After Mangal Pandey, Ketan Mehta returns with yet another historical, now a film Rang Rasiya on the famous classical painter Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906). The actors are Randeep Hooda as the legendary painter and Nandana Sen as his muse Sugandha. Rang Rasiya, made both in Hindi and English (titled Colours of Passion) is slated for release in June.

States the director, “I was a student in the film institute (Film and Television Institute  of India) ten years ago, when I toyed with the idea of making a film on Raja Ravi Varma. He was the father of modern Indian art and he pioneered realistic calendar art.

Even early Indian films were inspired by his paintings,” adds Mehta. “After Mangal Pandey, I acquired the right of the novel Raja Ravi Varma (by Marathi author Ranjit Desai), and have shot this film in Kerala, Jaisalmer, Benaras and Mumbai.”