OUR OWN OSCAR- BHANU ATHAIYA 

A tribute by Dolly Thakore

Bhanu Athaiya receiving Laadli Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011-12 at NCPA with Dolly Thakore, Ashutosh Gowariker and Dr. A.L.Sharada

THE FIRST THING I DID when I got news of Bhanu Athaiya passing away, was reach out for the book THE ART OF COSTUME DESIGN by BHANU RAJOPADHYE ATHAIYA above my bed.

And on the opening page found her inscription which read: To Dearest Dolly, to all the wonderful memories we have shared on GANDHI and through the years – Bhanu Feb. 23, 2010.

That was the day she had launched her long overdue book  on her career at the Taj Landsend, in Bandra. And I had the honour of launching her book along with Kamini Kaushal with whom Bhanu had worked on her first film project AAS in 1953.

I first met Bhanu at my friend actor Nadira’s home on Pedder Road somewhere in the early Seventies. And my first conversation with her was about Shree 420, and how I imitated Nadira in MUD MUD KE NA DEKH as a little girl. And she told me she had designed all costumes for Raj Kapoor including the dress Nadira sang that song in!

At that time I was cast as Stella in Alyque Padamsee’s play STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.  And I had the audacity to ask if she would design my costume. She agreed immediately.  I knew we could not afford this great Film Costume Designer. But with great trepidation I landed up at her workshop in a garage in Shanker Mahal. Within seconds she sketched the low- waisted blue dress I wore in the play….and didn’t charge me a paisa!

How then could I have loved anyone more than her!!!

Then came GANDHI… and my first suggestion to Sir Richard –later Lord Attenborough – for a Costume Designer was Bhanu. As Richard himself writes in his foreword “It took me 17 long years to set up Gandhi, my dream film, and just 15 minutes to make up my mind that Bhanu Athaiya was the right person to create the many hundreds of Indian costumes that would be required to bring it to the screen”.

During the filming of Gandhi for almost a year, some of us had permanent residence at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi. While most of us preened through its corridors boasting about working on the film, Bhanu was seldom seen anywhere. She worked quietly behind the scenes visiting the lanes of Delhi and accessing tailors and cutters for the hundreds of pyjamas and kurtas that would roll out in trucks on the day of the shoot. She once shared her despair at making nothing but pyjamas! But after the Oscar Award she confided what a challenging job it was choosing the right fabric and cutting the pyjamas for people in different regions of India. Each had a specialty of its own. And never once did we hear her make a demand or complain!

In all the years I have known her, her image never changed. Her glamorous head of jet black hair professionally coiffure framed her smile as she glided elegantly in sophisticated chiffon sarees. Her last visit to my home was in August 2014, when I hosted a gathering of some of the cast and crew of Gandhi to remember Sir Richard’s passing away that week. She sat demurely on the diwan…acknowledging those she recognized, and gave me a long lasting hug. This was my Laadli of the Year 2012.

For me one of the most exciting responsibilities as the Coordinator of National Laadli Media  Awards is of suggesting someone for the Laadli Lifetime Achievement Award. Shuffling through all the women achievers I had encountered in my life from the vast canvass of media oriented pursuits one name that jumped out was Bhanu Athaiya. And in the field of film costume designing by any women the choice was easiest. No woman had  designed more costumes for more successful popular films for over 50 years and for the most popular banners and directors and actors than Bhanu Athaiya.

And remembering all those encounters brings a tear to my eye even today. Goodbye Bhanu. There will never be another like you.