MF Husain gifted me his paint brush: Amrita Rao
20/09/2021
It’s the celebrated and internationally acclaimed painter MF Husain’s 106 th birth anniversary today. On the occasion, Amrita Rao revisits a memory associated with the painter which stays quite close to her heart.
The duo shared a special bond. For the unawares, he considered Amrita his muse and even live painted her getting inspired by her role Poonam after watching her film Vivah starring Shahid Kapoor.
On his birth anniversary today, Amrita shares that she received a gift from the painter which she considers her prized possession. “Husain sahab had invited me and my mom to Dubai to be his guest while he wanted to paint me live.
On the last day of our visit, he confessed to my mom that he was initially hesitant to meet me in person, apprehensive, that if the ‘real’ Amrita was not true to her on screen persona in Vivah then he would be disillusioned after having met me.
However, ‘You have surpassed my expectation’ he said to me adding, ‘you are far more beautiful as a person in real life than I expected!’ he told me.
This is when he presented me with his signature brush! He said, ‘Remember only 3 people in the world own it’, he added and started to walk briskly ahead.
We had to catch pace with him, nevertheless he was far ahead of our times,” says Amrita.
The entire episode left the actress teary eyed. She says, “I recall the first time I met Husain sahab, he had come to receive us at the Dubai airport, I noticed him walking barefoot holding onto a long black paintbrush which he used as his signature walking stick. I thought it was such a unique and stylish statement.
On the last day when he gave me that brush as a parting gift along with a compliment I was so moved that I had tears in my eyes.”
A big fan of Husain’s paintings, Amrita is planning to create a MF Husain corner in her house putting the paintbrush on display.
“Along with the brush and his paintings, I shall also frame the many handwritten letters from him to me in memory of my most colourful brush with the Maestro!”
But deep down, Amrita confesses to be a bigger fan of Husain as a person than his paintings. She signs off saying, “I am a bigger fan of him as the person I know, than his marvelous paintings. There was a happy excited child in Husain sahab which he never let go of. His passion for art and cinema continues to inspire me.”
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