'PRABHAKARAN' scares Colombo

By Susitha R. Fernando

Last Wednesday afternoon the usually crowded Bambalapitya junction was scene of a bomb blast. People who had no clue of what was happening there panicked as the vehicles of the bomb squad and military vehicles had been rushed to the setting. Burnt and blasted vehicles too were placed around the vicinity. And the bloody scene too was set up resembling exactly a bomblast and people with their morbid interest gathered and were curiously trying to figure out as to what had happened.

However there was no reason to be scared as it was the coming of 'Prabhakaran' to town or rather the film crew shooting their film in Colombo. One of the locations in "Prabhakaran", the maiden film directed by young director Thushara Peiris was on the Galle Road, close to Bambalapitiya junction.

Peiris noted for his teledrams like 'Adaraneeya Amma', 'Kadathira', 'Swarna Kinkini' and 'Mihidum Sevaneli', is in town shooting a film revolving around a suicide bomber who had escaped from the LTTE and how he had been pushed to that point. The film with an angle of humanistic view is to depict that neither the Sinhala nor Tamil people are to be blamed for the war. But they are the victims and are subjected to long suffering misery.

'Prabhakaran' was the result of an extensive film making course followed at the Cine Chiththa Institute in Italy by the filmmaker. Thushara received a scholarship and the film is part of his film course project.

Thusara was lucky to get the contribution of several persons who had worked earlier with the LTTE. They had given immense support for the film which has the sub-theme of child conscription.

According to the director, the film is mainly focused on giving a new dimension to the thirty year old war. The film is to show the point of view of the LTTE on the Sinhala community. Thusara plans to release the film in Rome by mid October. 'Prabhakaran' is to also to be dubbed in Sinhala, Tamil, English and other foreign languages.

The key roles in the films are played by Priyankara Rathnayake, Anuruddhika Padukkage, Dasun Madhusanka, Sarath Dikkumbura and Darshan Dharmaraj.

Produced by Osmond de Silva in Italy, cinematography is by Jayanath Gunawardana and art direction is by Sena Mambulage. Make up by J. Suranimala and editing by Praveen Jayaratne. Assistant director is Donald Jayanath and scripted and directed by Thushara Peiris.