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

Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, who became the first Indian to win an Oscar breathed her last on October 15 due to prolonged illness. The designer was 91, her daughter told PTI. Athaiya won the Best Costume Design Oscar for her work in the 1982 film Gandhi. The designer also designed costumes for some of the 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 others.

Bhanu Athaiya passes away

"She passed away early this morning. Eight years ago, she was diagnosed with a tumour in her brain. For the 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 managed to give the characters in British director Richard Attenborough’s Mahatma Gandhi biopic an authentic look. In her memoir The Art Of Costume Design where she described her experience of working as the only Indian on a project in which all the team members including the director, scriptwriter, cameraman, production, and set designer were from England. A person who mastered the art of designing was the recipient of two National Awards including for Gulzar's 1990 mystery drama Lekin and the period film Lagaan which was helmed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The last rites of Athaiya took place at the 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, the 91-year-old designer was asked to try designing dresses, after which she discovered her inner talent and flair for designing clothes. Her success as a designer soon led to her switching career paths. The designer even released her own book titled 'The Art of Costume Design' in 2013 which was published by Harper Collins and received immense love and appreciation from people.

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(Image credit: The Academy/ Instagram)