M.F. Hussain Dies at 95

M.F. Hussain, a former movie billboard artist who rose to become India's most sought-after painter before going into self-imposed exile during an uproar over nude images of Hindu icons, died Thursday. He was 95.

Popularly known as Picasso of India, Hussain saab has carved a niche for himself across the world with his paintings. Off late the artist was living in Qatar due to the threats he received over some of his controversial works.

The artist, whose full name was Maqbool Fida Hussain but who was known simply as M.F. Hussain, started out as a poster artist for India's prolific Bollywood film industry. Decades later, his paintings and even his simple pencil drawings became status symbols for India's wealthy elite, with his works commanding price tags running into millions of dollars.

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