Rang Rasiya or Colours of passion revolves around the life of the painter, Raja Ravi Verma of Travancore. The painter is married to a queen who does not have high regard for his work. But in places where art stinks is also the same where it finds inspiration.He finds his muse in Sugandha, Nandana Sen.While she's dressing up one morning, he asks her to stay and paints her. A new subject rekindles his interest and he begins to paint. But there are also protests from a section of society, which the film tries to depict. The accusations are mostly on grounds of 'immorality'. .The painter is frequently pulled into courts, where questions "Do you live at your wife's house and do you squander your time at the palace " are put to him.
Nandana Sen has carved a role for herself in the film and Randeep Hooda has played an artist-who-is-not-dazed role to an applaud. Tom Alter, as an English judge, appeared as an understanding-British- judge. The film imbues the pre-independence setting at a local level pretty well on the screen. The moments where the painter and the muse make love, is so beautifully painted, is like aesthetic health to the audience.
Rang Rasiya is an unorthodox treatment of an artist -fighting- society-and-back-theme in the celluloid world. And to treat it with the maturity of an Indian audience is quite a feat. The music grows well into the film. The film reminded me of "Frida" by the American Broadway and film director, Julie Taymor. A question arises, is it unfair to a woman, who's a subject to a painter, to feel neglected on account of the painter's interest in many subjects during his development process. Do go and experience colours of passion!
