Film on Raja Ravi Verma to silence critics

Chennai, Aug 13: A documentary film to be screened across the country showcasing the paintings of the legendary Raja Ravi Varma will seek to silence critics who considered the master artist's works as mere imitation of the West, making him an 'anathema' in the process.

The 31-minute documentary made by Malayalam Film Producer A V Anoop opens with shots of a dilapidated press at Lonavala in Maharashtra and proceeds to follow the journey taken by the artist with an aristocratic lineage.

Speaking to the sources here today, Mr Anoop said ''we thrust this documentary film on critics who unfairly regard Raja Ravi Varma's paintings as mere imitation of the West.

''With Ravi Varma emerged new patterns of professionalism and commercial success of art in Colonial India. By establishing a lithographic press in Mumbai, he merged art and industry for the first time, thereby becoming the father of modern mass communication in the country.

''In this film we also include Ravi Varma's participation in the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago and the pencil sketches he made prior to executing a painting interspersed with the narrative.'' He said even Father of Indian Cinema Dadasaheb Phalke who was also an expert in lithography worked for Ravi Varma in his lithographic press.

''The inspiration behind Phalke's first film 'Raja Harischandra' was Ravi Varma's painting,'' he claimed.

The two Indians who participated in the World Colombian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 were Swami Vivekananda and Raja Ravi Varma. His paintings not only won high acclaim but also bagged two gold medals.

UNI