Adaraneeya Kathawak :

Colombage's melody of love

By Sureshini Pilapitiya

Internationally renowned film director Priyantha Colombage will release his latest romantic – musical Adaraneeya Kathawak (a melody of love) shortly. This is his fourth film. Earlier he directed Dehena (Trance) as a young film-maker. He also directed Vimukthi (Salvation) and Arumosam Vehi (Fancy rains) which won an award for excellence at the 2007 China International Film Festival.

Adaraneeya Kathawak is co-produced by Chaminda Gamage, the son of veteran artiste and journalist Dharmasiri Gamage.

Editing is by Akila Buddhika, Diran Wijesinghe and Megha Kavinda Colombage for creative force. Starting his career as a journalist and photographer in Ravaya, Priyantha Colombage currently works as the CEO of Creative Force, a leading film , television and audio production company in Sri Lanka which has created many influential commercials and documentaries for prestigious brands, and has done some memorable documentaries, TV programs and teledramas.

In an interview with Montage Colombage collects his unforgettable moments of his film and media career, his opinions on the film industry and about his latest film, Adaraneeya Kathawak.

Excerpts:

Question: What made you join the cinematic field?

Answer: I went to Isipathana Vidyalaya, Colombo. I was interested in photography from the early days. I wanted a medium of self expression , to express my feelings and emotions. Later on I joined the Photographic Society which assisted me to become a photographer.

Conveying soul expression through an aesthetic media which can reach out to the people was my ambition. Therefore, I wanted to join the film industry.

When I did Dehena I was only 19 years. I wanted to show through the media the reality that some rituals practised in Sri Lanka were not appropriate. Thovil and devil dances are done with blind faith. Myths and beliefs lead us to destruction.

In some instances to cure mental illnesses people hold thovil ceremonies instead of going to a psychiatrist. The difference is, that one is scientific and the other primitive. I want to show the waste of money and time we spend on such rituals.

Dehena won many awards. With this film, a large number of people entered the Sinhala cinema for the first time. Dehena is Donald Jayantha's first film. Sivagurunadan came in as Assistant Director. Anuruddha Jayasinghe was the Production Manager.

Q: What can you say about your latest film Adaraneeya Kathawak?

A: I wanted to do a new film based on love and music. I do quality television commercials and documentaries. I wanted to do a film which was cinematic and also technically advanced. Nowadays we get only a few people who are concerned about quality of technology when making a film.

Directors such as Prasanna Vithanage and Asoka Handagama lead the industry with their quality, revolutionary films. Somarathne Dissanayake has taken Sinhala Cinema towards prosperity. If we do not recognise cinema as an industry, it will die a natural death.It is a thought-provoking film. The audience will have to understand the message. We are doing the final touches these days.

Q: When will the film be released to local cinema halls?

A: Most probably in June.

Q: Your other film is, Colomba Ek Raathriyak. Is it focused on Colombo society?

A: We are still working on it and it is yet to be released. It is based on human bonds and connections. It also reveals how a person can change in a second. It is based on the Colombo society, but also depicts a theme relevant to the whole country.

Q: What was the support you got from the cast and crew when you filmed Adaraneeya Kathawak?

A: Artistes and technical crew gave their support especially Donald Jayantha. This is a milestone in Donald's film career and he reached the fifty notch. Ruwan Costa, Nalin Premathillake and production manager Asoka Ariyarathne.

They made a wonderful technical crew. I wanted to find upcoming artistes and Hemal, Bimal, Aruni and Udari gave maximum support. They acted with passion and feeling. Maureen Charuni and Welegedara Ranasinghe also contributed.

Style

Q: Chitral Somapala did the back-up singing for the first time in a Sinhala film, with his identical musical style. It will add a new outlook to the film music industry, don't you think? What is your opinion?

A: Chitral has a musical style all his own which can directly touch the hearts of Sri Lankans. He has a style which feels their rhythm and pulse.

He will certainly make a difference with his powerful and majestic voice. Rock music is an influential genre which is appreciated. We are familiar with Indian music , but we can do many things the western musical influence.

Q: Tell me about your career as a journalist and a photographer working at Ravaya. Did it encourage you to start your film career? How did you find working with Victor Ivan?

A: Ravaya was my whole life. Through Victor Ivan, I have seen every angle of my life. When I did my first film, I was working at Ravaya. It helped me to look at society with a different eye.

Victor Ivan is an excellent journalist in Sri Lanka. He has a vision of the newspaper Industry. He taught us how to handle the pen to raise human interest in everything we write. He made a difference politically and socially in the country. He is an extremist, but allowed us to have our own views.

Q: What do you think about the modern film industry?

A: If we take world cinema, it is developed and reputed. We are way behind qualitatively and cinematically. Hollywood and Bollywood make good money through the Industry. We need to recognise the market to generate income. Quality films should be introduced.

Q: Do you think that the film industry nowadays is commercialised ?

A: The cinematic and qualitative side of the film industry are two different things. Cinema should be commercialised. Siri Parakum is of high quality. Making films only with the intention of earning money is not advisable.

Q: Banning or censoring films is common now. What are your comments?

A: No one has the right to ban a creation or take off a part of it. In Iranian cinema, they create a film confined to a limited area. But they make the best films in the world. We have to know how to create films without being censored.

A film director has a huge responsibility. Self censoring is the best way to avoid such problems.

Q: We import foreign films. Do you think we depend too much on them? We also depend on foreign artistes for our films. Can't we do something on our own without imitating foreign film?

A: We should know how to make use of artistes in our country. It is only those who are not sure about themselves who depend on foreign countries. In India, we cannot even take an Indian person to do some dubbing for one of our creations without the permission of the Union. The problem is that we are not united to make something of our own identity.

In 2007, the best children's film in the world was ‘Arumosam Vehi'. This shows that we can compete with commercial films of any country. We don't have to depend on anybody and neither do we have to depend on foreign artistes.

Q: Some international award-winning films which are done by our directors get a different response from our country. What is the reason for this?

A: Actually Arumosam Vehi got a fantastic response. In Sri Lanka, I had a policy problem which was a different issue. At that time, the cinema halls were bent on showing third class films which were brought from India.

I requested the authorities to remove all banners, cutouts and posters from the cinema halls. But I received no response.

So I had to withdraw my film. Even though I could not show Arumosam Vehi I'm glad that it created a concept and a policy to stop obscene films taking over. Films such as Suriya Arana could be shown because of that.

Awards

About awards, the question we have is, are each of those awards internationally recognised or recognised by the film festivals of the world ? Such films get awards and come and those who are manipulated by NGO's, they get money, and they are rejected by our country. Films such as Hansavilak didn't receive any awards, but they were appreciated by the audience.

Q: How did you feel, directing your first film, Dehena? And also being the youngest film director?

A: I was not afraid nor nervous. I had experiences from the technological side. It was a memorable experience and still I cherish it. Only Suminda Weerasinghe was there as a senior.

Q: When you create a film, are there any aspects which you are concerned about?

A: It normally takes me around three years to write a script. I am concerned about the technical staff. They should understand me.

Thirdly, finding artistes according to the acting style. It differs from one director to another. Some find the film shoot difficult, and take time to do a good film. But if it is able to produce good results, that is what is most important.

Q: What do you think of the film trends which have dominated cinema? Earlier we had children's film trends. Now we have a historical film trend.

A: If we take history itself then choosing the Mahavamsa is also something wrong. We do not exactly know how it all began. Do these people who make historical films study history? Do they know how to read a rock inscription?

Q: What inspired to start a production company of your own?

A: If I did some other job I wouldn't have had the freedom to do my own creations. I would not have been able to produce my artwork or express my feelings through media. Therefore, I wanted to start a production company to create the things which I like.

Q: What are the themes you are concerned when making a film ?

A: When I was doing Vimukthi I was bent on the political side, regarding the problems of unemployed youth.

At present, during an era which is overflowing with historical stories, and which has no love stories, I decided to bring Adaraneeya Kathawak.

Q: What are your aspirations ?

A: Creating an established and a world-renowned film, including human bonds which speak to the heart such as Adaraneeya Kathawak.