It really was exciting news for
Sri Lankans all across the country, that a tele-village, the first one in
Sri Lanka, had been set up in the Southern District.
People from all across the country were soon flocking to see for
themselves this cinema village, Ranminithanna, having seen a
spectacular opening ceremony, graced by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
It was after witnessing this event that I myself was aroused to the idea of seeing this place which would soon hopefully become a great boost for the prospect of Sri Lankan cinema.
Having entered the village, after paying an entrance fee of Rs. 50, we were handed over to a guide to lead us through the village and answer any questions we might have. This lady explained that the village was divided into several sections named and designed after certain areas of Sri Lanka ranging from Colombo to rural areas.
We followed her to an area where we saw many
buildings designed to
imitate certain sights in Colombo. We identified a school, possibly a replication of Royal College, Colombo, a petrol shed, and even a
cinema that looked much like Liberty Cinema, Colombo.
It was interesting to see old fashioned buildings, mud huts, and even a lake complete with lotus plants, all in one location.
While we certainly did enjoy
ourselves, taking pictures in front of the cinema, or of pumping gas from the petrol station, I couldn't help but compare this cinema village to ones I had seen elsewhere in the world, like Universal Studios, for example.
I noticed that the reason places like Universal Studios were flourishing was due to its action packed nature. There always are so many things to do and so many new things going on, it's hard not to come back a second time. This aspect unfortunately, Ranminithanna tele-cinema village lacked.
If I were to suggest any
improvements to the place, it would be to make the place more lively. The inclusion of several stalls or dressed up characters could also bring a touch of life and excitement to the place.
While hoping that Ranminithanna will soon become more popular and a must-not-miss location in Sri Lanka, I encourage all readers to visit it and see the beauty of Sri Lankan cinema. |
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