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| Sunday, 15 December 2002 |
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In a society where windows are thrown wide open among a people, bred on a mental plane transcending voyeurism, the one who looks becomes the animalistic barbarian and anti-social renegade who commits the ultimate sacrilege. "As advocates of modern values, we knock before we enter a doorway. The practice betrays our inner curiosity and the urge to see. It's a telling on our lack of ethics." Sexuality was never an intriguing diversion for the early Sinhala Agrarian societies, exhorts Chandrasena. "They were liberalists, sustained on higher values, living in cluster homes where everybody survived as one entity and the harvest was distributed among all."
Punchirala, an exorcist and supporter of Ambanwala Rala, purports being able to entrap women with black magic. His assistant Sobana, half-brute, half-man, captivated by Kirimenike, commits the unsanctioned when he indulges his voyeuristic urges by peeping through the window when she sleeps. Though saved from the village wrath through his connection to Punchirala, the seeds of suspicions sown in Herath exploding in his attacking the former. "Herath, being a trader, stands out as privileged from the rest of the villagers, as he alone have access to Dutch-dominated areas," explains Chandrasiri. "So is Kirimenike, who, not being a woman of the agrarian society, can afford to sleep during the day."
The plot runs deepest during the brief period of two months when Rajasinghe wins back then kingdom and Punchirala is forced to seek refuge of Sobana. Love, sexual jealousy, self-ascendancy and ambition hurtle to a full circle within Sobana's walls as he makes certain historical decisions. "A foreigner described 'Agnidahaya' as a Black Comedy," says Chandrasiri. "The film explores the emotional journey of protagonists, stepping outside their periphery which is the best way to focus the mind on the analytical. What you see is not the truth - what you discern inside is the truth." The cosmos cannot exist without love, Chandrasiri emphasises. "Humans cannot survive without embracing each other in human compassion. The film is striving to make this point. The negativity and pessimism lurking in the then human thinking, has not ceased to victimise us to this day." Chandasiri is profuse in his praise for the principal cast, comprising the cream of the local character artistes, all of whom he says dedicated themselves beyond the contracted boundary to bring out a strikingly authentic performance. "Kamal shaved his head to sport a "Undu-Govva" ravaged look and Yashoda surpassed her potential as one of the finest actresses in the local cinema." Bringing acting versatility to a zenith is the landmark music of Premasiri Khemadasa, composed uniquely for the seventeenth century. The expressionist
Writer, producer and director Chandrasiri explains that in selecting his creative medium from among theatre, tele-drama or cinema as he has determinedly stampeded on in the recent years, he settles on what best spreads out and develops his expression in the broader continuum of its ethos, nuances and innuendo. His debut cinematic offering, 'Agnidahaya' (Fire and Water) is a similar dissection of the human transition of love to hatred and the invariably ensuing denouement of self and rediscovery. Chandrasiri's formative years - through adolescence and after - unfolded in a major transitional era for the country, when the sudden gush of 1977 liberalised economy and the quickly following globalisation unexpectedly became somewhat a deathly throttle of commercialism and consumerism for a population till then immersed in mostly a non-secular traditioned milieu. "The very rhythm of folk life changed overnight," says Chandrasiri. "We were the first generation to be bombarded with its culture shock and it took us a long time to understand its characteristics, direction and consequences." The transformation chiefly aimed at an economical revolution also became another - a profound social and cultural upheaval. "We, the humans, became isolated from other humans and also from our own selves," he says. "We lost our own selves as financial progress became priority over love, compassion and human consideration. We need to bring back this forgotten human linkage and relationships if we are to re-weave the social fabric for a liveable and meaningful humanity." Life has now become blurred, he laments, and we cannot see beyond the blur. "I want to bridge this gorge remorselessly distancing humankind and re-instate principles of humanity." "Morality or constructive values cannot be taught. Even religion cannot achieve it," elaborates Chandrasiri. "Only an artiste can creep or break through the sleeping barricades of human mind and intellect via theatrical, tele-cinematic or cinematic expressions. As 'Agnidahaya' portrays, human desires are never quenched. This unquenchable thirst is inexorably bound with our social, economical, political and cultural pattern and in-out flow." He hasten to add that he is not dictated to by any religious tradition, "but whenever I thirst for inspiration, I am strengthened by the philosophy of Buddhism lying quietly somewhere behind me." Chandrasiri's foundation as an outstanding aritiste was laid in theatre. He was able to extensively study threatre by earning scholarships to Norway, Sweden, Germany and the USA. "Ms. Somalatha Subasinghe nourished part of my maturity as an artiste by facilitating me to attend World Children and Youth Drama Festival in Norway. Also, by a USIS scholarship, I was able to travel all over America, watching theatre." His theatre creatives, begun with "Ath" led to State Drama Award winner "Mora" and "Oththukaraya". Chandrasiri stirred up considerable controversy with his first foray into tele-drama with "Weda Hamine". Then came "Dandubasnamanaya" (The Range of an Arrow), his magnificent tele-dramatic thesis of ancient Sinhala combative arts of "Angam Pora", which also became a landmark in local tele-drama. "While researching for the tele-drama, I discovered that 'Angam Pora' was a development through alliances of Sinhala royalty with Chinese Ming Dynasty which excelled in Wushu," says Chandrasiri. "Akala Sandya" (Untimely Dusk) was a sequel in the same direction, venturing into time travel through spiritual faculties. "Agnidahaya", his first cinematic edict, shot in the politically destabilised seventeenth century Lanka, premiered on December 13. The Cast Yashoda Wimaladharma - Kirimenike |
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| Produced by Lake House |
"The ancient Sinhala abodes had windows but no window panes,"
declares Jayantha Chandrasiri. "Folk lived in an open hall not
separated as rooms, dining room or kitchen. All human activity necessary
for living, including sexual activity, took place within these four walls.
Though the windows were opened, the prevailing culture entailed that
nobody had the audacity or crudity to peep into a window."
Rajasinghe the Second, the King of Kandyan Kingdom in 1664 Lakdiva is
hemmed in by the Dutch who controls maritime provinces. Add to this, the
threat of rebel lord, Ambanwala Rala (Sanath Gunathilake) who is supported
by Kandyan chiefs and those wielding civil power over villages, and the
social, political and economic backdrop is set to explore the complex web
of human relations which revolve around Punchirala (Jackson Anthony),
Sobana (Kamal Addaraarachchi), Kirimenike (Yashoda Wimaladharma) and
Herath Mudiyanse (Buddadasa Withanachchi).
Sobana murders Hearath and takes up residence with Kirimenike,
culminating his rivalry with Punchirala. His prey stolen from him,
Punchirala focuses on lending his exorcist powers to the rebellion which
overthrows the government but fails to slay the King who flees to Dihiliya.
Punchirala becomes a Korale and an unhappy Sobana steals with Kirimenike
to Sabaragamuwa which favours Rajasinghe. And the half-man develops into
full human form and builds up his image as an eminent exorcist.
Mention Jayantha Chandrasiri and invariably the mind snaps awake in
anticipation of something new, something startling, something which nobody
else has ventured before. The result is a visual expression which
seemingly emanating from the idyllic traditional complacency, becomes a
power-packed and radically pleasurable assault on the hibernating nooks of
the sensory system.
