And Husain's cinema fetish is on the increase.
He is doing a series of canvases for Yash Chopra's new Mumbai studio. "I always wanted to do something on history of cinema and when I saw the 135 foot wall at the studio I voluntarily decided to go ahead." Titled Silver silence of Phalke to golden dazzle of Madhuri Dixit, this mural will be Husain's interpretation of Indian cinema's graetest highlights.
The artist was always captivated by cinema from a young age - having seen many films several times to painting cinema posters before he ventured to make his own films. "Everything is there (points at the brain) and I just have to unread it. I have to look at significant things -- Sulochana (Ruby Myers), Nadia (Hunterwali), V Shantaram's Padosi, Mother India, Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor's Awara, Dilip Kumar - nobody can match him."
All these, and more, will find space in his canvas, his gigantic tribute to Indian cinema.