- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMaqbool Fida Hussain
- Nickname
- The Picasso of India
- M.F. Hussain was born on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur, Bombay Presidency, British India. He was a writer and director, known for Through the Eyes of a Painter (1967), Gaja Gamini (2000) and Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities (2004). He was married to Fazila Bibi. He died on June 9, 2011 in London, England, UK.
- SpouseFazila Bibi (6 children)
- Uncombed mane of hair; usually went barefoot
- Father of Maqbool Husain.
- Fled India in 2006 after his painting "Bharatmata", depicting Mother India as a nude woman, earned him death threats from Hindu extremists.
- His artistic talent was first noticed in childhood when his family saw how easily he mastered Arabic calligraphy. He sold his schoolbooks to buy art supplies, and loved painting landscapes.
- When he was 18, he went to Mumbai (then Bombay) to pursue a career in film-making. But his first job was painting movie signboards. This experience helped him when he began creating murals and other large works.
- After India gained independence, he joined the Progressive Artist's Group, which sought to break away from traditional forms of content and technique.
- Nothing is stopping me [from returning to India]; I can return tomorrow. But please know I remain an Indian painter whether I am painting in Paris, London, New York, or Qatar. (on his self-imposed exile)
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
