An art made with colour, heart and dreams

If you have ever walked the streets of Dhaka, you have seen his work. It’s in the fiery eyes of a cinema hero on movie posters or the vibrant, shimmering peacock on the back of a rickshaw. For over 50 years, Hanif Pappu hasn’t just been painting; he has been breathing life into the very soul of Bangladesh’s street culture. Behind these bright pinks and neon greens is a story of a man who chose fame over fortune, and art over a full stomach.

A secret start

Hanif Pappu’s journey began in 1972, but it wasn’t an easy path. Coming from a conservative family, art was seen as a distraction. Despite all restrictions, Hanif would sneak away to his uncle’s studio to see and learn art. When he finally told his father he wanted to be an artist, he received a warning that would echo throughout his life: "You will get fame, but you will not get money." Hanif chose fame.

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"The Machine" man

In the heyday of Bangladeshi cinema, speed was everything. While a group of five artists might take a whole day to finish a single massive cinema banner, Hanif would finish his in three hours. His speed was so legendary that his master once joked, "You must keep a Jinn (spirit) with you. No human can work this fast!" Hanif knew which details to emphasise and which to simplify so that from a distance, the hero looked larger than life.

Surviving the digital crash

In the early 2000s, digital printing hit the industry like a tidal wave. Suddenly, hand-painted banners were "old-fashioned." Many artists quit, but Hanif couldn’t. "This art is mixed with my blood," he says. If the cinema halls didn't want his brushes, the rickshaws did. He began painting movie stars and intricate motifs on rickshaw backplates, kettles, sunglasses, and even lanterns. He turned everyday objects into galleries of folk art.

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From Dhaka to Denmark

In 2013, Hanif’s talent took him to Denmark for an international workshop. Representing Bangladesh among 120 countries, he saw that the world craved the "manual" touch he had perfected. It was a moment of immense pride for him that a rickshaw painter from Dhaka proved that his "folk art" was world-class.

A dream for future

In December 2023, Rickshaw Painting was officially recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. For Hanif, this wasn't just a trophy; it was a call to action.

He has now opened a school to teach the next generation. He worries that fake rickshaw art is popping up everywhere and wants to preserve the original motifs before they vanish. "I am a small person with a big dream," Hanif says. He dreams of seeing a Bangladesh Rickshaw Art School in every country in the world. Hanif Pappu’s life reminds us that our roots are our greatest strength. While digital prints are perfect and identical, Hanif’s work is human. It has flaws, it has speed, and most importantly, it has a heart.