Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, first Indian to win Oscar, passes away at 91

Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, who became first Indian to win an Oscar bread her last on October 15 due to prolonged illness. designer was 91, her daughter told PTI. Athaiya won Best Costume Design Oscar for her work in 1982 film Gandhi. designer also designed costumes for some of iconic Bollywood films like Guru Dutt’s C.I.D, Pyaasa, Kagaz Ke Phool, Waqt, Arzoo, Amrapali, Suraj, Anita, Milan, Raat Aur Din, Shikar, Guide, Teesri Manzil, 1942 – A Love Story among ors.

Bhanu Athaiya passes away

"She passed away early this morning. Eight years ago, she was diagsed with a tumour in her brain. For last three years, she was bedridden because one side (of her body) was paralysed,” her daughtertold PTI.

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Apart from Bollywood films, Athaiya also mand to give characters in British director Richard Attenborough’s Mahatma Gandhi biopic an auntic look. In her memoir Art Of Costume Design where she described her experience of working as only Indian on a project in which all team members including director, scriptwriter, cameraman, production, and set designer were from England. A person who mastered art of designing was recipient of two National Awards including for Gulzar's 1990 mystery drama Lekin and period film Lagaan which was helmed by Ashutosh Gowariker. last rites of Athaiya took place at Chandanwadi crematorium in South Mumbai.

Athaiya, who was born in Kolhapur, began her career in costume designing as a freelance fashion illustrator for various women's magazines in Mumbai. Later when its editor opened a boutique, 91-year-old designer was asked to try designing dresses, after which she discovered her inner talent and flair for designing clos. Her success as a designer soon led to her switching career paths. designer even released her own book titled ' Art of Costume Design' in 2013 which was published by Harper Collins and received immense love and appreciation from people.

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(Im credit: Academy/ Instagram)