The painter who loved driving his Ferrari in Dubai

He was frequently spotted coming out of local cinema halls after watching latest Bollywood flicks.

"I remember meeting the grand old man walking out of a cinema theatre. He gleamed like a teenager. I don't remember the movie but it was definitely a Hindi potboiler. That defined the man," said Raghav, a Dubai resident.

Hussain always interacted with common men on the streets, a habit he did not desert here.

"I think his best moment in Dubai came in November 2007 when he booked the entire tickets of a local cinema hall screening Madhuri Dixit's comeback film Aaja Nachle," said Ayesha, a Sharjah resident.

On this occasion, Husain booked 194 seats for the movie as a treat for his special guests from all walks of life.

He distributed tickets as invitations on which the veteran painter's autograph and a sketch of Madhuri was inscribed.

The artist was known to be a great fan of the actress, whom he also cast in his film 'Gaja Gamini'.

Residents of Dubai fondly remember news of him buying a Bugatti Veyron to drive in the streets of Dubai.

Hussain also held several private exhibitions during his stay here. He came to Dubai to work on the history of Arab civilisation.

True to the man himself, all his mannerisms were unique.
Even his apartment looked like an Arab majlis, a tent like structure where he used fabric instead of his own paintings. A round carpet in his studio was uniquely laid out half on the ground and half up the wall.

He had on display paintings that he once sold for Rs 100-150.