‘Walapatala’: Vijitha weaves a true story

Award winning playwright Vijitha Gunarathne returns to limelight with his maiden film 'Walapatala' (Penumbra), a true story that occurred during the 1970s dark period in Sri Lanka. Vijitha a victim in 1971 insurrection shows the grim social and political culture joined by the state sponsored terror which victimised the poor and the innocents.

Having created a series of award winning stage plays Vijitha was influenced in introducing Bertolt Bretch's famous 'Alienation' technique to the Sri Lanka theatre. Almost all his stage plays beginning from 'Dethi Kiayatha' in 1981 most of Vijiths's original and translation won awards at the State Drama Festival. Later Vijitha embarked on a trip to Sweden, where he studied theatre in depth and also made a short film 'Bernen Under Solen' in 2004.

A moving cinematic creation, 'Walapatala' marks Vijitha's return to Sri Lankan Art Circle and the film focuses the horror and terror with two youth resurrections that created meyhem in the country's history. 'Walapatala' tells how a radical political movement of youth spreads through the village and a politician, Jayasundara senses threats against his political career.

With the help from the schoolteacher Batuwattha, a group of youth organizes a health information meeting in their village. The chief medical doctor Manoharen, a leading member of the village community, participates as the resource person. Suddenly the meeting is interrupted by a violent attack made by a gang, and a boy gets injured. It become clear that Jayasundara and businessman Chatin are behind this attack.

Police chief also is part of the power-circle of the village and closely collaborates with Jayasundara. He tries to persuade Manoharen not to write a medical report on the injured boy while arranging an arrest of the schoolteacher Batuwattha and a few members of the youth circle. Meanwhile a mother comes with her seven month old daughter to the hospital where Manoharen works.

Jayasundara tries to discredit Manoharen by leveling allegations about misconduct; he bribes staff workers to spread rumours about him. Finally they fabricate a story to the effect that he was intoxicated when he commenced the surgical operation on the baby and the film reaches to a poignant height. The film is to be released from first week of June.

Gamini Haththotuwegama, Jayalath Manorathna, Saumaya Liyanage, Palitha Silva, Jayani Senanayake, Deepani Silva, Duleeka Marapana, Anton Jude, Athula Liyanage, Lal Kularathna, Jagath Chandrasiri, Naleen Pradeep Uduwela, Parmapriya Dias, Nissanka Diddeniya and Somasiri Alakaolanga.

Director of Photography- K. D. Dayananda, Editor- Ravindra Guruge, Make up- Shanaka Peiris, Music Director- Tharupathi Munasinghe, Production Designer- Lal Harendranath, Sound- Kalinga Perera, Producer- Kasheyapa Gunarathna and Nelum Gunarathna, Script and Director- Vijitha Gunarathna.

Vijitha the victim and the victor Vijitha Gunarathne is a very special representative of the radical youth, who took up arms in an anti-state rebellion in Sri Lanka in 1971. He survived the violent reprisal by the State and while spending his days (1971-1973) in a 'rehabilitation camp' he directed his first full-length play with his inmates, 'Ladder and a Donkey' (Inimagak Saha Booruwek). Later he got the opportunity to study in Sweden receiving a chance to follow a full-time course in Drama and Theatre in the Swedish State Drama Institution during the period 1976-1979. He came back to Sri Lanka in 1980 and thus began his brilliant career as a playwright and a Stage Director in the Sri Lankan Sinhala Theatre. He blazed a trail in forming arguably the most powerful political theatre trends of 1980s, which has an huge impact on the later developments in Sri Lankan Theatre, by using Brechtian conceptual tools and theatre strategies fused with practices and insights borrowed from the Sri Lankan folk theatre.

Some of his stage plays included "Pansa Thune Kathawa'- (1983) translation of Bertolt Bretch's 'Three Penny Opera', 'Norage Gedara' translation of Henrik Ibsan's 'Doll's House', 'Subasadaka' Best Original script and Best Play at the State Drama Festival-1985, 'Sathyanganavi'- Bretch's 'The Good Women of Szetchwan' in 1985 and 'Sakki' (1986) translation of Dario Fo's 'Accidental death of an Anarchist'.

However the shadows of horrors followed him at the second insurrection in 1989 and he was forced to leave the country again. Returning back Vijitha has made 'Walapatala' his first full-length film.