'Bharat through the lens of Bhanu Athaiya' celebrates the doyenne of costume design Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya, and her exemplary vision of India. The exhibit delved into the essence of India embodied by Bhanu's iconic costume designs crafted for Indian cinema. A trailblazer in defining the aesthetics of a new India through her creations, Bhanu left an indelible mark on cinema. Her remarkable work graced films like Amrapali, Waqt, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Sangam, Gandhi, Lagaan, Swades, and more. An extension and continuation of the first Bhanu Athaiya exhibit shedding light on Bhanu's artistic and cinematic achievements in Delhi, the exhibit in Goa aimed to rediscover the roots of India through the eyes of a visionary costume designer Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya.
Reflecting on the exhibit's focal point, a compelling conversation emerged, centered on dismantling stereotypes in cinema. Zeenat Aman, a style icon and actor, nostalgically revisits and reimagines herself in the meticulously crafted ensembles by Bhanu Athaiya. Beyond being mere fashion statements, these creations stand as formidable declarations, boldly challenging societal norms. In the world of Hindi Cinema, Zeenat Aman and Bhanu Athaiya emerge as pioneers who gracefully dismantled stereotypes. Zeenat’s fearless on-screen presence in films like ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ challenged conventional beauty norms. Bhanu, the visionary costume designer, played a pivotal role in this revolution, crafting ensembles that echoed individuality. Click here to watch the video - Breaking Stereotypes: In conversation with Zeenat Aman.
While yet another engaging conversation centering around Bhanu Athaiya's cultural and childhood influences that shaped her creative legacy was led by art critic Gayatri Sinha, watch the video here.
