His paintings, of course, created controversies, which led to debates about sensuality in art and moral policing. Among the issues the movie explores is the clash between art and prescribed morality.
"To me, she was the perfect woman to play the muse of an artist who sparked off debates about censorship of art. She has that child-woman quality, which was so much a part of Sugandha's personality," says Mehta, who remembers seeing two life-size reproductions of Varma's paintings on the walls of Sen's home when they first met to talk about the movie.
"She is familiar with the artist and his works, which made my job as a director much easier."
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