‘Suwanda Hamana Manamali’: A new sweet scented story

By Susitha R. Fernando

‘Every woman expects life sacrificing love… and all of them at one point or other come across this love. But many a woman fails to identify it’ is the tagline of Dee Ge Somapala's latest teledrama 'Suwanda Haman Manamalee' telecast every Sunday at 7.30 pm on ITN.

Produced by Samanmalee Hewamanne, the stellar cast in the drama include Palitha Silva, Douglas Ranasinghe, Benette Ratnayake, Gayani Gishanthika, Gayana Sudharshani, Nadee Chandrasekera, Gamin Ambalangoda, Sanette Dikkumbura, Dee Gee Somapala, Kumudu Nishantha and Senaka Titus.

The teledrama revolves around a head strong, caste conscious woman who is unable to find a suitable spouse in her youth. It is the story of Wasanthi who lives with her servant in her ancestral home. Being a busy body and being too selective as a young woman she couldn't find a suitable man to marry. Out of all her siblings, she loved Abeywickrema whose pet name is 'Pati Mahattaya'.

He is a politician and lives in the city. Due to her special affection to Abeywickrema, the other brothers and sisters are not in good terms with Wasanthi. The news that Abeywickrema family with their four children Sirimewan, Buddhika, Udara, Nalaka and Hasanthi are coming back to the village, makes her happy. Abeywickrema's wife's Milina is devoted to him and she is caring mother. Even though she knows that her husband had had an affair with a widow in the village and he starts to continue on his return to the village, she keeps quiet. However Abeywickrema too loves his wife. His two elder sons are married and as he had to look after other two children who are in the school yet he is unable to think about her a future and find her suitable partner.

It was at this stage Milina succumbs to an untimely death and the role of a mother to the Abeyrwickrema family. And Abeywickrema meets with an accident and becomes bed ridden. Wasanthi takes the responsibility to look after her brother. A large number of proposals brought by the matchmaker, Alpenis is refused and he too now has stopped making regular visits to Abeywickrema family. However one day the matchmaker makes a visit and becomes engrossed in a serious chat with Wasantha. Here she realizes the problem why she could not get married. She rushes upstairs to find a bundle of old letters she has received from the men who came with the proposals to her years ago.

Others in the cast comprise Anuruddha Gambhirarachchi, Indika Bandara, Nupura Sankalana Liyanage, Jayantha Fonseka, Kumara Thirimadura, Rupa Gomes, Biyanka Shyamalee, Samanpriya Herath, Manjula Jayalal, Rashi de Silva, Chandrika Perera and Saman Manage.

In the technical staff Nimal Navaratne wrote the screenplay, camera and lighting is by Manoj Ranasinghe, editor Thivanka Udagedara, art director Kottaramulle Chamila and make up artiste is Priyantha Ishwara. Music director for 'Suwanda Hamana Manamalee' is Rohana Weerasinghe and Benette Ratnayake is the executive producer.