‘Vidhu’, filmmaker Asoka Handagama’s latest film under the tag of ‘Children’s film’ will be released from December 10 at Regal Colombo and in other CEL circuit cinemas island wide.
Unlike his previous five films ‘Sanda Dadayama’ (1996), ‘Chanda Kinnarie’ (1998), ‘Me Mage Sandai’ (2000), ‘Tani Tatuwen Piyambanna’ (2002) and ‘Aksharaya’ (2005), which was not screened in public but Handagama had to undergo a long legal battle to make such a film, ‘Vidhu’ comes with a novel format and a story of a child, who tries to find value in his life.
According to the storyline, Vidu is a child who eagerly wants to go to school like other children of his age, but unfortunately is deprived of that right for reasons beyond his control. He does not have a legitimate father. Mother is a pickpocket and earns only few bucks hardly sufficient to feed him.
They live in an isolated house in a coastal tourist-town. Other than the knowledge of English acquired by talking to tourists, Vidu does not have any form of formal primary education. One day a tourist throws Vidu a dollar note, thinking as imagining Vidu as a beggar.
‘Why do you give me money? What did I do to you to earn this money?’ Vidu asks. ‘What can a little boy like you, who hasn’t even gone to a school can do to earn a dollar from me?’ The tourist asks in return.
Vidu takes this question as an insult and as a challenge. He is determined to add a value to his life which is not worthy of a dollar now. The film shows Vidu’s attempt to make his dream a reality.
In this attempt Handagama uncovers the political, economical and social forces that have robbed the value of Vidu’s as well as all our individual lives.
The young actor Thanishka Vimalarathne playing ‘Vidu’ makes a commendable contribution to the movie while another young actress, a first timer Shamila Nimanthi Frenando also plays making wonderful contribution to the success of ‘Vidu’. As usual Chandani Senevirathne and Saumya Liyanage playing the other two lead roles come out with wonderful performances as a pick pocketing mother and a shrewd politician. Others in the cast include Gamini Hettiarachchi, Asoka de Soysa, Lanka Bandaranayaka, Amarapala Karasingharachchi, Shyam Fernando, Bhanu Prasanna and Ranjith Marasinghe.
The film is co- produced by Iranthi Abeyasinghe, Jagath Wijenayaka, Prashant Rathi and Kanwar Inder Rai and Prasanna Vithanage.
Channa Deshapriya is the director of photography, Ravindra Guruge is the editor, Sunil Wijerathna art director and music is by Kapila Poogalarachchi. |
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