Diwakar Karkare, creator of most iconic movie posters, passed away on January 5

Gurnaaz Kaur

Back in the day, before a movie hit the theatres, we saw big posters, banners and hoardings announcing its arrival. It was more like the first look or the promotion of the film. Among those who created those larger-than-life figures of actors was Diwakar Karkare, who created some of the most iconic posters for over two decades, between 1960s to 1980s.

Sadly, Diwakar is no longer among us. He left for his heavenly abode on January 5 and his son Umesh Karkare announced the death on a social media platform the next day. His post read, “With great sadness we announce the loss of our beloved father Diwakar Karkare of Studio Diwakar last night at 9:20 pm.”

Diwakar Karkare was one of the greatest poster designers and commanded huge respect in Bollywood. An example of it was when he finished making the poster of Bandini and called Bimal Roy to inform that the job was done and asked when he could deliver it, Bimal said to Diwakar, “It is not your job to call up and tell us that the poster has been done. You are an artist in your own right and I will come and collect it.”

A JJ School of Art, Mumbai, alumnus, his creative imagination and skilled hands created over 1,000 posters and among them were the iconic Waqt (1965), Don (1975), Sholay (1975), Silisila (1981) and Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978). While his career took off with a poster for Bimal Roy’s Benazir (1964), he moved away from the industry after designing K Vishwanath’s Eeshwar (1989).

The popular catchphrase ‘angry young man’ that we all use for Amitabh Bachchan since Salim-Javed’s Zanjeer was visually realised on Diwakar’s canvas as he painted with knife to create the rugged look of the superstar.

His poster designs made in oil paint had the effects of photographic still. His signature technique of using

palette knife that turned them into quasi-painted posters, became a hit in the industry since Waqt. Diwar, Amar Akbar Anthony were all made with the same technique. Later, he established Studio Diwakar and became the highest-paid designer in the industry. He charged Rs 50,000 for Mard in 1985. Diwakar was so trusted for art that legendary Raj Kapoor entrusted him with the responsibility of making the Satyam Shivam Sundaram poster without taking as much as a glance at the artist’s design.

He chose to retire when the job was taken over by the copy-paste technique. To him there was no creativity left to the trade and it was all too mechanical. Even after a long association with filmmaker Yash Chopra, when the latter did not invite Diwakar for 25th anniversary celebration of Yash Raj Films, he knew there was no connection left and he said ‘I don’t regret losing touch’. His retirement home was in Pune.

Diwakar may have long disassociated with Bollywood but his art is historic and the nostalgic sentiments will stay on forever.