Rang Rasiya ('Colours of Passion' in English)
Based on legendary painter Raja Ravi Varma's life, the movie which is based on Marathi author Ranjit Desai's novel, is a sensuous love story of the great painter and his muse, a woman called Sugandhabai.
Randeep Hooda who plays the role of Ravi Varma, is said to have required a lot of intensity and concentration as it was difficult to essay the enigmatic character of Raja Ravi Verma, a flamboyant pioneering painter who was a visionary, apart from being a great admirer of the female form.
Nandana Sen, plays the sensuous muse of the painter. Her character is sensual yet innocent and is hungry for love. She is playful, very romantic, strong-headed and brave. She was a legend in her own right, because she was a trend setter and a fashion icon for everyone at that time.
The whole world used to tell her that she was beautiful but she never believed them till she met this great painter who changed her life. She was harassed after he painted her as a goddess but she was brave enough to face the wrath.
Mehta's bilingual "Rang Rasiya" is courting controversy for the number of sensuous scenes it has. But it is also that it had taken him on and off six years to do the research that included reading all literature associated with that era and he also had to travel a lot to see the actual paintings.
It has been shot extensively in different locations in India and also at a huge set in Karjat near Mumbai.
The movie will hit the theatres March 27 2009.
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