"Thanha Rathi Ranga": a WONDER debut?

Channa Bandara Wijekoon

D B Nihalsinghe's film 'Welikathara' is a timeless creation in cinema history. Seeing the film on the big screen was a novel experience which motivated upcoming film-makers to make productions on par with global standards.

Nilendra Deshapriya's directorial debut 'Thanha Rathi Ranga' (Between Yesterday and Tomorrow) is a production which recalls such efforts. It is an example of how cinema is used as a universal language to project the 'big-picture' of mere incidents via visuals to a society irrespective of language, regional or cultural barriers.

Deshapriya who is one of the most sought after TV personalities in the country has a career spanning for 30 years in the drama, film and television fields. He had contributed towards films like 'Siri Medura', 'Keli Madala' and 'Sisila Gini Gani', as the assistant director before venturing into film direction.

The story

The movie rotates around the post-war era of the country in a very constructive manner.

Three friends decide to re-visit a shell-shocked land that used to be a 'no-man's-land' for three decades.

In their journey of fresh hope they encounter many evils.

The evil decides to stay with the threesome bringing uninvited ordeals to their lives. The nightmares of the past still lingers. Real peace is peace within the soul. This has yet to be achieved.

International recognition

The film has already gained international recognition. The Grants Committee of The Global Film Initiative (GFI) subsequent to an extensive and competitive review process has recognized 'Thanha Rathi Ranga' for its promise of artistic excellence, cinematic craftsmanship and innovative and accomplished story-telling.

GFI located in San Francisco is an entity supporting new waves of filmmakers of the developing world, by way of production grants. GFI reaches out to independent filmmakers around the world with the motive of 'cross-cultural understanding through cinema'.

Praiseworthy

Cinema veteran Dr D B Nihalsinghe says that 'Thanha Rathi Ranga' is "a remarkable achievement, not only because it is a 'first' film, but also because irrespective of being a 'first' it is wonderful cinema, with the stamp of a mature hand and none of the pitfalls of a 'first' film.

Sri Lanka needs this kind of cinema: rare and exceptional because it is vision and insight translated into cinematic artistry of a high order".

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