ℱTwo paintings by celebrated artist M.F. Husain have recently sparked controversy after a Delhi-based lawyer filed a complaint, alleging they are offensive. Complainant advocate Amita Sachdeva claimed the paintings displayed at the DAG (formerly known as Delhi Art Gallery) depicted Hindu deities in a way that hurt religious sentiments. The paintings portrayed Hindu gods Hanuman and Ganesha with nude female figures seated on their laps and held in their hands.
💛The matter has now reached the courts, reigniting debates around art and freedom of expression. A Delhi court has ordered the seizure of the two paintings. The judge is expected to deliberate further on whether an FIR against the gallery and its owners will be filed or not. Sachdeva has sought an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs.
M.F. Husain, often referred to as the "Picasso of India🍸", was a celebrated painter and recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Padma Vibhushan in 1991, India’s second-highest civilian honour. His career spanned over four decades, during which he played a key role in bringing Indian art to international prominence. However, his art often courted controversy for its bold and unconventional depictions.
💙One of the early controversies Husain faced was over a painting depicting a bare-bodied woman shaped like the map of India, referencing "Mother India," which led to legal cases in 2000. In 2006, Husain faced criticism over his paintings of nude Hindu gods and goddesses, which led to charges of "hurting sentiments" with his depictions. The backlash included death threats, vandalism of his artworks, and legal cases accusing him of obscenity and offending religious sentiments. Facing multiple cases and a non-bailable warrant, Husain was forced to move to Dubai and later accepted Qatari citizenship.
🦋The charge that M F Husain was deliberately anti-Hindu gained traction over the years, as his paintings often depicted provocative themes during a time of social and political turmoil. Several state governments joined the chorus to prosecute him for outraging religious sentiments. Many within the art fraternity chose to distance themselves from Husain, and galleries in India grew hesitant to showcase his work. Notably, when the first edition of the India Art Fair was held in Delhi in 2008, it featured the works of over 300 artists but excluded Husain.
In 2012, an exhibition titled "Husain Shraddhanjali" in Indore was cancelled due to protests against his paintings. Husain’s 2004 film, Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities,🦋 also courted controversy because of a qawwali, "Noor-Un-Ala-Noor," whose lyrics were alleged to have been directly drawn from the Quran. This led to objections from Muslim organisations, and the film was withdrawn from theatres shortly after its release.
ꦜDespite the controversies, Husain always wanted to return to India. In interviews before his death at the age of 95 in London, Husain said, “India is my soul. But the country has rejected me.” His exile and eventual acceptance of Qatari citizenship highlighted the complexities of his career and the challenges he faced as an artist.
