'Rang Rasiya' a crowd puller, Nandana overwhelmed at response

Kolkata, Nov 16 (IANS) Actress Nandana Sen is overwhelmed at the response that her film 'Rang Rasiya' received at a special screening at the ongoing 17th Kolkata Film festival.

The film was screened at an over-crowded theatre here and those who couldn't get a seat watched the entire movie while standing.

'I am simply overwhelmed at the response that the audience of Kolkata has given to my film. The audience was fantastic. People from every walk of life came to the film festival to watch the movie. Several people even watched the whole movie standing as they couldn't manage to get a seat,' said Nandana while talking to reporters after the screening of her film Tuesday.

'It's really fascinating to see so many people have come to see my movie,' added the actress.

Directed by Ketan Mehta, 'Rang Rasiya' is based on 19th century painter Raja Ravi Verma, played by Randeep Hooda, and his muse Sugandha Bai, played by Nandana.

The movies shows how Ravi Verma painted Sugandha Bai partially nude in his portraits which later kicked a storm fuelled by religious priests. It also shows how pictures of goddess painted by Ravi Verma had courted controversy during that period.

Asked what she feels about the late painter M.F. Hussian, who also faced similar protests for drawing nude pictures of Indian goddess, she said: 'It really hurts that such a legendary painter had to die in self-imposed exile outside India. It's very painful.'