TV Times

TV Times

‘Sanda Thaniyama’: Story of children and parents
By Susitha R. Fernando
Traditionally every child should have legal parents. In our society a child born out of wedlock has no place and his mother is treated as an outcast. ‘Sanda Thaniyama’ analyses this situation bringing into focus conflicts and why parents are responsible for the children’s well-being. Children show affection to their parents. Childless couples suffer and face undue stress due to their situation.

This teleplay telecast every Monday at 8.35 pm on Rupavahini channel, discusses how couples with children and couples without children react towards children in their affection. Young Kusum works in a farm. Her mother is an invalid. Her brother is dead and her father has contracted another marriage.

Kusum’s maternal aunt lives with them and Kusum is the sole breadwinner of the family. Her cousin who is married is childless and they seek the blessings of the gods, making a vow, in the hope of having a child.

Kusum minds her own businesses seeking the good of all at her workplace. Therefore her boss depends on her. Kusum is in love with Harrison the driver. Kusum becomes pregnant and Harrison is upset. He leaves his job saying that he is hoping to go abroad. Kusum takes leave when she can no longer hide her state and leaves for her village. She goes in search of her lover only to be threatened and insulted.

Meanwhile Kusum tells her aunt about her pregnancy. She hopes to be responsible for her child. Kusum’s mother dies and Kusum leaves the child with her aunt and goes back to work. Her boss proposes and Kusum rejects the proposal. The boss takes to drink. Kusum seeing that her boss on the road to destruction agrees to marry him.

Her boss who loves children hopes to have one of his own very soon. Yet as time goes on Kusum realizes that is due to her husband that she does not conceive. When her husband accuses her of being barren she tells him that she has a child and that the father is Harrison, the driver.

The drama ends with a poignant message that any man or woman can be a father to any child. It does not follow that the child should be biologically connected. Parental love is a gift to humanity, not to individuals.

The cast include Janak Premalal, Hasanthika Karaliyadda, Priya Ranasinghe, Nethali Nanayakkara, Sarath Kotalawela, Ajith Lokuge, Gihan Fernando, Sarath Chandrasiri, Nilanthi Munasinghe, Hayacinth Wijeratne, Sadda Uththpalakandage, Richard Manamudali, Premadasa Vithanage, Terry Jayasinghe, Shani Perera,Nadeesha Hemamali, Malee Jayaweerage, Neetha Samaranayake and Tissa Prematilake.

Lighting and camera by Sunil Sri Perera, make up by G. D. Nandasena and music score written by Ananda B. Wekanda. Sanda Thaniyama is directed by Gamini Ratnasiri and produced by Ehaliyagoda Somathilake.

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