Kolkata, Nov 16 (IANS): National award winning filmmaker Ketan Mehta, whose "Rang Rasiya" courted controversy for its skin show, feels it's time for people to liberate their minds.

"You shouldn't be asking this after witnessing the response that it has received at the Kolkata Film Festival. I think as a grown up democracy we are free people and its time to liberate our minds not just the economy," Mehta told IANS when asked how he felt that Indian cinema is not ready for nudity.

Mehta was in the city for the special screening of "Rang Rasiya" at the 17th Kolkata Film Festival. The film was screened at an over-crowded theatre.

Based on the 19th century Indian painter Raja Ravi Verma, played by Randeep Hooda, and his muse Sugandha Bai played by Nandana Sen, the film shows how the legendary painter's partially nude portraits of Sugandha Bai irked priests of that era and kicked a controversy.

The date for the theatrical release of "Rang Rasiya", which was completed in 2008, has yet to be decided.