Shabana Azmi Reflects on Her Deep Bond with M F Husain

A Lasting Connection with M F Husain

The walls of your home reflect your connection to M F Husain, don’t they?

Indeed, my home is filled with many of his works.

If you were to sell them, you could be among the wealthiest women in India, right?

Are you joking? Please, let’s not speak of that. I would never part with them. Each piece holds a piece of my soul. No amount of money could replace them. M F Husain will always be cherished in my heart; I learned so much from him.

He had a unique flamboyance, didn’t he?

Why not? A true artist shouldn’t be expected to live in poverty. Husain was affluent and took great care of his family, including his children and grandchildren.

How would you characterize Husain?

I would describe him as a representation of India’s diverse culture. He was raised in a cosmopolitan environment. His mother wore a traditional nine-yard saree, and he even had Madhuri Dixit don that saree in Gaja Gamini. It’s difficult to associate him with aging or death; he possessed such youthful qualities that I believed he would remain a child forever.

What is your most vivid memory of the barefooted artist?

I vividly recall the moment he received a cheque for Rs 100 crore for one of his paintings. He rushed to my house to show it off, much like a child who just got a new toy. He was not only a genius and an iconoclast but also a genuinely wonderful person.

Would you consider him a close friend?

Despite the age difference, he was indeed a close friend. He was initially a friend of my father, the late poet Kaifi Azmi, and then became my friend. Husain would often come and go from my house at any time, regardless of whether we were home. He created a portrait of my father and two large paintings that hold a special place in my home.

Your friendship with Husain extended beyond Mumbai, didn’t it?

Wherever we met, he would take me to explore the local culture, including the dhabas. In Kolkata, while I was filming The City Of Joy, he insisted on picking me up. I would ask him to explain art to me, saying, ‘I don’t understand art.’ He would reply, ‘You don’t need to do anything. Just look and feel.’ Husain had a deep love for this country, and it’s a tragic loss for India that someone of his talent had to live in exile and passed away away from home.