/> That the Malayalam avant -garde director Shahji Karun is making a film on the life of the pioneer of ancient calendar art Ravi Raja Varma with Madhavan in the lead, comes as a surprise, even to Madhavan.

Shooting in the interiors of Tamil Nadu for a Tamil take on Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Maddy says, "Quite some time ago Shahji, whom I really respect as a filmmaker, did ask me about it. But that's it. That's the first and last time I heard about this project."

So where did this sudden interest for the long-forgotten painter emerge in not one two filmmakers?

According to a source, "When Ketan Mehta decided to make a bio-pic on Ravi Raja Verma Producer Bobby Bedi was very keen on producing the film. But then things between the director and his producer weren't quite hunky-dory during the making of The Rising.

After the film was complete Mehta and Bedi parted ways...The bifurcation impelled the ambitious producer to take the idea to another filmmaker."

Hence the sudden upsurge of interest in a man who was but lost to history.

The race to finish the two projects is on. But Ketan Mehta's Hindi-English bi-lingual Rang Rasiya has a headstart. The director has already secretly shot a teaser -trailer with his lead pair Randeep Hooda and Nandana Sen. The lead pair is undergoing rigourous cultural acclimatization to get into part.

And the shooting begins in July.

According to the above-mentioned source, "Ketan Mehta wants to return to his Mirch Masala roots with Rang Rasiya. He'll leave no stone unturned to make sure he makes this bio-pic, his second after Sardar (on Sardar Patel) without compromises...or competition."