 by Ruwini Jayawardana
 Hit filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage's newest cinematic venture, 'Akasa
Kusum', which won a handful of awards on the international scale is set
to unspool at local theatres on August 22. The movie which clinched the
netpac award at the Granada Cines Del Sur Film Festival in Spain, the
Jury special mention at the Vesoul Asian Film Festival and the Silver
Peacock award for Malani Fonseka at the 39th Indian Film Festival
surfaced skywards when its official website www.akasakusum.com was
launched recently. A music album of the movie was also released.
With many internationally acclaimed movies such as 'Sisila Gini Gani'
(Ice on Fire), 'Anantha Rathriya' (Dark Night of the Soul), 'Pawru
Walalu' (Walls Within), 'Purahanda Kaluwara' (Death on a Full Moon Day)
and 'Ira Madiyama' (August Sun) to his name Vithanage's newest film is
based on the untold story behind the glamour and glitz of the celebrity
scene. Seasoned actress Malani Fonseka takes on the lead role of Sandya
Rani, an ailing movie actress who had once been the darling of the
silver screen.
Interestingly all the lead roles of 'Akasa Kusum' are females
projected by Malani, Dilhani Ashokamala, Nimmi Harasgama, Samanalee
Fonseka, Kaushalya Fernando and Jayani Senanayake. Dilhani takes on the
character of popular young actress Shalika who engages in a romance with
a young actor in a room which she had rented from Sandya Rani. With news
leaking, all hell breaks loose. Shanika's scandal forces Sandya Rani
back into the spotlight and there her strength of character is put to
test.Speaking to the media director Vithanage said that he had a
personal reason as well as an official one in making the movie.
 "It is a tribute to yesteryear actresses such as Rukmani Devi, Sandya
Kumari and Vijitha Mallika. They have done immense service to the
industry. Fame does not last long. Once your time is up there is another
waiting to take your place and grab the attention and luxuries that you
have been enjoying during your stint in the limelight. 'Akasa Kusum'
unveils this harsh side of fame and fortune. You have to pay a price to
get to the top," Vithanage enlightened me on the theme of his movie.
He also said that the idea of making the movie had taken shape when
Malani had been ill and dangerously close to death.
"All I could offer her was the hope of doing a movie with me. If that
anticipation gave her strength to pull through her ordeal I am thankful
indeed," he said.Footages from Malani's past movies have been inserted
into 'Akasa Kusum' to portray Sandya Rani's hilt as a film star. An
international film distribution company had agreed to take the movie to
several other countries. Vithanage and team will look towards the matter
of releasing it in Sri Lanka and India. The movie and Vithanage's other
movies will be available on the web soon. |
