Ruwini JAYAWARDANA
Talented filmmaker Bennett Ratnayake who had nurtured the industry
with memorable creations like 'Aswasuma' and 'Sulanga' started work on
his third creation, 'Ira Handa Yata'.
Minister of Agricultural
Development and Agrarian Services Development Maithripala Sirisena, UNP
General Secretary and Parliamentarian Tissa Attanayake, NFC Chairman
Jayantha Dharmadasa and veteran actor Ravindra Randeniya attended the
Muhurath ceremony held at NFC's Tharangani Hall recently.
 'Ira Handa Yata' focuses on the country's ethnic conflict and
introduces Bennett's son, Udara, to cinema. Udara will portray a role of
a young soldier while versatile actor Saumya Liyanage will take on the
role of a middle aged Army Major.Other roles are taken up by Kaushalya
Fernando, Chandani Seneviratne, Suvinitha Weerasinghe, Mahendra Perera,
Palitha Silva, Veena Jayakody, Damitha Abeyratne, Jagath Beneragama,
Suminda Sirisena, Roger Seneviratne, Rangana Premaratne, Ajith Lokuge,
Kumara Tirimadhura, Sathishchandra Edirisinghe, Dharshan Dharmaraj, Dee.
Ga. Somapala, Sampath Jayaweera and others. The movie also introduces
young actress Sheryl Romesh Decker to Sinhala cinema along with Indian
actress Tasha Dharshani.
Another specialty in connection with the project is that Bennett's
family: his wife Samanmalee Hewamanna, son Udara and daughter Baghya
will contribute to acting alongside Bennett in some significant scenes.
Shooting is taking place in locations in Batticaloa, Welikanda,
Kalpitiya, Udapppuwa and Dambulla. The movie aims to open doors to local
production in Sinhala and Tamil cinema as well as the international
arena. It will be dubbed in Tamil for the Tamil audience and subtitled
in English and projected abroad, director Ratnayake said.The script
written by Bennett and Sarath Gamlath.
Kalinga Deshapriya is the cameraman and Ranjith Priyantha is the
assistant director. Ranjan Prasanna handles the make up department.
Nadeeka Guruge directs the music while the lyrics are penned by Wasantha
Kumara Kobawaka and Kalum Srimal.
 Sujeewa Gunaratne is the art director, Kevin Nugera is the
choreographer, Kumara Karavdeniya is the costume designer and Duminda
Vidhanagamachchi is the second assistant director.Deepthi Weerasuriya
and Anura Gambeeraarachchi are the production executives.
Deepthi Wijethunga is the media coordinator of the project. Ira Handa
Yata is a collective production of Samanmalee Hewamanna, Oliver
Fernando, Ruwan Jayasinghe, Vijitha Herath and Dilan Fernando.
Pic Tennyson Edirisinghe |
