PROJECTOR

Asoka Handagama on his latest movie Vidu:

Dodging controversy

Ruwini Jayawardana

Controversy has his name written all over it. The images he paints on the screen are powerful, disturbing and through-provoking. It is no surprise that they trigger controversy for they have all dealt with the veiled nature of life: social and sexual issues in the society such as sexual exploitation, lesbianism and incest.

In his latest cinematic venture Vidu, Asoka Handagama had ventured onto an entirely different genre. The movie which is dubbed a children's film rotates around a young lad's attempt to conquer his dream. Vidu, an illegitimate child who had been deprived of formal education other than the knowledge acquired by talking to tourists, aspires to gain knowledge and make life easier for his mother. Worldly and purposeful through experience, Vidu takes on a road less travelled to make it big in society. However dark forces block his path, determined to take advantage of his talents.

"I haven't deviated from my stream all together . My previous creations have touched upon certain angles of the subject. Aksharaya created an adverse impact on Sri Lankan cinema. It effected generations of filmmakers. This collapse is reflected even in present day movies. It does not concern the Government censorship alone, but is also backed by social belief. The audience were mere spectators of the sequence of events rather than react to it. We have to gather a new set of audience on our journey," Handagama said adding that the local cinema scene does not embody reality in this sense.

He noted that he had a separate set of spectators in 1992 when he stepped into cinema. They were the television based audience who were familiar with his creations like Dunhinda Addara, Sinthatik Sihina and Diya Keta Pahana. Now that the audience had detached themselves from the television. They have not been able to keep contact for some time.

"We have to link with them to take the next step. Vidu is also an attempt to overcome the crisis in the local cinema industry. Producers are unable to regain their production costs because people are not visiting theaters. I wish to target over one million audience through Vidu," Handagama quipped.

He says that to understand the underlying message of Vidu, the audience need to watch Aksharaya first.

"Aksharaya centers on a child who had escaped from society while Vidu concerns a boy who is a part of the community. The movies portray the difference between behavioural patterns of the two children. It is a study of psychology," he stressed.

Referring to certain ideologies reflected in the media that Vidu is based on the Slumdog Millionaire theme, Handagama evoked the audience to view the movie first before considering such accusations. He said, "The genre and ideology are nonparallel to each other. I was influenced by a lot of Iranian movies. They have touched on these kinds of themes."

Handagama hopes to take the message in Vidu further by developping it into a reality television series. He notes that the audience should guess what the final speech of the protagonist contains when he addresses the whole nation.

"Every child has a social perspective. They have not been given an opportunity to voice it," said the filmmaker who is employed as the Central Bank Communications Department Communications Director.

Vidu stars Chandani Senevirathne, Saumya Liyanage, Gamini Hettiarachchi, Thanishka Vimalarathne, Shamila Nimanthi Frenando, Himasal Liyanage, Asoka De Soysa, Lanka Bandaranayaka, Amarapala Karasingharachchi, Shyam Fernando and others. Co-produced by Iranthi Abeyasinghe, Jagath Wijenayaka, Prasanna Vithanage, Prashant Rathi and Kanwar Inder Rai, the movie will hit CEL circuit theaters from December 10. It will also be dubbed in Tamil in the future.

Cameron talks Avatar sequels

So what's James Cameron been up to? You would think the man who created the two highest grossing films of all time would take some time to relax and chill out. However, it seems he has been keeping busy and is planning more films.

As for his plans for the next two Avatar films, Cameron said that he wants to do them back to back and release them a year apart. The only thing that is holding him back is whether we have the technology to rebuild him. We can make him better. Stronger. Faster.

"We need to future-proof ourselves out five or six years to the end of the third film," which basically means Cameron is going to invent the future of film making now, film his movie, and then let the rest of the world catch up by the time the third film is released.

You might remember his name was tossed around for a Cleopatra movie with Angelina Jolie, because apparently she looks like Cleopatra.

Cameron says he's open to it but he's not sure of the timing. His biggest priority is the Avatar sequels and he will definitely not do a film in between Avatar 2 and 3.

ComingSoon.net

Lessons from children

Children are in for a treat this month as Sunil Aruna Weerasiri's debut movie Tikiri Suwanda will hit EAP circuit theatres on November 10. The film relates the story of a child who stands up for the values he believes in.

Tikiri lost his parents and was taken into the custody of his mother's aunt called Rosalin.

The only other person in that house is Tikiri's uncle who is nicknamed 'Baby'. He is uneducated and a miser. He makes the boy's life miserable.

Another couple called Alponso and Jesmine frequent the house along with another person called Chandare. They live in a separate house owned by Baby. They too treat Tikiri badly.

Alponso is cunning. Baby is from the walawwa clan. He had earned the respect of the villagers. He likes to showoff and Alponso makes use of his weaknesses.

He discovers the whereabouts of a golden statue that had been handed down to Baby by his ancestors. He steals the prize while hatching a plot to convince Baby that it is actually Tikiri who is the culprit.

Tikiri runs away due to Baby's cruelty but hatred does not touch his heart. Together with the village monk and other children he thinks of a way to make his uncle see some sense.

Jayalal Rohana, Ramya Vanigasekera, Malisha Samaratunga, Giriraj Kaushalya, Sarath Chandrasiri, Rodney Varnakula, Anula Karunatileke, Priyantha Seniviratne, Duleeka Marapana, Sarath Kothalawala, Anura Bandara, Rajaguru, Saranapala Jayasuriya, Upeksha Swarnawali, Pramudhi Karunaratne, Pramodh Mihiranga Weerasiri and Nirda Uyanhewa make up the cast.

After Aishwarya, it's Vidya for Rajnikanth

The ace actor of South, Rajnikanth is getting more interest in Bollywood actresses these days. The versatile actor who recently starred opposite Aishwarya Rai in blockbuster hit Endhiran/Robot is all set to romance Vidya Balan now.

Vidya will soon be seen with Rajnikanth in an upcoming flick Hara being directed, produced, written and designed by Soundarya, Rajnikanth's daughter. It will be produced under the banner of Ocher Picture Productions.

The actress who is reluctant to act in South films is very excited to work with Rajni in such a big project. Hara is a 3D computer animated historical drama where Rajnikanth plays the role of an animated character.

Thelatestnews.in

All eyes on Action Replayy and Golmaal 3

This is turning out to be too bad to be true. Post the release of Anjaana Anjaani, none of the big budget Bollywood flicks released in the month of October have worked at the box office.

Aakrosh, Crook and Knock Out have all been flops with only a small budgeted Do Dooni Chaar and a dubbed Rajnikanth starrer Robot doing good business.

The industry is now setting much hope on their Diwali releases - Action Replayy and Golmaal 3.

Bannered under Eros International Media Ltd and produced by Shri Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd, director Rohit Shetty is back with his laughter medicine.

Typical in giving Diwali Bonanzas every year, this time he has come up with Golmaal 3, bringing up his usual set of pranksters and hilarious situations. India's first ever trilogy Golmaal 3 highlights the story of hatred between two bunch of siblings within a family.

One of nature's masterpieces, this is a family that eats together, prays together, lives together and 'can't stand each other'.

This quirky unique family will certainly deliver you with some rib tickling moments, ageless romance and some heart warming scenes.

Action Replayy is a romantic comedy which marks the return of the power team - Vipul Shah and Akshay Kumar. They have had a dream run, consisting of successful films like Aankhen, Waqt, Namastey London and Singh is Kinng.

Slater boards Passage

Indie thriller Rites of Passage has signed Christian Slater, Stephen Dorff, Wes Bentley and Kate Maberly for the directorial debut of screenwriter Peter Iliff. Script, penned by Iliff and Rick Halsey, centers on an anthropology bookworm who laments his place in a society that lacks a ceremony to mark his transition into manhood and leads his hard-partying, stressed-out classmates to his family's abandoned ranch - where his brother lives in a psychotic world of drugs, guilt and Chumash Indian rituals.

Variety

Sony to make animated Christmas movie

Sony Pictures Animation has compiled a list of Brits who will lend their voices to Aardman Animation's 3D CG-animated pic Arthur Christmas, led by James McAvoy as the title character.

Joining McAvoy will be Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Ashley Jensen.

Set on Christmas night, the toon centers on Arthur, the son of Santa, who helps save Christmas.

Laurie will voice the character Steve, the older brother of Arthur and heir to the Christmas throne, with Broadbent voicing Santa.

The movie is directed by Sarah Smith from a screenplay by Smith and Peter Baynham. Barry Cook is co-director, with Steve Pegram as producer. Sony plans for a November 23, 2011, release.

Variety