 |
 |
| ||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Q: Sadisi Tharanaya is a tele-film. So the techniques used in filming have been used in shooting Sadisi Tharanaya. Can you describe the novel techniques that you employed in shooting Sadisi Tharanaya? A: My prime objective is to bring cinematic techniques into the medium of television. I applied the same techniques which apply to masterpiece in cinema, have been applied to television. The only different being that I did not exploit the techniques to the maximum knowing that it will be on air on television. So I had to limit my creative freedom to a certain extent because it will be shown on 14 to 42 inches screen. So I had to have general idea how to adapt the techniques in cinema to television. I did not invent any novel techniques but I did research on them. Usually such a work is called Teledrama. So I took that `drama’ portion out and made it a tele-film where television was used with cinematic expression and techniques. Q: Sadisi Tharanaya also offers an impressive script interspersed with elements of myste ry and you have also used techniques such as flash back effectively. How do you conceive the idea which ultimately developed into a masterly-crafted plot? A: From birth, I was much closed with two areas; one is cinema and art and politics. So they are not alien to me. When I started to do my own creations after leaving a private television channel, I thought of making a creation which is fruitful and of quality and of lasting value. I thought of writing a script which had been in mind for quite a long time. It was exactly four years ago on the day of Tsunami I commenced writing the script. I was engaged with producing documentaries on Tsunami. I was not in a hurry. I wanted to see a better script and concept out in writing so I took a long time to develop the script. Whatever the incidents of life, in general, I do not consider the `past’ as the past but it is present for me as I experience it. It is only the time varies. Given the concept I have used flashbacks as the present even though it is used as past in tele-dramas and in cinema. It goes as another incident. But I have left enough room for the viewer to understand whether this scene is a flashback or not. Eventually viewers understand that flashbacks do not depict current time but the past. I believe that past should exist within a person, a nation. The script was more a cinema script than a tele-script. Since I speak of journalism and politics, I though that there would be a lot of criticism from the public. Therefore the script was undergone a process of development and justification throughout a period of three to four months. Ultimately it was moulded to suite television preserving cinematic quality. Q: Although the plot is very impressive, your making the investigative women journalist “Nirdha” as the daughter of the seemingly corrupt politician ‘Parakkrama Bandara’, to a certain degree, is unrealistic. Don’t you think that separation of two characters would give more credence to the plot? A: Ninety per cent of our lives are unrealistic. Therefore, naturally we are forced to lead unnatural life in a false word. When we talk about the relationship between father and daughter, could it not be between politician and journalist. It could be a CID officer and politician. I believe, there is nothing impossible in life. When you talk of two characters, sociological situations and emotions of father and daughter is more precise than the two professions. I have brought in these two different areas of profession to show even father and daughter can part with one another because of their life targets. Nirdha’s target is to be the best investigative journalist while Parakrama Bandara wants to be the most powerful politician and to earn a fortune. When we come into this world, we come with empty handed and then we get everything; our positions and beauty. It is where the journey starts. Sadisi Tharanaya is about that journey which is dependent on our aims, attitudes and requirements. The conflict rises from this point. Q: You have stated that the objective of the story is not only to reveal the nexus between politicians and corrupt elements in the society but also to portray human nature and that there are no black and white characters in the society. How do you perceive politician `Parakkrama Bandara’ in this light? A: I emphasis again that there are no black and white characters. They are ash. In this whole tele-film I discuss such characters specifically the character of Parakkrama Bandara. At a glance, viewers would think that I am going to talk about politics and journalism. It is more or less on sociological issues, human instincts and human relationships. Today, all humanbeings are political animals and they play to the tune of politics. Parakkrama Bandara is only another character in politics. What is important is not the dark side in Parakkrama Bandara but the sensitive person in him. If you try to raise that sensitive person in black person, then there is a hope for the future. That is what I am trying to bring out in Parakkrama Bandara. It is better to speak of black and describe about white. Q: Character of `Pilapitiya’ is one of the main characters which till the end, is portrayed as an ideal official who stood against corruption and malpractices. However, it subsequently reveals that Pilapitiya was not as he seemed to be. Does it suggest that there are no honest public servants? A: Are there honest public servants? There are. But how many are there, is the question. Is it countable? This is not the weakness on the part of these personalities. It is a defect of the system. Defect of the era. Corruption is on the rise. To be frank, corruption is underneath the social fabric. It cannot be wiped out. As much as we are political creatures, we are also creatures caught in the system which is corrupt. It could be you or I. I would like to see a large number of honest public servants. The message I try to convey is that there may be such honest public servants even in the future. Q: Most of the characters are built up in a convincing manner and the sequence of events also impressive and credible. However, you would have confronted with the limitations in the media of television. How did you overcome these limitations? A: I quitted from a private channel seeing the limitation of a creator. Cinema is freedom and when it comes to television we lose seventy five per cent of it. I feel I have overcome most of the limitations without breaking the rules and regulations. My crossing over the limitations has only enhanced the features of the characters and intensifying the message I wanted to convey. To achieve this, I handled some areas of the creation in a mischievous way, subtle and methodically. I hope viewers and critics would understand it. Q: In a broader perspective, what were your objectives and the kind of message encoded in Sadisi Tharanaya? A: We all in society cross over the life simultaneously. But the crossing over is different from one person to another depending on opportunities, targets, ambitions and these lead us onto different paths. Otherwise all are equal. If the aims and targets are set with honesty, this journey would be more enlighten. This is the message I want to convey. The endless journey is within a limited life. Whatever we accepted as truth would turn out to be false in a moment, uncertainty of life. This is what Buddha taught. I tag it with present situation and flavoured it. Q: At the end, politician Parakkrama Bandara’s acquittal suggests that corrupt politician would continue his practices. The viewers get the impression that there will not be any change in the order. The end of Sadisi Tharanaya is, however, dramatic. As creator of the tele-film, what do you intend by this dramatic end? A: I throw a question on law. Is a verdict given hundred per cent correct? To the open forum, it is correct. It either depends on hard evidence or on witnesses. Could not be anything that dependent on humanitarian grounds. So I am asking a very simple question, is it fair or unfair? In Sadisi Tharanaya, according to law the verdict is correct. I have left the question ‘who should be released?’ to the viewers. Q: Casting plays a major role in the success of a film or a tele-film. I would say that you did it commendably. What were the criteria you adapted in choosing the cast for Sadisi Tharanaya? A: Casting was done during the scripting. I did not choose people and fix them on to characters. I kept on designing each character, their language, mannerism, body language. Then I selected veteran actors and actresses. I tried hard and fixed my focus to ensure to bring out not the personal characteristics of the actors and actresses but to give life to the characters I moulded. All the artists rendered their fullest contribution and co-operation to maintain the required quality throughout the tele-film. Q: Music scores by late maestro Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa have well integrated into the plot. So far the effect of music scores on Sadisi Tharanaya has not been analysed. Looking back on, how do you think music scores had contributed to the success of the tele-film Sadisi Tharanaya? A: I would say it is a miracle. Music has contributed immensely to the tele-film. After watching the tele-film he created 16 pieces of music which is his last contribution to the third generation of creators and to Sri Lanka. He thoroughly understood my language of visuals and synchronised it with his music. They were his final masterpieces to the nation. He told me “Devinda your visual language and these pieces of music, have created a great partnership in creation, even if not receive any acclaim today, one day this creation would remain as a study object, and that day definitely I would not be there, remember me, and speak out and tell that I told you like this”. That still haunts in my mind. He came with a piece of paper and the miracle started when laying the music. Miraculously maestro’s music tally perfectly with the visual rhythms and emotions of characters. After finishing the music being laid and watching the finished product, Maestro Premasiri Khemadasa said “If I had been the director of this tele-film, I would lay the music at exactly the same places Devinda laid music”. I am so much thankful to him. That’s why I dedicated this creation to him and to his memory. |
|
