Bhawathra comes back with aliens

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

TELEDRAMA:With the third season of `Bhawathra' Sunil Rathnayake brings the aliens back to our living rooms. Teleview once again unfolds another successful effort in presenting an innovative tele-series out of a science fiction.

Sunil Rathnayake said he always fancied in doing extraordinary things. "I wanted to do something different and this teledrama is not only entertaining but also educating. It provides the reader with the knowledge of the vast universe that is beyond our comprehension," said Rathnayake.

Taking up science for A\Ls Sunil has been very keen in improving his knowledge. Noticing that Sri Lankan teledramas don't cater to people interested in science, he thought of a way to fill in this gap.

"There is no access for science in Sri Lanka whereas abroad there are collections of poems on stars and aliens. So I have simplified advanced theories in science and presented them in a way that everybody can grasp. There is a segment who watch only Bhawathra," Rathnayake said.

Intertwining the villagers' beliefs and the daily incidents with the scientific ideas Rathnayake has reached out the multi faceted audience. "I had to link this new idea of the alien with the lives of ordinary people so I have brought in several concepts popular among villagers," he explained.

Difficult task

Creating the alien was a difficult task Rathnayake had to face. He never thought the alien he made using three selected sketches will amuse people so much." It became popular rapidly. I got calls from viewers and children requesting a photo of the alien. Some wanted it for TV commercials," he said.

Rathnayake has been inspired by the works of Steven Speilburg, James Cameron and Peter Jack. He has used nine out of the world's best ten visual effects used in Hollywood in the drama Bhawathra. "Movies like Jurassic Park and Starwars aroused my enthusiasm. MATT painting, visual pasting and digital editing are some of the special effects used in Hollywood.

The teledrama consisting 55 episodes were shot only in two locations using the technology I knew. It is amazing what the modern technology can do," he said.

Technology has done marvels for Rathnayake not only in this tele series but also in the TV commercials. He has been able to create advertisements for Mobitel with the help of special effects."I have used only 75 people to create the hand in mobitel. It was a big task.

Through this I've introduced technology to Sri Lankan Commercials. There is a huge demand for it. Teleview Technology Academy trains those interested in computer animations and graphics. I have now expanded the academy to facilitate more people," Rathnayake added.

Response

Rathnayake is determined to come up with several other productions to entertain the audience. He said if the third series of Bhawathra is a success he will continue it. "It will be like X-files. It can even go up to season 4 and 5. So far I have had a good response and I am delighted that Sri Lankan audience was ready to accept a new idea.

Many doctors and professors congratulated me for this which gave lot of strength to move forward," he said.

This controversial producer at present is working on his next major production "Beyond The Sky" which comprises war scenes. It is about a pilot who survives after an attack.

On his return his actions differ and suffers a constant headache. Ultimately they find a device fixed in his brain by aliens," he briefed on his tele series to come.

Finally Rathnayake adds that it is impossible to consider man as the most intelligent creature in this universe."There may be other living beings in this universe and in time to come they will invade other planets. They can have a superior technology than man," he said.

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