Maqbool Fida Husain, popularly known as M.F. Husain, was more than just the artist who earned worldwide fame as the ‘Picasso of India’. His incredible career started with movie billboards in Bombay, led him through modern Indian art, Bollywood films and culminated in a period of controversy which led him to leave his native land.
M.F. Husain, born on 17th September, 1915, is still one of the most recognised personalities in the field of Indian art. But some of the most interesting episodes of his life preceded his global recognition.
How Did He Start By Painting Bollywood Hoardings?
While coming to Bombay in the 1930s, Husain was eager to be an artist but had hardly any money to do so. He got employed in painting large movie hoardings that were up to 40 feet in size with just four or six annas earned per square foot. The job was very tiring. He painted on the large scaffolding in the scorching sun of Mumbai city to make those large pictures that drew crowds to the theatres.
Later, he started working as a designer of toys and children’s furniture with about Rs 300 salary per month. He used to paint furniture by the day and create his artwork by night.
Why Was He Known As The ‘Picasso Of India’?
Husain became one of the members of the Progressive Artists’ Group in 1947, which sought to take art in India into a new direction after the independence of the country. Husain’s style was characterized by a blend of modernist elements with themes of Indian culture, mythology, history, and current affairs.
He soon acquired an international stature, and Forbes described him as “the Picasso of India”. In 1971, Husain participated in the São Paulo Biennale, along with Picasso. However, cinema did not leave him.
What Was His Connection With Madhuri Dixit?
One of the most unexpected phases in Husain’s career has been initiated by Madhuri Dixit. He was impressed with her after he watched the film Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! and is believed to have watched the movie many times. Soon, Madhuri became one of the constant subjects of his paintings and even his first directorial venture Gaja Gamini revolved around her.
This film was released in the year 2000 and featured Madhuri as a majestic muse going through different dimensions of the womanhood, beauty and artistry. Husain’s association with cinema already had one film which he had made some years back. The experimental film Through the Eyes of a Painter made by him in the year 1967 had won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
Why Did He Stop Wearing Shoes?
The barefoot look which later became an integral part of Husain’s public persona actually had its roots in a very personal experience. It was during the 1960s that Husain stopped wearing shoes in honour of the Hindi poet Gajanan Madhav Muktibodh, whose death had greatly moved Husain. Husain explained that he wanted to walk on hot ground in order to feel what the poet must have felt.
Henceforth, the unshoed painter would often be seen walking around without his shoes on any kind of road.
Why Did He Leave India?
Husain’s most controversial period in life occurred much later in life. Certain paintings which he painted portraying Hindu gods and goddesses were subjects of protest and lawsuits against him. The controversy arose from paintings like that of his portrayal of Bharat Mata, and Husain was threatened and subjected to lawsuits as a result.
In 2006, he chose to go into voluntary exile and spent more time away from India. He even adopted Qatari citizenship in 2010. This became perhaps the most controversial period of his life. Even after adopting citizenship of another country, he remained an Indian painter.
What Is His Legacy?
He passed away in London on June 9, 2011, at the age of 95. By that time, he had covered an amazing distance, starting from painting massive Bollywood advertisements for a few annas to international exhibitions, filmmaking, and becoming one of the most recognizable modern Indian artists. Moreover, his life is marked by the transition from art to cinema. The young Husain got his earnings initially because of his work on Bollywood posters; much later, cinema would become the theme and ultimately the means of expression in Husain’s paintings.
The transition from a barefoot painter on the scaffolding of Mumbai to an internationally famous artist, who was living in exile, is one of the most unusual tales in modern Indian art.
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Sunny Singh is a Journalist and Content Writer with a strong affinity for Bollywood and Hollywood insiders, music and more. Somewhat of a writer and poet himself, he thrives on giving life to words and deliver all you need to know about the entertainment sector.
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