walks-down-memory-lane/Article1-381412.aspx |title=Bhanu Athaiya - India's first Oscar winner walks down memory lane |date=20 February 2009 |access-date=3 May 2013 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227010346/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/archive/Bhanu-Athaiya-India-s-first-Oscar-winner-walks-down-memory-lane/Article1-381412.aspx |archive-date=27 December 2013 }}</ref> and followed it up with other [[Guru Dutt]] films such as ''[[Pyaasa]]'' (1957), ''[[Chaudhvin Ka Chand]]'' (1960) and ''[[Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam]]'' (1962). In her career spanning 50 years she has received numerous awards. She won the [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design]] (shared with [[John Mollo]]) for her work in the 1982 film, ''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' and became the first Indian to win an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]].<ref name="cid" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/From-dandy-to-Dandi-it-was-a-long-journey/articleshow/35344377.cms|title= From dandy to Dandi, it was a long journey |access-date= 3 May 2013|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date= 25 March 2001 }}</ref> She also won two [[National Film Awards]], in [[38th National Film Awards|1991]]<ref name="38th National" /> and [[49th National Film Awards|2002]].<ref name="49th National" /> | |||
In a career spanning over 100 films, she worked with Indian filmmakers such as [[Guru Dutt]], [[Yash Chopra]], [[B.R. Chopra]], [[Raj Kapoor]], [[Vijay Anand (filmmaker)|Vijay Anand]], [[Raj Khosla]], and [[Ashutosh Gowariker]], and international directors such [[Conrad Rooks]] and [[Richard Attenborough]].<ref>{{Cite web|first1=Oscar|last1=Holland|first2=Manveena|last2=Suri|first3=Mitra|last3=Esha|title=Bhanu Athaiya, India's first Oscar winner, dies age 91|url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/bhanu-athaiya-death/index.html|access-date=17 October 2020|website=CNN|date=16 October 2020 |language=en|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017133029/https://www.cnn.com/style/article/bhanu-athaiya-death/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Ramachandran|first1=Naman|date=15 October 2020|title=Bhanu Athaiya, India's First Oscar Winner for 'Gandhi,' Dies at 91|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/bhanu-athaiya-india-oscar-winner-gandhi-dead-1234806093/|access-date=17 October 2020|website=Variety|language=en|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017133025/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/bhanu-athaiya-india-oscar-winner-gandhi-dead-1234806093/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Veteran costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, India's first Oscar winner, dies at 91|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-veteran-costume-designer-bhanu-athaiya-india-s-first-oscar-winner-dies-at-91-2850050/amp|access-date=17 October 2020|website=www.dnaindia.com|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017133025/https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-veteran-costume-designer-bhanu-athaiya-india-s-first-oscar-winner-dies-at-91-2850050/amp|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In | In March 2010, Athaiya released her book ''The Art of Costume Design'', published by [[HarperCollins]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harpercollins.co.in/BookDetail.asp?Book_Code=2514 |title=The Art of Costume Design, by Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya |access-date=3 May 2013 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304224854/http://www.harpercollins.co.in/BookDetail.asp?Book_Code=2514 |archive-date=4 March 2012 }}</ref> On 13 January 2013, Athaiya presented a copy of the book to the [[14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=28919&t=1 |title=No one will fight China to make a stand for Tibet |access-date=3 May 2013 |publisher=[[Phayul.com]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502031725/http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=28919&t=1 |archive-date=2 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mobilepaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=13§id=edid=&edlabel=TOIM&mydateHid=21-04-2010&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Mumbai&edname=&articleid=Ar01307&publabel=TOI |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616000600/http://mobilepaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=13§id=edid=&edlabel=TOIM&mydateHid=21-04-2010&pubname=Times+of+India+-+Mumbai&edname=&articleid=Ar01307&publabel=TOI |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 June 2013 |title=Athaiya meets Dalai Lama |access-date=3 May 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] }}</ref> | ||
On 23 February 2012, it was reported that Athaiya wished to return her Academy Award to the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] because she felt that her family will not be able to take care of the trophy after her demise.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lada|last=Singh|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/oscars-2012/story/first-indian-to-win-an-oscar-bhanu-athaiya-wants-to-return-her-award-94000-2012-02-22|title=First Indian to win an Oscar, Bhanu Athaiya wants to return her award|date=23 February 2012|access-date=3 May 2013|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017133036/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/oscars-2012/story/first-indian-to-win-an-oscar-bhanu-athaiya-wants-to-return-her-award-94000-2012-02-23|url-status=live}}</ref> On 15 December 2012, it was confirmed that the trophy had been returned to The Academy.<ref>{{cite news |first=Avijit|last=Ghosh|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-15/india/35836042_1_finest-motion-picture-museum-bhanu-athaiya-costume-designer|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616000540/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-15/india/35836042_1_finest-motion-picture-museum-bhanu-athaiya-costume-designer|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 June 2013|title= Bhanu Athaiya returns Oscar fearing theft|date=15 December 2012|access-date= 3 May 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> | |||
In April 2021, as part of the ''New York Times'' "Overlooked" series of obituaries that were not written at the time of the person's death (in this case, October 2020), Anita Gates wrote an obituary of Athaiya. In it, Athaiya is quoted about her work on ''Gandhi'': "[[Richard Attenborough]] was making a complex film and needed someone who knew India inside out," Athaiya told ''Eastern Eye'', a British weekly newspaper, in an interview published last year. "So much had to be contributed, and I was ready for it."<ref name=NYT>{{Cite news|last=Gates|first=Anita|date=2021-04-22|title=Overlooked No More: Bhanu Athaiya, Who Won India Its First Oscar|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/obituaries/bhanu-athaiya-overlooked.html|access-date=2021-04-22|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> | |||
An exhibition titled "People of Mumbai", at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMV), Mumbai, showcases Bhanu Athaiya’s contributions to Modern Art and Indian cinema through a display of both her art and costume designs. Among the exhibits is the famous orange saree-dress worn by actress Mumtaz in ''Brahmachari'' (1968), a look that became emblematic of 1960s Bollywood style. The display included a rare work on Canvas from her [[Bombay Progressive Artists' Group|Progressive Artists' Group]] days, loaned by Prinseps.[https://www.cntraveller.in/story/this-brand-new-gallery-at-csmvs-is-a-tribute-to-mumbai-and-its-people/] | |||
==Personal life== | |||
Bhanu married a lyricist and poet, Satyendra Athaiya, in the 1950s. Subsequently in 1959, she changed her name from Bhanumati to Bhanu Athaiya. Satyendra died in 2004.<ref name=NYT/> | |||
In 2012, Bhanu was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which eventually lead to her suffering paralysis on one side of the body and was bed-ridden for the last three years of her life. She died on October 15, 2020, in Mumbai at the age of 91, at a medical centre in [[South Mumbai]]. She is survived by her daughter Radhika Gupta.<ref name="ex">{{Cite web|date=15 October 2020|title=Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya passes away|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/costume-designer-bhanu-athaiya-passes-away-6740971/|access-date=15 October 2020|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref name="arch" /> | |||
==Awards and nominations== | ==Awards and nominations== | ||
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!scope="col" | Year | !scope="col" | Year | ||
!scope="col" | Award | !scope="col" | Award | ||
!scope="col" | Film | !scope="col" | Film/Artwork | ||
!scope="col" | Result | !scope="col" | Result | ||
!scope="col" class="unsortable" style="text-align:center;" | Ref. | !scope="col" class="unsortable" style="text-align:center;" | Ref. | ||
|- | |||
|style="text-align:center;" |1951 | |||
|Usha Deshmukh Gold Medal - JJ School of Art | |||
|''[[c:File:Bhanu Athaiya - Lady in Repose (1951).tif|Lady In Repose]]'' | |||
|{{won}} | |||
|<ref>{{WP:Image citation/template|creator= |file=Bhanu-athaiya-j-j-school-gold-medal-2.jpg|medium= |title=Usha Deshmukh Gold Medal|date= 1951|repository= JJ School of Art|url= https://upload.wikimedia.org/Bharatpedia/commons/7/7d/Bhanu-athaiya-j-j-school-gold-medal-2.jpg|id= }}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|style="text-align:center;" |[[55th Academy Awards|1983<br/>{{small|(55th)}}]] | |style="text-align:center;" |[[55th Academy Awards|1983<br/>{{small|(55th)}}]] | ||
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|''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' | |''[[Gandhi (film)|Gandhi]]'' | ||
|{{won}} | |{{won}} | ||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1983|title=The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners|access-date=2 May 2013|publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]|archive-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/55th-winners.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-01-14 |title=Academy Awards Database Search {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences |url=https://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/search/getresults?query=%7B%22FilmTitle%22%3A%22Gandhi%22%2C%22Sort%22%3A%222-Film%20Title-Alpha%22%2C%22AwardShowNumberFrom%22%3A0%2C%22AwardShowNumberTo%22%3A0%2C%22Search%22%3A30%7D |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114153313/https://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/search/getresults?query=%7B%22FilmTitle%22%3A%22Gandhi%22%2C%22Sort%22%3A%222-Film%20Title-Alpha%22%2C%22AwardShowNumberFrom%22%3A0%2C%22AwardShowNumberTo%22%3A0%2C%22Search%22%3A30%7D |archive-date=Jan 14, 2023 |access-date=2023-01-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1983|title=The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners|access-date=2 May 2013|publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]|archive-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/55th-winners.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="text-align:center;" |[[36th British Academy Film Awards|1983<br/>{{small|(36th)}}]] | |style="text-align:center;" |[[36th British Academy Film Awards|1983<br/>{{small|(36th)}}]] | ||
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|''Gandhi'' | |''Gandhi'' | ||
|{{nom}} | |{{nom}} | ||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1983/film|title=Film in 1983 - BAFTA Awards|access-date=2 May 2013|publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]]|archive-date=5 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905053950/http://awards.bafta.org/award/1983/film|url-status=live}}</ref> | |<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1983/film|title=Film in 1983 - BAFTA Awards|access-date=2 May 2013|publisher=[[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]]|archive-date=5 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905053950/http://awards.bafta.org/award/1983/film|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="text-align:center;" |[[38th National Film Awards|1991<br/>{{small|(38th)}}]] | |style="text-align:center;" |[[38th National Film Awards|1991<br/>{{small|(38th)}}]] | ||
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|{{won}} | |{{won}} | ||
|<ref>{{cite news | url= http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-21/news-interviews/36461870_1_special-award-bhanu-athaiya-gender-sensitivity | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130527105726/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-21/news-interviews/36461870_1_special-award-bhanu-athaiya-gender-sensitivity | url-status= dead | archive-date= 27 May 2013 |title= NGO to honour Bhanu Athaiya with Lifetime Achievement award |work=[[The Times of India]]|publisher=[[The Times Group]]|date=21 January 2013|access-date=11 July 2013}}</ref> | |<ref>{{cite news | url= http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-21/news-interviews/36461870_1_special-award-bhanu-athaiya-gender-sensitivity | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130527105726/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-21/news-interviews/36461870_1_special-award-bhanu-athaiya-gender-sensitivity | url-status= dead | archive-date= 27 May 2013 |title= NGO to honour Bhanu Athaiya with Lifetime Achievement award |work=[[The Times of India]]|publisher=[[The Times Group]]|date=21 January 2013|access-date=11 July 2013}}</ref> | ||
|} | |} | ||
==Filmography== | ==Filmography== | ||
<small>Source(s):</small> <ref>{{Cite web|title=Bhanu Athaiya movies and filmography - Cinestaan.com|url=https://www.cinestaan.com/people/bhanu-athaiya-3344/filmography|access-date=15 October 2020|website=Cinestaan|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017133030/https://www.cinestaan.com/people/bhanu-athaiya-3344/filmography|url-status=live}}</ref> | <small>Source(s):</small><ref>{{Cite web|title=Bhanu Athaiya movies and filmography - Cinestaan.com|url=https://www.cinestaan.com/people/bhanu-athaiya-3344/filmography|access-date=15 October 2020|website=Cinestaan|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017133030/https://www.cinestaan.com/people/bhanu-athaiya-3344/filmography|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Year !! Title | ! Year !! Title | ||
| Line 109: | Line 131: | ||
|1995|| ''[[Prem (film)|Prem]]'' | |1995|| ''[[Prem (film)|Prem]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1995|| ''[[The Cloud Door| The Cloud Door (Himmelspforte, Die)]]'' | |1995|| '' [[The Cloud Door|The Cloud Door (Himmelspforte, Die)]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1995|| ''[[Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India]]'' | |1995|| ''[[Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India]]'' | ||
| Line 127: | Line 149: | ||
|1990 || ''[[Agneepath (1990 film)|Agneepath]]'' | |1990 || ''[[Agneepath (1990 film)|Agneepath]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1989|| ''[[Chandni (film)|Chandni]]'' | |1989|| ''[[Chandni (1989 film)|Chandni]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1988 || ''[[Hero Hiralal]]'' | |1988 || ''[[Hero Hiralal]]'' | ||
| Line 185: | Line 207: | ||
|1978|| ''[[Shalimar (1978 film)|Shalimar]]'' | |1978|| ''[[Shalimar (1978 film)|Shalimar]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1978 || ''[[Ghar (film)|Ghar]]'' | |1978 || ''[[Ghar (1978 film)|Ghar]]'' | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1978 || ''[[Ganga Ki Saugandh]]'' | |1978 || ''[[Ganga Ki Saugandh]]'' | ||
| Line 312: | Line 334: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|1956 || ''[[C.I.D. (1956 film)|C.I.D.]]'' | |1956 || ''[[C.I.D. (1956 film)|C.I.D.]]'' | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 341: | Line 362: | ||
[[Category:Best Costume Design Academy Award winners]] | [[Category:Best Costume Design Academy Award winners]] | ||
[[Category:Best Costume Design National Film Award winners]] | [[Category:Best Costume Design National Film Award winners]] | ||
[[Category:Deaths from brain | [[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in India]] | ||
[[Category:Indian Academy Award winners]] | [[Category:Indian Academy Award winners]] | ||
[[Category:Indian costume designers]] | [[Category:Indian costume designers]] | ||
[[Category:Indian illustrators]] | [[Category:20th-century Indian illustrators]] | ||
[[Category:Indian women fashion designers]] | [[Category:Indian women fashion designers]] | ||
[[Category:Indian fashion designers]] | |||
[[Category:People from Kolhapur]] | [[Category:People from Kolhapur]] | ||
[[Category:Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art alumni]] | [[Category:Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art alumni]] | ||
[[Category:Women artists from Maharashtra]] | [[Category:Women artists from Maharashtra]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Indian women costume designers]] | ||
[[Category:Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award winners]] | |||
Latest revision as of 22:17, 18 March 2026
Bhanu Athaiya | |
|---|---|
![]() Athaiya at the Academy Awards, 1983 | |
| Born | Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye 28 April 1929 |
| Died | 15 October 2020 (aged 91) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Education | Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art |
| Occupation | Costume designer and Painter |
| Years active | 1947–2015 |
| Movement | Bombay Progressive Artists' Group |
| Spouse(s) | Satyendra Athaiya |
| Awards | Template:Ulist |
Bhanu Athaiya (née Rajopadhye; 28 April 1929 – 15 October 2020) was an Indian costume designer and painter.[1] She was the first Indian to win an Academy Award.[2][3] Alongside being Bollywood's most iconic costume designer, she had a historically important early career as an artist with contemporaries like M. F. Husain, F. N. Souza and Vasudeo S. Gaitonde.[4] She was the only woman member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group.[5] Two of Bhanu Rajopadhye's artworks were included in the 1953 Progressive Artists' Group show in Bombay.[6]
After her switch from art to cinema, Bhanu went on to become one of the leading creators of the aesthetic of a young India through her work on costumes for Bollywood films. She worked on over 100 films, with Indian filmmakers such as Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, B.R. Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, and Ashutosh Gowariker, notably in films like C.I.D. (1956), Pyaasa (1957), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Guide (1965), Amrapali (1966), Teesri Manzil (1966), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1979), Razia Sultan (1983), Chandni (1989), Lekin... (1990), 1942: A Love Story (1993), Lagaan (2001),[7] and Swades (2004). She also worked on international projects with directors such Conrad Rooks in Siddhartha (1972) and Richard Attenborough in Gandhi (1982).
For Gandhi, Bhanu won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design[8] and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design.[9]
She was honored in the 'In memoriam' segment of the 93rd Academy Awards.[10]
Early life and background[edit | edit source]
Bhanu was born into a Marathi Brahmin family[11] in Kolhapur (in present-day Maharashtra). She was the third of seven children born to Annasaheb and Shantabai Rajopadhye. Athaiya's father, Annasaheb was a self-taught artist and photographer who worked in the films of Baburao Painter. He died when Athaiya was 11 years old.[12][13]
She studied at Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai, where she won the Usha Deshmukh Gold medal in 1951 for the artwork titled 'Lady In Repose'.[14][15][16]


Career[edit | edit source]
Bhanu started her career as an artist in Mumbai while still studying at JJ School of Art. Later she became a member of the Progressive Artists' Group and exhibited with them.[6][17] She continued her part-time stint as a freelance fashion illustrator for women's magazine like "Eve's Weekly" and "Fashion & Beauty". while at the JJ School of Art.[18] Later when the Eve's Weekly editor opened a boutique, she asked Athaiya to try designing dresses, hereupon she discovered her flair for designing clothes. Her success as a designer soon led to her switching career paths. Her costume designing career began by designing clothes for Guru Dutt's films, starting with C.I.D. (1956). She soon became a part of the Guru Dutt team.[19]
She made her debut as a film costume designer with the film C.I.D. in 1956,[20] and followed it up with other Guru Dutt films such as Pyaasa (1957), Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). In her career spanning 50 years she has received numerous awards. She won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design (shared with John Mollo) for her work in the 1982 film, Gandhi and became the first Indian to win an Academy Award.[20][21] She also won two National Film Awards, in 1991[22] and 2002.[23]
In a career spanning over 100 films, she worked with Indian filmmakers such as Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, B.R. Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, and Ashutosh Gowariker, and international directors such Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough.[24][25][26]
In March 2010, Athaiya released her book The Art of Costume Design, published by HarperCollins.[27] On 13 January 2013, Athaiya presented a copy of the book to the Dalai Lama.[28][29]
On 23 February 2012, it was reported that Athaiya wished to return her Academy Award to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences because she felt that her family will not be able to take care of the trophy after her demise.[30] On 15 December 2012, it was confirmed that the trophy had been returned to The Academy.[31]
In April 2021, as part of the New York Times "Overlooked" series of obituaries that were not written at the time of the person's death (in this case, October 2020), Anita Gates wrote an obituary of Athaiya. In it, Athaiya is quoted about her work on Gandhi: "Richard Attenborough was making a complex film and needed someone who knew India inside out," Athaiya told Eastern Eye, a British weekly newspaper, in an interview published last year. "So much had to be contributed, and I was ready for it."[32]
An exhibition titled "People of Mumbai", at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMV), Mumbai, showcases Bhanu Athaiya’s contributions to Modern Art and Indian cinema through a display of both her art and costume designs. Among the exhibits is the famous orange saree-dress worn by actress Mumtaz in Brahmachari (1968), a look that became emblematic of 1960s Bollywood style. The display included a rare work on Canvas from her Progressive Artists' Group days, loaned by Prinseps.[1]
Personal life[edit | edit source]
Bhanu married a lyricist and poet, Satyendra Athaiya, in the 1950s. Subsequently in 1959, she changed her name from Bhanumati to Bhanu Athaiya. Satyendra died in 2004.[32]
In 2012, Bhanu was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which eventually lead to her suffering paralysis on one side of the body and was bed-ridden for the last three years of her life. She died on October 15, 2020, in Mumbai at the age of 91, at a medical centre in South Mumbai. She is survived by her daughter Radhika Gupta.[33][14]
Awards and nominations[edit | edit source]
| Year | Award | Film/Artwork | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Usha Deshmukh Gold Medal - JJ School of Art | Lady In Repose | Won | [34] |
| 1983 (55th) |
Academy Award for Best Costume Design | Gandhi | Won | [35][36] |
| 1983 (36th) |
BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design | Gandhi | Nominated | [9][37] |
| 1991 (38th) |
National Film Award for Best Costume Design | Lekin... | Won | [22] |
| 2002 (49th) |
National Film Award for Best Costume Design | Lagaan | Won | [23] |
| 2009 (54th) |
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [38] | |
| 2013 (4th) |
Laadli Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [39] |
Filmography[edit | edit source]
Source(s):[40]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Bhanu Athaiya: Costume designer who won India's first Oscar dies". BBC News. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Gates, Anita (22 April 2021). "Overlooked No More: Bhanu Athaiya, Who Won India Its First Oscar". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (15 October 2020). "Bhanu Athaiya, India's First Oscar Winner for 'Gandhi,' Dies at 91". Variety. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Ranjit Hoskote, Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya:The Legacy of a Long-hidden Sun, Academia, December 2020
- ↑ Before Bhanu Athaiya, the Oscar-winning designer, there was Bhanu Athaiya, the modernist painter. Scroll. Jul 31, 2018
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 1953 Progressive Artists' Group Exhibition Catalogue
- ↑ Thomas, Kevin (10 May 2002). "Cricket in the Face of Colonialism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Harmetz, Aljean (12 April 1983). "'GANDHI' IS WINNER OF EIGHT ACADEMY AWARDS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Gittins, William (24 April 2021). "In Memoriam Oscars 2021: directors, actors and writers who died in 2020". Diario AS. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
- ↑ "Kolhapur residents mourn daughter who put town on world map By Nikhil Deshmukh". The Week. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ↑ Lala, Smita (7 May 2008). "My Fundays: Bhanu Athaiya". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ "Bhanu Athaiya: Costume designer who won India's first Oscar dies". BBC News. 15 October 2020.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Prinseps's 'Bhanu Athaiya Estate Sale' sets out to give the late designer her due as an artist". Architectural Digest. 1 December 2020.
- ↑ "Bhanu Athaiya's Lady In Repose". Prinseps. December 2020.
- ↑ "Discussion With Bhanu Athaiya's Daughter". YouTube. June 2022.
- ↑ Bhanu Athaiya Estate Sale Catalogue December 2020
- ↑ Bhanu's Eve's Weekly Spread Pages, Bhanu Athaiya Estate Auction December 2020
- ↑ Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema, by Nasreen Munni Kabir. Published by Oxford University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-19-563849-2. pp 117-118.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Chatterjee, Madhusree (20 February 2009). "Bhanu Athaiya - India's first Oscar winner walks down memory lane". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ "From dandy to Dandi, it was a long journey". Hindustan Times. 25 March 2001. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "38th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "49th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ Holland, Oscar; Suri, Manveena; Esha, Mitra (16 October 2020). "Bhanu Athaiya, India's first Oscar winner, dies age 91". CNN. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (15 October 2020). "Bhanu Athaiya, India's First Oscar Winner for 'Gandhi,' Dies at 91". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ↑ "Veteran costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, India's first Oscar winner, dies at 91". www.dnaindia.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ↑ "The Art of Costume Design, by Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya". HarperCollins Publishers India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ "No one will fight China to make a stand for Tibet". Phayul.com. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ "Athaiya meets Dalai Lama". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Singh, Lada (23 February 2012). "First Indian to win an Oscar, Bhanu Athaiya wants to return her award". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- ↑ Ghosh, Avijit (15 December 2012). "Bhanu Athaiya returns Oscar fearing theft". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ 32.0 32.1 Gates, Anita (22 April 2021). "Overlooked No More: Bhanu Athaiya, Who Won India Its First Oscar". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ↑ "Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya passes away". The Indian Express. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ↑ {{WP:Image citation/template|creator= |file=Bhanu-athaiya-j-j-school-gold-medal-2.jpg|medium= |title=Usha Deshmukh Gold Medal|date= 1951|repository= JJ School of Art|url= https://upload.wikimedia.org/Bharatpedia/commons/7/7d/Bhanu-athaiya-j-j-school-gold-medal-2.jpg%7Cid= }}
- ↑ "Academy Awards Database Search | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences". 14 January 2023. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ "The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Film in 1983 - BAFTA Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ↑ "Filmfare: 'Jodha...' bags 5, Priyanka, Hrithik shine". The Times of India. The Times Group. 1 March 2009. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ↑ "NGO to honour Bhanu Athaiya with Lifetime Achievement award". The Times of India. The Times Group. 21 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ↑ "Bhanu Athaiya movies and filmography - Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
