‘Vassanaye Handa’: Three-in-one Sinhala film | Sunday Observer

‘Vassanaye Handa’: Three-in-one Sinhala film

17 June, 2018

Skill to do, comes of doing.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)

US Poet and Essayist

The extensive contribution made to Sinhala cinema tradition, by the profoundly experienced film-maker Udayakantha Warnasuriya, remains largely unsung. Even if assessed in merely numerical terms, Director Warnasuriya’s creative achievement is exceptionally impressive. The current work “Vassanaye Handa” (The Moon in the rainy season) is his 22nd creation.

Along with its official premiere, Director Udayakantha Warnasuriya launched the novel and the film-script, on which the film is based, adding a new historical feature to official premiers. That will explain why I used the sobriquet “Three-in-One” Sinhala Film,” to characterize “Vassanaye Handa” (The Moon in the rainy season).

When viewed in historical hindsight, the extensive array of films he has endowed upon the filmgoers of Sri Lanka, an inescapable reality invariably emerges. Throughout his long career of film-making, Director Warnasuriya has assiduously pursued a goal he set for himself.

Director Warnasuriya, set himself the task of exploring a formula, that will at once result in quality cinematic work, while possessing a popular appeal.

Many of those who keep on producing films routinely, adopt only a casual and matter-of-fact attitude towards the business of creating cinematic works. It is very rarely, if at all, that the average film-maker in Sri Lanka, is given to the in-depth study of film-craft, as a basic professional obligation.

But, in that kind of context, Director Warnasuriya’s preoccupation with cinematic craftsmanship, is a totally different phenomenon. The prefatory note added by Udayakantha Warnasuriya, to the printed version of his film-script, emphatically records the prominence he gives to a well-made script, in ensuring a successful cinematic creation. But, he quite correctly observes, that the high quality of the film is ultimately determined by the Director’s all-round expertise in creative film-making.

Director Warnasuriya’s carefully cultivated film-making maturity, is quite effectively reflected in his latest work “Vassanaye Sanda” (The Moon in the rainy season).

His film goes counter to some of the popularly held views about the formula for a successful cinematic work. It was generally felt, that to be reckoned ‘popular’, a film should deal with under-privileged lifestyles, slum-dwellers, socially marginalized characters and harsh criminal behaviour.

Director Warnasuriya’s current work is primarily about upper-middle-class social groups. The visuals are like glamorous picture-postcards. The locations exude a lavender-dell romanticism.

The persons who inhabit this landscape, possess ‘beautiful’ lives, the charm of which is not marred by anything that may seem ‘harsh’ or ‘disturbing.’

The Director, nourishes the prevailing atmosphere of pleasant well-being, through the details he selects, to highlight the domestic grace, that dominates inter-relations between family members.

The Director leavens this seemingly carefree happiness and joy, by introducing a choice bit of ‘spice’, in the form of witty and amusing anecdotes - referred to as ‘yarns’ in the film.

The romantic young lover Sandesh is peculiarly adept at ‘yarn spinning’ to keep his girl friend laughing at each and every turn. The name Mihiri (Sweet) that has been inherited by the young lady, from her birth echoes the spirit of joie de vivre pervading the totality of the cinematic work.

When the young man’s mother, meets her son Sandesh for the first time in the film, Sandesh is engaged in the act of picking up a bottle of perfume. Once again the theme of ‘sweetness’ is brought to the fore.

It is quite clear that attention to telling detail is consciously built in.

The preliminaries tend to make the filmgoer feel that the narration is moving towards a fairy tale finale, that is usually marked by the cliché, “they lived happily ever after”, But, the Director, is not ready to allow the audience to settle for such a naïve and simplistic end. The Director brings in an element, that compels the viewers’ keener involvement.

Mihiri has a kid brother, afflicted with Down Syndrome. The handicapped younger brother commands all her affection. Given an obstacle of that proportion, can her romantic link with Sandesh survive?

This central issue provides the dynamism to propel the story line onwards.

Exhibiting his surprising skill at telling a soul-arresting cinematic story, the Director, develops the cinematic chronicle.

Studies take Sandesh to Australia, where, his heart is surreptitiously stolen by a young woman who vaguely resembles Mihiri, who he left back in Sri Lanka.

Director Warnasuriya is committed in the present cinematic effort, to provide an entertainingly popular film ‘treat’ that will enable film-fans to experience the satisfying flavour of a tale with a ‘happy ending’.

When inspired by such an optimistic cinematic philosophy, it is not at all surprising that the Director will want to soft pedal the impact even of a tragic event of considerable seriousness.

In Australia, an accidental fall makes Sandesh suffer acutely. The Director is not bent on wringing out the last drop of pathos from this occurrence.

In sum, Director Warnasuriya has gifted us a work to ponder on, while savouring the joy of a pleasing finale.

I can add that, it is very rarely that a Sinhala film of this discipline comes our way, nowadays.

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