Biography
Bhanu Athaiya was an Indian costume designer and painter. Born Bhanumati Annasaheb Rajopadhye on 28 April 1929 in Kolhapur, she studied at the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art in Mumbai. She began her career as a fashion illustrator before moving into film costume design.
Athaiya designed costumes for more than 100 films over six decades. Her early work included C.I.D. (1956), Pyaasa (1957) and other Guru Dutt productions. She is best known for her designs on Gandhi (1982), for which she shared the Academy Award for Best Costume Design with John Mollo, becoming the first Indian Oscar winner. Later credits include Lagaan (2001) and Swades (2004). She received National Film Awards for Lekin... (1990) and Lagaan.
Athaiya was also a painter associated with the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group. She died in Mumbai on 15 October 2020.
