‘My task is to seek the truth about society as well as myself’: Sri Lankan writer-director Prasanna Vithanage

 

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In a video interview, the 1962-born filmmaker, who recently received the Kim Jiseok Award at Busan Film Festival, talks about making his first Indian-language movie with a largely Indian cast and crew. Excerpts:

Paradise touches upon several themes, including the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, systematic injustice against minorities and gender perceptions. What was the process of scripting?

Usually, I devote a lot of time to developing the script. Once I have the script ready, I approach the actors and producers. I believe that if it’s not on the paper, it’s not going to be on the screen. In March 2022, protests that erupted after the economic catastrophe hit Sri Lanka. I started working on the script around July. I wanted to say something about the prevailing anarchy and injustice in Sri Lanka. The movie is not about the calamity of a society alone. It is also about how it affects an Indian couple and their relationship.

Your career spans nearly three decades. What are the challenges you have faced?

The absence of infrastructure in Sri Lanka has been a major challenge. All that funding has dried up. We had a closed economy from the 70s and then it opened up. But the film industry even today is totally under the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Even today the film industry is not liberalised. So, filmmakers themselves have to find the investment. I have been lucky to have Indian collaborators since 2008.

Sri Lanka is polarised on ethnic and religious grounds. People judge you on the basis of your stand on the war. My films Death on a Full Moon Day (1997), August Sun (2003) and With You, Without You (2012) faced a lot of animosity. Death on a Full Moon Day was even banned by the government. After a year long legal battle, Supreme Court ordered its release. So far, I have managed to survive. But there will be challenges in future too.

Most of your movies are about what’s happening around you. Do you see yourself as an artist, activist or storyteller?
Activists have a clear idea or agenda. As a filmmaker, my task is to seek the truth about society as well as myself.

Do you have to use restraint while telling the stories inspired by true incidents?

By hiding, you try to play safe. I believe the impact will be more when you use restraint and be objective while figuring out the characters’ journey and the society they belong to.

Weaving the Ramayan trail into the story of Paradise has helped you to explore the gender dynamics as well as comment on the prevailing situation in the country.

Yes, that also helped me in character development, especially of Amritha. We know that the stories of Ramayan are not confined to Sri Lanka or India alone. Countries like Thailand and Cambodia too have their own versions of Ramayan. AK Ramanujan in his essay (Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation) says there are over 300 versions of the epic. But touching upon the trail, I got an opportunity to deconstruct it for the film’s dramatics and dramaturgy.

Tell us about your Indian collaborations.

I first came to India in the 90s because we didn’t have a good colour laboratory in Sri Lanka. I was blessed to have availed the laboratory service of Gemini and Prasad. Most of my films such as Dark Night of the Soul (1996) could not have been made without Indian technical support. Then came the friendship with A Sreekar Prasad, one of the best editors that India has ever produced. In 1997, we worked on Death on a Full Moon Day and since then all my films have been edited by him.

Delhi Film Archive helped me to make With you, Without you and then my documentary Silence in the Courts (2015). Later, I got acquainted with cinematographer Rajeev Ravi and sound designer Tapas Nayak and music director K. Now, I am spend as much time in India as I do in Sri Lanka.

How will the film festival’s focus on South Asian cinema help the filmmakers?

After Euro was introduced, the number of co-productions increased and market expanded. Filmmakers had a better chance to release the movies across Europe. A large percentage of the world’s population lives in South Asia. Leaving aside political differences, there should be more cultural collaborations between these countries. This will give all the filmmakers, including the upcoming ones, a better chance to survive.

Quick Guide to MAMI.

The screenings of Paradise are scheduled on October 29 1:45 pm at BKC Maison PVR, Jio World Drive – Audi 5; October 30 at 4 pm at Malad INOX Inorbit Mall – Audi 5.