Chhel Anandji Vayeda (1935 – 12 November 2014) was a Gujarati art director and production designer from India.

Early life

Chhel was born in 1935 in

Dwarka Dwarka () is a town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at ...

(now in

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

) to Anandji and Jayakunvar. He was the youngest of seven siblings. His family moved to

Bhuj Bhuj () is a city and the headquarters of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Etymology According to legend, Kutch (Kachchh) was ruled by the Nāga chieftains in the past. Sagai, a queen of Sheshapattana, who was married to King B ...

when he was ten years old. He completed

matriculation Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term ''matriculation'' is seldom used no ...

and joined School of Arts, Bhuj affiliated with

University of Bombay University of Mumbai is a public university, public List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, state university in Mumbai. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest univ ...

. He started his job as assistant draftsman in state bus transport at GSRTC. His elder brother who was practicing law in Mumbai introduced him to Dr. D. G. Vyas, who was an art critic and director of Sir J. J. School of Arts. He resigned from GSRTC and moved to

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

to study in Sir J. J. School of Arts in 1960.

Career

Gujarati stage director actor Honey Chhaya brought him in the field of art direction and production design in 1963 at Rangbhoomi Natya Academy. His first Gujarati play as an independent set designer, ''Parinita'', produced by Rangbhoomi won him the first prize in state level play competition. He joined Paresh Daru in 1966, and the duo was called Chhel-Paresh thereafter. Together, they designed sets of more than 700 plays in five languages including Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, English, Sanskrit, and Oriya. They also designed for 55 films and multiple TV serials in varying languages. These films include ''

Train to Pakistan ''Train to Pakistan'' is a historical novel by writer Khushwant Singh, published in 1956. It recounts the Partition of India in August 1947 through the perspective of Mano Majra, a fictional border village. Instead of depicting the Partition ...

'' (1998), '' Ankahee'' (1985), ''Tere Shahar Mein'', ''Khubsoorat'' and ''Lorie'' (1984). He was an art director of some Gujarati films, including '' Kanku'' (1969), ''Upar Gagan Vishal'', ''Dada Ho Dikri'', '' Lakho Phulani'' (1976). He died on 12 November 2014 at

Personal life

He married Kusum in 1964. His son,

Sanjay Chhel Sanjay Chhel is an Indian film director, writer and lyricist. Early life Sanjay Chhel was born on 14 October 1967 at Dwarka in Gujarat, India. He spent his childhood in Mumbai. He is son of art director and production designer Chhel Vayeda. C ...

, is also a writer and director. His daughter Alpana Buch is a TV actress who is married to actor-director Mehul Buch.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vayeda, Chhel Indian art directors Indian production designers 2014 deaths Gujarati people 1935 births Gujarati theatre People from Devbhoomi Dwarka district 20th-century Indian designers Artists from Gujarat