Ira Handa Yata ready to take off

Ruwini Jayawardana

Award winning director of Aswasuma and Sulanga fame, Bennett Rathnayake, will begin work on his third cinematic venture, Ira Handa Yata soon. Ratnayake hopes to address the minds and hearts of the Sri Lankan audience who live with mutual cooperation within the multi ethnic and multi religious background of this country through his film.

How can we understand the viciousness of the war we have experienced throughout history? How can we reveal the truth for the progress of the society? These are the themes that the director will take up in his creation.

"I plan to screen the film for both the Tamil and Sinhala audience as well as the international arena," Ratnayake comments on his third cinematic project.

"We will be shooting in many locations which had been a part of the conflict areas in the past: Batticaloa, Welikanda, Kalpitya, Udapppuwa and Dambulla for around two months," he adds.

The movie, based on a true experience, was scripted by Rathnayake and Sarath Gamlath. It is a collective production of Samanmalee Hewamanna, Oliver Fernando, Ruwan Jayasinghe and Indika Wanigasekera.

Many leading actors and young talent will contribute to the project.

Priyantha Dissanayake will be in charge of the make up department, Sujeewa Gunarathna the art direction and Kumara Karawdeniya the costume designing.

Nadeeka Guruge is the music director, Kalinga Deshappriya the camera direction and Ranjan Prasanna will be the assistant director of the movie.

Priyantha Kithalagama and Anura Gambeera Arachchi are the production managers while Daminda Madawala handles the production plan.

"As the Buddha stated, the sun, moon and the truth are three factors you cannot hide forever.

"We hope Ira Handa Yata will be able to project the real picture of the ongoing situation to the international public and thereby convince them to look at the incident through a clear angle," he concluded.