While the majority of India hails the names of Satyajit Ray and A.R. Rahman, it is unfortunate that India doesn’t remember its first Oscar recipient
In the world of cinema, there is nothing more significant than winning an Oscar or an Academy Award. India, despite producing brilliant movies over the years, has had only a handful of successes at the Oscars. Therefore, it is quite sad that the majority doesn’t celebrate all those who won but only remember the names of Ray and Rahman.
In this trivia, we present India’s first Oscar winner—a name that has faded over the years.
In 1982, Richard Attenborough visited to film ‘Gandhi’, which was an Indo-British production.
The entire crew was comprised of English people except for one.
Bhanu Athaiya was made the head of the costume department alongside John Mollo, who had won an Oscar for his Star Wars costume designs.
Bhanu worked hard to get the costumes correct, which spanned decades. From combing museums and libraries to setting an entire wall full of Gandhi’s pictures, she researched Mahatma Gandhi’s clothes like no other.
There’s no doubt that Ben Kingsley nailed the role of Gandhi, but Bhanu ensured the film's visual authenticity, ensuring that despite being a film largely made by English people, Kingsley looked exactly like Gandhi in a dhoti and shawl.
Bhanu Athaiya was awarded the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for the film ‘Gandhi’ in 1983 – the first by an Indian.
