Randeep achieves 'oneness' with Raja Ravi Varma

Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) Randeep Hooda, who is playing 19th century painter Raja Ravi Varma in Ketan Mehta's bilingual 'Rang Rasiya', says shooting in the places that the artist had inhabited in Kerala was frightening yet exhilarating.

'It was uncanny, spooky and eerie,' shivered Randeep. 'I felt I was living Raja Ravi Varma's life all over again. On many occasions I felt his shadow pass over me. It was strange, frightening and yet exhilarating.'

'An actor lives for that moment when a real-life role claims him completely. I've achieved that oneness with my character in the film,' Randeep told IANS.

The film is based on the passionate love story of the legendary artist and his muse. Nandana Sen plays the female lead.

So complete was Randeep's identification with the character in Kerala, he began to eat, talk and even look like the renowned painter. Randeep has started painting too.

'Though I had never been to Kerala before, I felt I had already seen all the places that Varma had frequented. We shot in Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) and in Raja Ravi Varma's birthplace Kilimanoor, and it felt like I had entered a different time zone and an alternate reality,' said Randeep who was earlier seen in action films like 'D' and 'Risk'.

Randeep feels he has taken a leap into a different creative zone with this role.

'I've never felt more in-character. When I was in Kerala, I felt I was reliving the character's life in all its details.'

After this film, Randeep will feature in a romantic comedy.