From adventure to a broken promise

When the time traveller was up, he could see his little daughter peering into his eyes. Seeing his eyes open she dragged his long beard. Time traveller had to sit up.

"I want to hear it father."
"What is it sweety?"
"Mother said you have dreams and remember them in the morning. You tell her your dreams. You have never done it for me. I want to know what you dream of."
Time traveller broke into laughter.
"You had your breakfast?"
"Yes father. Tell me what you saw last night"
The little one sat on his lap without giving him much of an option.
"Okay, have you heard of the first Sinhala film?"
"Yes I have. I have read of it in a book I found in the library. It's Kadavunu Poronduva, the Broken Promise. They say that's how the Sinhala cinema industry started."

Time traveller was surprised. He wanted to recall his daughter's age. But it took a while to recall - eleven. Not that small. She is on the verge of adolescence. But still she plays the old little girl - sitting on his lap and all.

"Kadavunu Poronduva is the first Sinhala talkie movie."
"So what has it got to do with your dreams?"
"I watched the movie in my dream."
"Kadavunu Poronduva?"
"Yes."

"So where did you watch it?"
"Listen to me Javika, I'm going to tell you." The traveller said caressing his daughter's head. Javika got out of his lap and sat by his side on the bed, listening.
"Like I said, this week is important because they are going to celebrate the 64th anniversary of the Sri Lankan cinema. This is because Kadavunu Poronduva was screened on January 21, 1947. But that's not all."
"Go on father."
"January 21 is of course important because the first Sinhala talkie movie was screened. But even before that we had two silent films. They are Rajakeeya Vikramaya and Paligeneema."
"Now who told you that?"
"Don Edward. I met him when I was in Kingsley film hall last night to watch Kadavunu Poronduva. He is the director of Paligeneema."
"So he came to see the first talkie movie? Interesting." "It is interesting. And it's sad too. Actually Edward was complaining. Now he is the first Sinhala director of a movie. Well that's a silent movie, it's a different story. Even the world cinema has a certain era allocated for silent movies. I don't know why these people celebrate the initiation of Sri Lankan cinema with a talkie, when there was a movie even before that."

"Two, in fact." Javika corrected.

"No dear. Only one. I forgot to tell you about Rajakeeya Vikramaya. They could never screen it here. There are rumours it was damaged in India."

"But why?"
"May be because of jealousy. Now see, this Paligeneema was directed by a Sinhalese. No one mentions it. Everyone is talking about Kadavunu Poronduva and it is directed by an Indian."

"Pretty sad, father. So what happened after that?"

"From 1948 I flew back to 1977 to see them set up the National Film Corporation. That too happened on the same day the Poronduva was screened. January 21."

Javika was silent, listening. After a brief pause she said: "Father I see a link in all this. First it was Rajakeeya Vikramaya, 'Royal Adventure'. But they destroyed it even before it was born. And then someone took 'Revenge', Paligeneema. What happened? Nobody took any notice. Finally it all became a 'Broken Promise' Kadavunu Poronduva."

Time Traveller could not think of any response.

Sachi