The Road from Elephant Pass

Fresh, witty and heartwarming: A must see :

Dulshani Gunawardena

The wave of gunshot...the hand of death...the thrill of life and the depth of love: Alimankada conveys a drama that cannot be easily forgotten. Chandran Rutnam’s cinematic portrayal of Nihal de Silva’s Gratiaen prize winning novel, ‘The Road From Elephant Pass’, holds high expectations.

It follows the path of Wasantha (Ashan Dias) as he struggles to fulfill his mission in conveying an LTTE-informant, Kamala (Suranga Ranawaka) to Colombo. What at first seemed like a simple, yet tiresome assignment, turns into a tug of war with death itself. And it’s not only the rebels, army deserters and leopards they have to battle against; but rather the hostility and hatred within. It’s a journey from Elephant Pass in war, through the hostile yet breathtaking Wilpattu, to the sophisticated Colombo. It’s also a journey of two very different individuals forced to discard their odds in the name of survival. An enmity turning to companionship, which in itself turns into an unwilling yet unforgettable love. All towards the startling finale, where duty fights conscience, where the head fights the heart....

Any film based on a book has tough competition against the book itself. Overall Chandran Rutnam has done a commendable job. The film in itself falls nothing short of a classic. As was the words of many a viewer, it was a totally new experience on the Sri Lankan cinemascope. Fresh and entertaining, it’s a drama which catches the viewer’s breath, warms the heart and provokes the mind.

“I don’t care for whatever these damn Governments think. This is my country. This country is my mother, my mother... And I fight for my mother...”

I cannot imagine of a more poignant rendering of the gist of a soldier’s thoughts! Chandran Rutnam’s screenplay is terrific! The dialogues are well planned and very powerful. Wit and sarcasm are well mixed. There’s humour in the darkest times, which really keeps the story moving. It may be a thought provoking film, yet its certainly not dull!

The scenes are very effective. I could feel my heart beating as they were chased by the rebels through the jungle. The suspense was killing!

Chandran Rutnam couldn’t have assembled a better cast! Both the lead characters are star in their maiden performances, yet they do their utmost in their roles. Their physical appearance totally match the roles.

Ashan Dias couldn’t have surpassed himself any better in this role. His body language, facial expressions and overall acting deserves a huge applause. Suranga Ranawaka does very well too, but her voice being dubbed, she does not get to show her full potential.

Yet, this is not a film without its flaws. There are indeed quite a many aspects which I felt that would have made the film a legend, not merely a classic. The closing scene leaves me in utter confusion. The ending, up to the point where the ultimate fate of the two are left in uncertainty, couldn’t have been better. It totally portrays how heartless, cold and unpredictable war can be. It emphasizes how love is crushed, honour is betrayed, justice is undone... It leaves behind a big question mark as to whether whatever war at the end of the day can ever be justified.

Then... a fast forward to nine years later where all is well and fine. The means whence it came to be so, for me, is totally unfathomable. Perhaps, the director thought that such an ending would be more appealing for post-war Sri Lanka. Yet I myself would have preferred more a souvenir of what it was and what it should not be: a reminder of the past and a lesson for the future...

The vocals are another area that cries out for attention. The song in itself is not very memorable and its placement with the closing credits makes it even more so. Though this is not an ‘entertainment’ film, in my opinion, more poignant lyrics, strategically placed would have greatly enhanced the film’s value and impact. The lyrics itself don’t seem to suit itself into the film. Wasantha is a dedicated soldier, but the lyrics makes it seem that he was dragged into his profession.

Both Ashan and Suranga have to pay more attention to voice modulations. Where the dialogues should have been carried out in whisper, as in the truck in LTTE controlled areas, there was no change of tone though the dialogue was obviously whispered. More attention could have been paid to the surrounding environment to make it more eye catching.

In comparison with the book, some of the most interesting scenes, such as the elephant attack, are deleted. The growing relationship between Wasantha and Kamala doesn’t seem to develop a smoothly as in the book and the actors’ chemistry could have been better.

But all and in all, Alimankada is a benchmark film. It deserves all applause and is definitely a must see! Its unforgettable and leaves behind much hope for a brighter future for the Sri Lankan cinema!

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