Shahrukh Khan, Rang Rasiya crowd pullers at KFF

The Kolkata Film Festival ended yesterday as the most glamourous one ever with Bollywood baadshah Shahrukh Khan, a display of rare photographs taken by Satyajit Ray and screening of two controversial films Rang Rasiya and Meherjaan being the biggest crowdpullers.

The presence of SRK and yesteryears' glamour queen Sharmila Tagore during the inauguration ceremony made thousands flock to Netaji Indoor Stadium, an unusual venue selected by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to accommodate more people. Tollywood stars were also present to add the glam quotient of the second oldest international film festival in India which screened 150 films by 125 directors selected from 50 countries over a period of seven days.

But the biggest attraction remained Ketan Mehta's unreleased film Rang Rasiya and Bangladeshi film Meherjaan which was withdrawn from theatres in that country following a controversy in the neighbouring country. Based on the life of 19th century painter Raja Ravi Varma, 'Rang Rasiya', starring Randeep Hooda and Nandana Sen, was screened to an overcrowded theatre at the film carnival. Film buffs stood in an hour-long queue at the state-run theatre Nandan with over a hundred of them sitting on the hall's floor to watch the film.