Bhanu Athaiya
Bhanu Athaiya (née Annasaheb Rajopadhye; 28 April 1929 – 15 October 2020) was an Indian costume designer. 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; and international directors such Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough. She was the first Indian to win an Academy Award, winning one for costume design for Gandhi in 1982.
Bhanu Athaiya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye 28 April 1929 |
| Died | 15 October 2020 (aged 91) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Costume designer |
| Years active | 1956–2004 |
| Spouse(s) | Satyendra Athaiya (separated) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards |
|
Biography
Athaiya was born in Kolhapur in Maharashtra of British India. She was the third of the seven children born to Annasaheb and Shantabai Rajopadhye. Athaiya's father, Annasaheb was a painter. He died when Athaiya was nine years old.[1]
Athaiya died on 15 October 2020 from complications of brain cancer at a medical center in South Mumbai, aged 91.[2]
Career
Athaiya started her career as a freelance fashion illustrator for various women's magazines in Bombay, including the 'Eve's Weekly'. Later when its 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 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.[3]
She made her debut as a film costume designer with the film C.I.D. in 1956,[4] 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. She became the first Indian to win an Academy Award.[4][5] She also won two National Film Awards, in 1991[6] and 2002.[7]
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.[8][9][10]
In March 2010, Athaiya released her book The Art of Costume Design, published by Harper Collins.[11] On 13 January 2013, Athaiya presented a copy of the book to the Dalai Lama.[12][13]
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.[14] On 15 December 2012, it was confirmed that the trophy had been returned to The Academy.[15]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 (55th) |
Academy Award for Best Costume Design | Gandhi | Won | [16] |
| 1983 (36th) |
BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design | Gandhi | Nominated | [17] |
| 1991 (38th) |
National Film Award for Best Costume Design | Lekin... | Won | [6] |
| 2002 (49th) |
National Film Award for Best Costume Design | Lagaan | Won | [7] |
| 2009 (54th) |
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [18] | |
| 2013 (4th) |
Laadli Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [19] | |
Filmography
Source(s): [20]
References
- Lala, Smita (7 May 2008). "My Fundays: Bhanu Athaiya". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- "Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya passes away". The Indian Express. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 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.
- 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. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- "38th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- "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. "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. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
- 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.
- "The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- "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. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- "Bhanu Athaiya movies and filmography - Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
