Journeying from pages to reel
Road From Elephant Pass is an epic love story based
on war:
Sachitra Mahendra
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A scene from Alimankada
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Captain Elmo Jayawardena wrote about Nihal de Silva, the author of
'Road From Elephant Pass', a few weeks ago. If someone is to write about
Nihal de Silva, Captain Jayawardena should be the most suitable. Nihal
de Silva's dedication reads: For Elmo Jayawardena, aviator and
philanthropist.
When I read 'Road From Elephant Pass' some years back, it struck
chords in my heart. I couldn't think of taking another novel. I sat
still thinking about the contents. I reread some parts. I was so happy
when I heard the book was going to be filmed, though I had my doubts
about it. If the novel was to be perfectly filmed then it would fulfill
two causes: 'adults only' label will be taped and the film will be at
least three hours long.
And now that the film is released, I watched it. Chandran Rutnam's
effort is not bad. Well this means it is good but not a masterpiece.
With much respect to Rutnam's directorial talents, I still have a
feeling it doesn't deserve Golden Globe attention.
For me the recurrent theme of 'Elephant Pass' is love that runs a war
background. It is a love story and I don't read war stories. Let me lay
down the introduction:
"An army officer's routine assignment to pick up a woman informant
near Jaffna turns intoa nightmare when the Tigers launch a massive
attack on the peninsula and the camp at Elephant Pass. The two
adversaries are forced to escape together through the rebel held Vanni
and later, cross the abandoned Wilpattu National Park on foot.
Bitter enemies at the start of their journey, Captain Wasantha and
the activist Kamala face innumerable threats from wild animals and a
gang of deserters who make determined and violent efforts to capture the
woman. The constant external danger, and their enforced dependence on
each other, gradually erodes their enmity and distrust.
But a shocking revelation confronts Wasantha when he finally reaches
Colombo. He is now compelled to choose between his friend and his
country."
I fell in love with the male and female protagonists. The film's
couple is not the one I pictured, but they are lovable too. They add
meaning to de Silva's characters. Even so dialogue styles are out of
place, and they are not properly edited. But that does not bar the
viewer from falling in love with the characters. Script is not bad, but
would have been improved.
'Road From Elephant Pass' has not only won the Gratiaen prize but
also the State Literary Award too. This novel has won two prestigious
awards, and if not what else would have won? But everyone seems to know
only about the Gratiaen prize.
The film has its own additions. Towards the end of the journey,
Kamala asks Wasantha 'Paiththiyama' (are you crazy?) in an intimately
cute way. The very last scene of the film, which is not in the book,
shows a couple with a kid after nine years in Toronto. The couple is
shown in distant, but that intimate phrase 'Paiththiyama' is asked. Then
we have a clue as to what the couple is.
The couple speaks in English, as it's the common language. Kamala
doesn't speak Sinhala much, and Wasantha doesn't speak Tamil much. They
are not fluent in each other's mother tongue.
The conversation in the novel bears out that both these characters
have a good command of English. That's why in one instance Wasantha
comments on Kamala's Sinhala when she had to speak. Couple speaks in
Sinhala right throughout the film.
With the command of English, both these characters have access to a
wide scope of subjects. They have a good knowledge about wildlife.
Kamala knows wildlife because her father gifted her a book by Henry
Parker. But in the film we have no idea how Wasantha derives his
knowledge of wildlife. De Silva's characterization is more complex.
Wasantha has his mentor Mr. Karl who shapes his life in many ways. Mr.
Karl is omitted from the film, without even a slight hint of him.
Kamala nods when she is asked if she could swim, but she cannot swim
in the novel. When he says 'too bad we play for different teams', it was
kind of a soliloquy. But Wasantha blurts it out hastily when they both
are in action.
The Gratiaen panel explains the book as 'it eminently civilized
handling of the last degree of intimacy between a man and a woman'.
Interdependence made them intimate to each other. Kamala despises the
man in the beginning, but towards end she gradually approaches his side
of the tent. Wasantha asks Kamala why she always wants him to leave
army. The film doesn't chain the events that make her question. Kamala
gets impressed by Wasantha's other self such as love and knowledge of
wildlife.
De Silva's language skills rest in his short sentences and
single-line paragraphs. It makes the reader pause and continue the
journey.
Making a film out of a novel is always set on a debate because in
many cases, an ardent fan of the novel cannot be impressed by a film
however first class it may be. We should realize the fact that film is
another medium. A novel cannot be just translated into a film. It's
another creation where filmmaker has to put his thoughts into the reel.
Alimankada doesn't house all the incidents in the 426-page novel. It
doesn't have to. But I frankly believe if some scenes were included they
would certainly heighten the pathos of the original creation.
I once asked Nihal de Silva if he had ever worked in Army, to which
he responded in the negative. But his novel gives a false impression.
That's his virtuoso, I believe. For anyone who would watch the film,
I recommend reading the novel first. Nihal de Silva is not alive
anymore. But thanks to translator E. M. G. Edirisinghe and filmmaker
Chandran Rutnum, his creation impresses everyone. May be Rutnam is
giving ropes to make an even better movie.
You should read his novel. His mastery in situation building up and
simply elegant language would take you back, and I guarantee you will
enjoy the film more after that.
I did so. |
