Breaking the barriers

Alimankada spotlights on foe turned friend :

Ruwini Jayawardana

Reputed filmmaker, writer and production supervisor Chandran Rutnam’s newest movie Alimankada will begin screening at Regal, Colombo, and more theatres in the island from October 30. The movie is based on Nihal de Silva’s

Gratiaen award winning novel ‘The Road from Elephant Pass’. It also won the author the state Literary Award for bringing out the most outstanding local literary work in English in 2003.

Rutnam expressed his desire to make a movie out of the book in 2007. His first choice was versatile actor Saumya Liyanage for the project but as work was held up due to unavoidable reasons, Saumya was unable to make it on the days when shooting finally took off. Thus the team searched high and low before they stumbled upon Ashan Dias. He takes on the lead role of Captain Vasantha beside new entrant Suranga Ranawaka.

Backed by years of experience in making award winning movies, Rutnam’s work is no doubt eagerly anticipated by the local movie buffs. His film Adara Kathawa was Sri Lanka’s official entry to the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and the Cairo Film Festival.

“Witness to a Killing”, another of his creations won a Sarasaviya Award and represented the country at the International Tokyo Film Festival.

Having worked with a number of globally acclaimed filmmakers like Sir Carol Reed, Sir David Lean, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, John Boorman and Regis Wargnier, he recently worked together with India’s acclaimed director Ram Gopal Varma in his upcoming creation Agyaat.

He was also the local line producer on over 40 international films shot in Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

Clinching the best picture award at the Presidential Awards in 1999 for the production of ‘Pilgrimage’, directed by Vasantha Obeysekara, and Lester James Peries’ Vakanda Wallawa (Mansion by the Lake), another of Rutnam’s productions, being selected for the Cannes Film Festival further reflected his eye for quality creations. He was presented with a special Presidential Award for his service to the local film scene.

The story of Rutnam’s Alimankada highlights the changing relationship of two individuals. Two arch enemies, a terrorist and a soldier, embark on a journey. Each has to help the other to survive and save the nation from disaster. They tread down a path which embodies not only danger and hardships but which also teaches them the moral lesson that though you may be from different clans and possess conflicting ideas and habits, human emotions and nature binds you together.

Sanath Gunatileke, Athula Pathirane, Joe Abeywickrama, Iranganie Serasinghe, Kumar Mirchandani and Veena Jayakody comprise the rest of the cast. The script is penned by Rutnam and the cinematographer is Suminda Weerasinghe.

The production designer is Sunil Wijeratne, the production manager is Chandimal Kodituwakku and the production supervisor is Krishantha Gunasekara. The music director is Ajit Kumarasiri. The film is presented by Taprobane Pictures.