Vehi Dawasa to shower on screen

Ruwini Jayawardana

Renowned author and artiste Bhadraji Mahinda Jayatilaka’s maiden cinematic creation Vehi Dawasa (Rainy Day) is ready for release. The story is based on a novel penned by Jayatilaka and relates a tale which explores the unexpected turns in life.

Faces from the theatre scene as well as fresh talent will be brought to the fore in the project. Hemantha Prasad, Prabha Sandaseeli, Udeni Alwis, Sangeetha Thadani, Sanet Dikkumbura, Lakshan Sanju, Bhadraji Mahinda, Vishaka Jayaweera, Prasad Deshapriya and others play significant roles in Vehi Dawasa.

Set in the cool, misty climate of Nuwara Eliya, Vehi Dawasa focuses on Elisa. While the rest of the citizens are fast asleep, engulfed in the blanket of cold mist, Elisa is busy getting ready for the day.

Every second is precious to her as she has three children to feed, a stingy husband to tend to and a sick child to care for.

Theja, a young mother-to-be too is hoping to visit the doctor with Elisa for her daily check-up. With a doting husband by her side Theja’s life is quite different from Elisa’s.

A bus speeds towards Nuwara Eliya from Colombo carrying superstar Dilip and his companions. They are on their way to stage a play in the town.

Anoja, the wife of the chief doctor at the hospital is counting the minutes so that she would be able to present a bouquet of flowers to the charming Dilip and make a good impression upon him.

Being an ardent fan of his she is in a frenzy of excitement to meet and chat up with him.

However nature has other plans in store for each of them. Elisa, Theja, Anoja and Dilip find that their anticipations and dreams take a different turn as nature intervenes.

“I always wanted to make a movie. For around 60 years I held on to that dream and engaged in studies with that wish in mind.

Having become a part of the team of Sri Lanka’s first television station ITN I later worked as a consultant, producer and director for both ITN and Rupavahini.

“I wrote and directed Atharamage Nawathena (The Wayward Rest), the first teledrama to be done in a studio in Sri Lanka with three cameras and online editing.

“Later in California I wrote and directed a one-hour television drama to be produced in USA,” Jayatilaka recalled his creative roots.

He said that almost all the filming was done in Nuwara Eliya within ten days. The background music was provided by two Tamil musicians named Geeth and Vickyn. The music includes some Tamil rap music which will be included for the first time in a Sinhala movie.

Hemantha Prasad has written the screenplay, M. Safeer was the production executive, Prem Jayantha Kapuge the make up, Donald Karunaratne the cinematography while Udeni Alwis has assisted in the direction and also handled still photography.

Vehi Dawasa is expected to hit the wide screen soon and will no doubt be a whole new experience for local cinema goers.