First Indian Oscar winner roots for A R Rahman

Even as A R Rahman and Resul Pookutty are ready for their big outing at the Oscars, CNN-IBN’s Varsha Pillai spoke to India's first Oscar winner, costume Designer Bhanu Athaiya in an exclusive interview about her Oscar glory days and also about India's next potential Oscar winner AR Rahman.

"This is too good to believe, Thank you Sir Richard Attenborough for focusing world attention to India."

Those were the very words with which Bhanu Athaiya walked away with the Oscar for the best costume design for Richard Attenborough's Gandhi. She brought home India's first ever oscar back in 1982.

Athaiya said, "I was working with the world's best team, there was no question of not doing your best. If you have done your homework it will be seen and recognised. "

And this veteran costume designer who is also on the Oscar's voting panel, sees the same potential in this year's nominee music director A.Rahman.

Athaiya said, "One knows that A R Rahman has worked and given music in different films, there was always this belief that he will give his best. I'm happy to say that A R Rahman has brought us closer to another Oscar one hopes the Oscar will come to India in less than a month's time. I wish him all the best"

A word of encouragement from an Oscar winner to an Oscar hopeful.