‘Sakura Mal’ blooms on small screen

Veteran film actress and teledrama director-producer Sriyani Amarasena's latest tele-production 'Sakura Mal' is the first teledrama that captured the beauty of Japan with its Buddhist influence as its backdrop. This maiden Sri Lanka-Japan co-production by Sriyani and Sanjeewa Gunaratne domiciled in Japan is now being telecast on Rupavahini at 9.30 pm every Saturday from April 26.

The story depicts the purity of the Buddha Dhamma and also how it has a bearing on the lives of people. And Japan is selected as the location because of Buddhism. The story revolves around Aravinda Welgama (Vijith Vithana) - a professor in Buddhist Philosophy - who resides in Japan with his wife Ramani (Sriyani Amarasena). Their only son Tharaka (Jagath Chamila) joins his family in Japan after graduating in Sri Lanka.

During a party hosted to introduce Tharaka to the Sri Lankan community in Japan, he meets an attractive, outgoing girl Noriko (Nadeesha Hemamali) who is having a close relationship with a Lankan boy Komol (Dananjaya Siriwardana). Noriko tries hard to win Tharak's heart but he treats her as a good friend. Komol also becomes a close friend of Tharaka. Meanwhile Ramesh (Sanjeewa Gunaratne) who works for a medicinal drug manufacturing company also tries to win Noriko's love.

However it is Natasha, a simple and modest who wins Tharaka's love. Yet Tharaka's parents does not approve this affair. This is because Natasha does not have any relations except her twin sister. Manasha.

Meanwhile Ramesh who misunderstands Tharaka as the obstacle to win Noriko's love is jealous of him. He plots to harm him and as a result Tharaka loses his eyesight and he needs immediate treatment. Natasha who goes in search of her sister living far away suddenly disappears.

Will Tharaka ever be able to regain his sight? Will he be able to see Natasha again? 'Sakura Mal' flows with many dramatic twists. The leading cast in the drama include Chathurika Peiris, Jagath Chamila, Dananjaya Siriwardana, Nadeesha Hemamali, Vijith Vithana of Canada, Sanjeewa Gunaratne, Piyumi Shanika, Buddhika Lokuketiya and Sriyani herself.

The script written by Sunanda Silva, Tilak Kudahetti and Sriyani Amarasena, . camera is handled by Saman Sigera while Somadasa Maldeniya was the Assistant Director. Vasantha de Alwis is the production manager and Sarath Wickrama composed the music scores.

Sriyani Amarasena with her cast and technical crew of the latest teledrama is now in Japan making her second Japan-Sri Lanka co-production. The drama which is not titled yet is to carry a political theme and it stars politician cum actor Jeevan Kumartunga and it is produced by Dhammika Aluthgedara another Sri Lankan domiciled in Japan.

Others in the cast include Oshadie Hewamadduma, Pabodha Sandeepani, Dananjaya Siriwardana Harsha Bulathsinghala, G. R. Perera, Edna Sugathapala, Buddika Rambukwella and Kumudu Nishantha.

Starred in the silver screen in the well-known films like 'Raththaran Amma', 'Kalyani Ganga', ''Desa Nisa', 'Maha Gedara', 'Ahasin Polowata', ''Viragaya;, 'Kulageya' and 'Tharanaya', Sriyani says that still her first love is cinema.

Taking a different path in teledrama production, Sriyani has done a number of international co-productions including, 'Irabata Tharuwa' directed by Sudath Rohana and Rodney Vidanapathirna's 'Hemanthaye Wasanthayak' which are Sri Lanka- England co-productions and 'Peraliya' an Australian co-production, 'Thusharaye Chaya' a Canada co-production and 'Jayathuru Sankaya', a Switzerland co-production.

A few more teledramas directed by Sriyani are on the line for the year 2008 and she is planning to venture into the silver screen.