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Sudath's maiden film gets the final touches
The major part
of the production work of Sudath Mahadivulwewa's maiden cinematic
experience 'Sudu Kalu saha Alu' White, Black, and Ash and is over
and the film has been taken to Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad in
India for the final touches. This is the first film to be taken
to the well-equipped studio which is spread over 2600 acres with
several studios, colour labs and settings and locations. In addition
'Kalu Sudu saha Alu' being the maiden direction by Sudath the film
has added a number of other novel features to the local film scene.
Filming of
the movie has been done in a specially built village named 'Kalu
Visa Pokuna' inside a forest in the area Palugaswewa in Anuradhapura. "Most
probably this would be the biggest setting created for a Sri Lankan
film" Sudath told the TV Times. "Another special quality of this movie is that it is the first Sri Lankan film made without a single main character. The film has thirteen characters playing equally important roles" Sudath described about his venture into the big screen. It is also the
first time that veteran music director Premasiri Khemadasa was doing
a film score to the latest DTS technology and also Elmo Haliday
who has won most number of awards for editing using the digital
technology for his role as an editor. This also was the first film
that is being edited and dubbed in the 'Video Image' studio. 'Sudu Kalu saha Alu' is a joint effort by a group who called themselves "Cine Shilpa". This group consists of scholars and academics with wide research exposure on soci-economic, cultural and human rights aspects including displaced people. Travelling far and wide throughout the island during the past twelve years, they have collected material for the making of this film. The story narrates the after effects of a long drawn out war. How the people suffer for what they are not responsible. "Sudu
Kalu saha Alu" in a Nutshell........ "When
war snatches the lives of this world, it rids the world of its colour,
hence the surviving people, neither living nor dead, are left with
the shades of ash. This story talks of such people, the souls who
have not been given the opportunity to die, nor the pleasure to
live. Material destruction caused by war and rampage is measurable,
but the destruction caused to the minds of the victims and their
lifestyle is infinite". The cast who
play equally important roles are Irangani Serasinghe, Sriyantha
Mendis, Sanath Gunathilake, Mahendra Perera, Dilhani Ekanayake,
Jayalath Manoratne, Rangana Premaratne, Tyronne Michael, Wasantha
Kotuwella, Kumudu Nishantha and Dasun Madhushanka Mendis. Koshila Jayawardena and Gunadasa Madurasinghe were introduced to the silver screen. 'The
Fire & The Rain': Tale of love and lust The epic tale
with English subtitles directed by Arjun Sajnani and it speaks of
power, love, lust, and sacrifice. The land has
been in the grip of a ravaging drought for 10 years. In order to
appease the Lord of Gods Indra played by Amitabh Bachchan, custodian
of rain, a grand fire sacrifice is being conducted at the palace
under the guidance of the Chief Priest, Paravasu (Jackie Shroff).
As this sacrifice draws to its close, the story begins. Paravasu is
the elder son of the great sage Raibhya. For seven years he has
watched over the holy fire, forsaking his wife, family and every
earthly pleasure. Arvasu prepares
to marry outside his Brahmin caste -but for this, according to the
tribal custom; he has to present himself before Nittilai's village
elders. Paravasu's cousin and bitter rival Yavakri has just returned
triumphant after 10 years of practicing austerities in the jungle,
with the gift of universal knowledge from the gods. He is resentful
of Paravasu's position of Chief Priest, rekindling the rivalry between
the two families. To seek revenge,
and assert his position and dominance in the Brahmin community,
he seduces Paravasu's abandoned wife Vishakha (Ravena Tandon). Raibhya,
Paravasu's father, seeks his own vengeance by going after Yavakri.
This sets off an irrevocable chain of events that lead to Aravusu
losing his love, Paravasu desecrating the great sacrifice, the creaticin
of a demon and the deaths of Yavakri and Raibhya and Paravasu. But
the Lord lndra appears to Arvasu as a testament to his innocence
and as the giver of boons to the land and its people. Finally, the
purity of Arvasu and the tribal girl Nittilai's, love brings salvation
to the land and all those who inhabit it. "Agni
Varsha", the first feature directed by Arjun Sajnani is adapted
from the play 'The Fire and the Rain' by one of India's foremost
playwrights, Girish Karnad. The story is derived from the myth of
Yavakri, which is a part of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. The film was
shot entirely on location at Hampi, a World Heritage site that is
under the stewardship of the Archeological Survey of India. Running time is 126 minutes and Agni Varsha is released here by Ceylon Entertainment Limited
Dayaratne Ratagedara's miniplay 'Bogala Saundaris' based on the award winning novel written by Sarath Dharmasena is now being telecast every Saturday at 8.30 pm on the Rupavahini teledrama belt.
Made around
the character "Saundaris" who lived in the 1880s in an
area which was famous for coal mining, the teledrama was produced
by Rupavahini Corporation. Eventually certain
changes taking place in the cold mine lead Saundaris to turn away
from his employer and become a hero of the down trodden and helpless
workers. The locations in the teleplay included Galle and in and area around Colombo including the Welikada prison. The role of 'Saundaris' is played by Sriyantha Mendis and the cast comprise over 80 players including talented actors like Tony Ranasinghe, Robin Fernando, Suminda Sirisena, Richard Weerakkody, Edward Gunawardena, Jayani Senanayake, Meena Kumari, Nilanthi Wijesinghe and G. R. Perera. In the technical crew is Ashoka Jayasekara handling the camera, Somaratne Perera with lighting, Ranjith Thilakasiri doing make up and Ranga Bandara and J. M. Dasanthamal assisting in direction. Lester's
latest at Cannes
This is the
first time that a Sri Lankan film is going to be shown at one of
the The film is to be shown at the prestigious festival through a Paris based company 'Paradis Films' which is widely known for buying and producing quality French films. It is company which has undertaken to screen 'Wekande Walawwe' in France. Agreements have already been signed to screen the film at the end of the festival in one of the cinemas in France and a new copy had already been printed in India for this purpose. Dr. Pieris' is busy preparing the material including press book, still photographs, synopsis and director's statement that are necessary for the festival and the release. Earlier in 1992 Dr. Pieris' served in the Cannes Jury and two of his films 'Beddega' and 'Kaliyugaya' too were screened at the festival but this was not in the main section. The story of 'Wekande Walawwe' is about the collapse of a once rich family with a widow 'Sujatha Rajasuriya' played by Malani Fonseka. Among its members is the younger brother played by Sanath Gunatilake. This family could not adapt themselves to the rapid changes that took place in the political, economic and social sphere during the1970s. Playing the leading role of a widow in the land owning family Malani Fonseka struggles to keep her Walawwa and property when they were to be mortgaged bank loans. "Wekande Walawwa" is the first script written by script writer Somaweera Senanayake for a film of Dr. Pieris and this was influenced by the world famous play "Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekov. Playing the principal characters are Malani Fonseka, Ravindra Randeniya, Sanath Gunatilake, Wasanthi Chathurani, and Paboda Sandeepani. "Wakande Walawwa" introduces a number of newcomers to the screen. |
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