Santi P. Choudhury

A Painter of Our Times

Santi P. Choudhury

Husain is a painter of our time. In his work there is no dilemma of being born between tradition and modernity, Indianness and Westerness. Maqbul Fida Husain was born in the town of Sholapur. His grandfather was a tinsmith, his father a clerk. The family suffered heavily at the time of depression. Husain's schooling ended early and attempts to take up professions such as tailoring failed. However, an attempt to train him as a priest eventually led Husain to take deep interest in Islamic literature and calligraphy.His painting life began when he migrated to Bombay in 1937 at the age of 22. For many years, he painted gigantic billboards which announed the glories of the Bombay cinema. Husain has become a living legend now. This film shows various works of the painter,while presenting his preoccupations as an artist.