Bhanu Athaiya
| Bhanu Athaiya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye April 28, 1929 Kolhapur, Kolhapur State, British India (now in Maharashtra, India) |
| Occupation | costume designer |
| Years active | 1956-2004 |
| Spouse(s) | Satyendra Athaiya (separated, now widowed) |
| Children | daughter |
| Awards |
1982: Best Costume Design: Gandhi Best Costume Design 1991: Lekin... 2002: Lagaan |
Bhanu Athaiya née Rajopadhye (Marathi: भानु अथैय्या; born 28 April 1929) is an Indian costume designer, having worked in over 100 films, since the 1950s, with noted filmmakers like Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Ashutosh Gowariker, and international directors like Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough.
She made her debut as a film costume designer with the film C.I.D. in 1956,[1] and followed it up with other Guru Dutt classics like 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.[1][2] She also won two National Film Awards, in 1991[3] and 2002.[4]
In March 2010, Athaiya released her book The Art of Costume Design, published by Harper Collins.[5] On January 13, 2013, Athaiya presented a copy of the book to the Dalai Lama.[6][7]
On February 23, 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.[8] On December 15, 2012, it was confirmed that the trophy had been returned to The Academy.[9]
Biography
Bhanu Athaiya was born Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye in Kolhapur in Maharashtra. 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.[10]
Her education in art began early. An art teacher used to come home to teach her drawing. Later after finishing her schooling, she enrolled at Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. She graduated from there in fine arts with top honors, winning a gold medal and a fellowship. She was also nominated a member of the Progressive Artists' Group, founded by Francis Newton Souza.
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.[11]
A tribute was paid to her body of work at the opening of the South Asian International Film Festival, New York in November 2005.
Personal life
Athaiya was married to Satyendra Athaiya, a poet and occasional lyricist for Hindi films. The marriage ended in separation, and she never remarried. The couple has one daughter, who currently resides with her family in Kolkata. Athaiya currently resides in Mumbai.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 (55th) |
Academy Award for Best Costume Design | Gandhi | Won | [12] |
| 1983 (36th) |
BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design | Gandhi | Nominated | [13] |
| 1991 (38th) |
National Film Award for Best Costume Design | Lekin... | Won | [3] |
| 2002 (49th) |
National Film Award for Best Costume Design | Lagaan | Won | [4] |
| 2009 (54th) |
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [14] | |
| 2013 (4th) |
Laadli Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [15] | |
Filmography
References
- 1 2 Chatterjee, Madhusree (February 20, 2009). "Bhanu Athaiya - India's first Oscar winner walks down memory lane". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ "From dandy to Dandi, it was a long journey". Hindustan Times. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- 1 2 "38th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
- 1 2 "49th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
- ↑ "The Art of Costume Design, by Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya". HarperCollins Publishers India. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ "No one will fight China to make a stand for Tibet". Phayul.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ "Athaiya meets Dalai Lama". The Times of India. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ Singh, Lada (February 23, 2012). "First Indian to win an Oscar, Bhanu Athaiya wants to return her award". Hindustan Times. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ Ghosh, Avijit (December 15, 2012). "Bhanu Athaiya returns Oscar fearing theft". The Times of India. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ Lala, Smita (May 7, 2008). "My Fundays: Bhanu Athaiya". The Telegraph. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ↑ Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema, by Nasreen Munni Kabir. Published by Oxford University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-19-563849-2. pp 117-118.
- ↑ "The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
- ↑ "Film in 1983 - BAFTA Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 2013-05-02.
- ↑ "Filmfare: 'Jodha...' bags 5, Priyanka, Hrithik shine". The Times of India. The Times Group. March 1, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
- ↑ "NGO to honour Bhanu Athaiya with Lifetime Achievement award". The Times of India. The Times Group. January 21, 2013. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
External links
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