Features

Pathiraja : the adaptable film maker

Published

6 years ago

2021/01/28

By Athula Samarakoon

As we remember Pathiraja the filmmaker on his third death anniversary, falling on the 28th of January, 2021, I want to remember him for his versatility. Much has been written about Dr. Pathi as many of his students and the younger cohort of filmmakers and fans knew him, but little on his television contributions.

At a time when the television medium was in its early stages, Dr. Pathi turned to it, to create an idiom that branched off from his usual cinematic style, adapting it to the television medium. He adopts and adapts the narrative medium for the television, something he consciously avoided in his film practice. I look at four teledramas of his which were both artistically rich and at the same time, popular.

Identity as a filmmaker

Pathiraja‘s cinema has been hailed as trailblazing and as illustrating the left bank film idiom in Sri Lanka. He is generally considered to be the filmmaker who drastically changed the content and style of the Sri Lankan cinema, rejecting the content and style of conventional Sinhala cinema. The creator of the second paradigm shift in Sri Lankan cinema is another fascinating introduction given to him. Pathiraja is a filmmaker who rejected the narrative structure in his filmmaking. Instead he relied highly on non-narrative style. As Chathura Jayathilaka, one of the leading film critics in Sri Lanka remarked,

What is crystal clear in Pathiraja’ s cinema is that instead of constructing a well-made narrative with the beginning – middle -and end he creates eventful situations that itself generates the order of the story, story structure, events and characters. (Jayathilaka, 1996:46).

Pathiraja consciously moved away from this identity of the non-narrative style, when he entered the television medium. Here, he embraced a different identity. Thus Pathiraja ‘s shift from cinema to television is a responsible and sensible move. Being the master of the art of both Film and Television, he shaped his television works for the medium. Being the scholar of both film and television his knowledge seems to have a profound impact on this move.

In television he actively engaged in three genres: serial plays, documentary and Docudrama. Looking at the aesthetics of his television productions, one can see that he was a director who grasped the pulse of the television medium. Pura Sak mana , Gagulen Egodata, Maaya Mandira, WanniHami lage Kathawa, Ella Langa Walauwa, Kadulla,Kampithawil, Suba Anagathyak, Durgaanthaya are some of the productions he made for the television medium.

Television narrative and fragmentation

Television is a medium that depends on narrative story-telling and exists within that medium. Whether it is fiction or non-fiction all are based on the narrative structure. Narrative structure not only patterns the television story but also shapes our experience of that story. That is why it is called the Nation’s Storyteller

At the same time, this narrative is also fragmented into smaller units, punctuated by a number of different audio and video elements such as commercials, trailers, station promos, leading to a disturbed or fragmented viewing experience. An undisturbed, seamless engagement with what is on the screen is impossible on television medium.

This is further complicated by the episodic nature of the form; there are week long gaps for most serieals. Therefore television is a continuously fragmented medium. This fragmentation takes place at the micro-level too. A 22-minute programme may be divided into two acts whereas an hours programme may break up into four acts. This type of internal fragmentation will obviously turn television viewing experience into scattered ruminations. Therefore one of the useful ways to address the intrusive nature of television is to articulate the content of the television into narrative structure.

Flow

Fragmentation is followed by another distinctive characteristic that is flow, meaning the verity of images and sound that streams into television screens continually. Thus, again television viewing became an obtrusive experience. Jane Feuer describes this;

‘’ continuous, never-ending sequence in which it is impossible to separate out individual texts ‘’. (Feuer, 1983:15) Therefore getting the attention of the audience and keeping them fixed to the text becomes a complicated task for a creator. In order to overcome this problem is to relate and anchor the text to a narrative as much as possible.

Concluding each episode with a cliffhanger is one of the methods employed by the writer to address the effect of a disturbance generated by continuous flow. Cliffhanger is something placed at the end of the act or at the end of each episode that is capable of sustaining the interest of the audience. With a cliffhanger, the writer can end the episode or act in such a way that the audience excitedly waits for the next episode. In a narrative, it is indispensable to have a cliffhanger to keep the audience intact.

Pathiraja’s television aesthetics rests on capturing this and utilizing these features with distinction. One sees them in the expositions of Ella Langa Walauwa, Maya Mandira. Through these productions, he was able to offer powerful and exciting television experiences to the audience while maintaining a thrilling, suspenseful, detective and mystical flavour. His films never had these cliffhanger conclusions, but for television, thanks in part to the efforts of a talented writer like Nimal Senanayake, he was able to craft the form of a cliffhanger style here.

Kadulla and kampitha Vil deal with the events that are deeply historical and of a formative period of the nation state. Though these productions bear a certain affinity to news and documentary, they shape themselves as narratives. The distinctive character of kadulla is the inculcating of dramatic value to the selected content. As a tele-drama Kadulla ran the risk of being rejected by the audience due to its documentary flavour. However, it was an overwhelming success for it was articulated dramatically. He could do it because he knew for sure that selected text is ideal and accordingly he found a way to present it. Consequently, he decisively moved away from his usual predilection for the non-narrative form and strategically embraced narrative structure.

Pathiraja evinced an interest in deploying this new application for a certain extent when directing Wanni Hami Lage Kathawa a tele-drama made before Kadulla. Although, one cannot say it was a successful effort, one could see that he infused the text with dramatic gravity; a dense, rich, television experience. However, it was a kind of effort to infuse a dramatic gravity to the text. The documentary look that was visible in Kadulla springs from the historic nature of its content. Pathiraja takes the historical detail and turns it into a modern media moment, a recounting of the rise of the nation’s bougeiosie, through plot and character, in a form that makes sense to the mass of late 20th century viewers.

This understanding can be identified one observes in his visual style also. The Long Takes that formulate reality as documentary, and camera movements and angles that parallel the subject matter, drive his style. Employing close-ups intermittently where necessary illustrates that he exploited the characteristics of the television medium.

Usage of myth

He used myth in his serials, a departure from his cinematic style. In his early tele- dramas one could see how he made use of myth to convey his intended meanings. He never thought of using myth in his feature films, and instead, focused on the contemporary moment.

Over the years’ myth has been one of the foundations of narratives. Therefore myths are encountered in narratives again and again because myths can be used to represent life experiences, beliefs, values and behaviours. Consequently, television relies on myths when narratives are created. Myths can operate in manifold ways in a television narrative giving greater depth to the text. As Vitoria O Donnells says: “Myth counts on television narrative in very intimate and subtle ways” (O’ Donnells, 2007″87). Drawing on myths in developing television narratives has had a salutary effect in creating prodigious characters, incidents, events, and plots. Therefore myth can function as a key for an audience to reach out to the human psyche and it can also create a shocking experience in them.

It was Pathiraja’s decision to deal with the mythic element that made Ella Langa Waluawa and Maya Mandira popular and influential. Rather than depending solely on the visual of the suspense and horror genres, he created a sense of horror, suspense and tension, by infusing mythic elements to television narrative. He was able to generate a tightly woven dramatic narrative.

It was not an easy task to have depth and discussion in television productions, which is driven by commercial needs. Pathiraja faced this challenge by adapting to its form, the narrative style in the main, the well-made story. He used dramatic and mythic elements within the form, where there is suspense, tension, and depth of character. In the hands of another director, it would have been a blue print for failure, but the genius of Pathiraja was able to pull it off.

Pathiraja has been hailed as a revolutionary filmmaker; I also see him as a director who adapted and was adaptable. His tele drama serials bear testimony to this. This is not just an academic exercise for me. In writing this, I have shown how important Pathiraja has been as a film maker, not just in his versatility as a filmmaker, but as an adventurer and an (visual) activist.

References

Jayathilaka, Chathura. (1997), Wam Iwuraka Kathila, Vihaga Publishers, Kadaana.

O’ Donnells, V. (2007), Television Criticism, Sage, London.

Miller, Willem. (1991), Screenwriting for Narrative Film and Television, London: Virgin Publishing.

Feuer, J. (1983), ‘The Concept of Live Television’: Ontology as ideology’ in E.A. Kaplan (Ed), Regarding Television, Los Angeles: American Film Institute.

Jayarathna,Thilak.(2008) Kadulla, Fast Publishers, Colombo.

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Features

New US sanctions on ICC, a fillip to worldwide political repression

Published

18 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

The International Criminal Court in session. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s warning to the International Criminal Court (ICC) was stark: ‘Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.’ It followed US central administration accusations that the court was unfairly targeting Americans on the basis of trumped-up war crimes charges.

However, a new plethora of sanctions has been clamped on the ICC by the US, which in turn has spurred accusations by sections of the world that the latter has unleashed an ‘assault’ on the international legal order.

What some of the sanctions would mean for the ICC was outlined by Rubio: ‘We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling their ability to operate against us.’

The ICC has shown consistency of purpose over the years. Despite some operational constraints it has indicted a large number of political strongmen from around the world, accused of war crimes and other governance excesses that come under its purview. Two such recent figures are: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Rather than enjoy a mere nominal presence in the world community, the ICC has proved its effectiveness by detaining and bringing to justice scores of VIP politicians and others of their ilk who have been found guilty of human rights abuses and kindred excesses that come within the terms of reference of the ICC.

Accordingly, the international justice system would be stymied considerably as a result of the ICC being dis-empowered, particularly financially. Needless to say, potential and real perpetrators of the species of crime coming under the jurisdiction of the ICC would stand to gain most from such anarchic tendencies. That is, political repression globally would be enabled to enjoy a new lease of life.

A detailing of the types of crime coming under the purview of the ICC provides an idea of what it would cost the international community if the ICC’s operations are gravely hampered. They are mainly: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

That is, the part of the world to be worst affected would be the global South, since the latter is awash with the mentioned crimes. Needless to say, a chronically-disaffected South will sooner rather than later undermine the well being of the world dangerously. The world is already being put through these paces.

At the time of writing, ‘illegal migrants’ from the South, for example, are aggravating many a Western economy’s woes, besides creating for them acute law and order issues. The fact that these migrants’ presence goes on to become a virtual test of the migrant receiving states’ ability to forge domestic social inclusion in the face of jingoistic protests by mainly white supremacist groups is evidence of the latter. As is known, the US, to take just one example, has been up against this crisis for quite a while.

Accordingly, it will be in the best interests of the West if ‘illegal’ migrant arrivals on their shores are stemmed. If the socio-political and economic problems assailing the South are effectively managed through North-South collaborative, ‘trouble-shooting’ efforts the causes leading to ‘illegal’ migration and connected issues could be resolved at source as it were. For, it is the aggravation of the South’s material questions that lays the basis for the emergence of repressive and anti-democratic regimes in the hemisphere.

Until such time that the aforementioned issues in North-South relations are visited afresh and addressed urgently, a vibrantly functioning ICC would be needed. For, the latter would prove a deterrent to Southern political and military strongmen, highly prone to power abuse and like excesses, from coming into being in the wake of the South’s chronic material woes and the wars and conflicts that result from them.

It stands to reason then that the US would be acting in its own interests by enabling the ICC to perpetuate its mandate without hindrance. For a crop of issues that impinges negatively on internal law and order would be defused.

Meanwhile, there needs to be a meeting of minds among the rest of the West to put back in place a North-South dialogue process aimed at reducing some of the economic pressures that are weighing on the South.

Since economics usually drives politics it will be in the interests of the world community to scrutinizingly re-visit North-South issues of the past and put in place economic relief packages for Southern publics that would enable them to tide over their material hardships rather than permit the latter to aggravate into social disaffection and eventually armed militancy. It is the latter juncture that paves the way for the emergence of authoritarian rulers in the South who then go on to be a blight on their publics.

Accordingly, the Southern-based global development thinking of the past that envisaged a more equitable world economic order needs to be seen as an urgent need. That is, NAM’s international development paradigms need to be resuscitated to the extent possible.

It is unlikely that rightist governments of the West, such as the current Republican administration in the US, would find these projects feasible, but democratic states of Europe, led by perhaps the UK, are likely to think otherwise. For it would not be beneficial for the democratic world to be having on their hands repressive governments in the South who would be gravitating towards the major military and economic actors of the South, such as Iran and North Korea, who tend to be in constant power struggles with the West.

However, until such time that the mentioned, pro-people initiatives are given serious thought the ICC would need to be enabled by the international community to be in place comfortably and carry on with its mandate of bringing repressive rulers to book. Besides the ICC should pave the way for the peoples of the developing world to enjoy some substantial respite from the political repression and even terror which tend to be their lot.

Meanwhile, the wars of West Asia are relentlessly aggravating the economic hardships of people everywhere, driving the point home to enlightened sections that there is no alternative to peacemaking. A challenge is to convert the US under President Trump to this line of thinking.

Features

Clear, soft and shine-free skin

Published

18 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

This week, I give you five simple, time-tested homemade remedies that help reduce the appearance of blemishes, control excess shine and leave your skin feeling softer and smoother.

The Honey and Lemon Brightening Dab:

For stubborn blemish marks, this is a classic. Mix one teaspoon of pure bee honey with three to four drops of fresh lemon juice. Apply gently, only on the affected spots, and leave for 10 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. While honey soothes and softens, lemon helps to brighten naturally. Use twice a week in the evening.

Besan and Rose Water Oil-Control Pack:

An ideal remedy to combat shine, especially on the T-zone. Take two teaspoons of besan (gram flour) and mix with sufficient rose water to form a smooth paste. Add a pinch of turmeric for its antiseptic goodness. Apply evenly, keep for 15 minutes and wash off. It absorbs excess oil without over-drying, leaving a beautiful matte finish.

Aloe Vera and Cucumber Ice Soother:

Blend fresh aloe vera gel with the juice of a grated cucumber and freeze the mixture in an ice tray. Each morning, wrap one cube in a soft muslin cloth and gently rub over a cleansed face for 30 seconds. It calms, tightens pores and imparts a baby-soft smoothness.

Oatmeal and Curd Gentle Polish:

Roughness and old blemish marks need gentle exfoliation. Combine one tablespoon of finely powdered oatmeal with one tablespoon of fresh curd (yoghurt). Massage very gently, in circular motions, for one minute, leave for five minutes and rinse. It removes dead cells and unveils softer, clearer skin.

Multani Mitti and Green Tea Magic Mask:

Brew some green tea and allow it to cool completely. Mix one and a half teaspoons of Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth) with the tea water to make a fine paste. Apply for 10 to 12 minutes – do not let it dry and crack completely – and wash off. It draws out impurities, fades blemishes and bestows a fresh, shine-free glow.

A Gentle Reminder:

As with any natural remedy, always do a patch test on your inner arm first. For those with oily or combination skin, avoid heavy coconut oil application and harsh scrubbing, as they tend to aggravate shine and blemishes.

Features

Compete, shine and be discovered at WCOPA 2027

Published

18 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Dream of performing on a world stage? Well, here is your unique, golden opportunity!

The World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) — the one and only official “Talent Olympics” — is the world’s premier global platform for aspiring singers, dancers, actors, models, instrumentalists, etc., to compete, shine and be discovered!

And, yes, this world stage is open to YOU, Sri Lankans living in Sri Lanka and overseas!

Held annually in glittering Las Vegas, WCOPA brings together over 70 countries, all competing for Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals, just like the traditional Olympics.

Lakisha Bernard: Will represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2027

Outstanding performers vie for the coveted titles of Junior and Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World, with winners and standout participants awarded over $500,000 in scholarships, cash awards and prizes to catapult their education and careers!

Sri Lanka is already making waves! At WCOPA 2026, Natharie Wickramasinghe, representing Team Sri Lanka, made the nation proud by winning a Bronze Medal in the Ethnic/Folklore Dance category!

Lakisha: Accomplished freelance Model and Fashion Design graduate

Recruitment for this prestigious competition is handled through a system of scouts and licensed National Directors — and this is where our very own Chris Rajendra, now based in Las Vegas, and National Director for Team Sri Lanka, comes into the scene.

If you are a singer, dancer, actor, model, instrumentalist — if you have talent burning inside you — contact Chris Rajendra today for registration and, who knows, you may find yourself in Las Vegas, and proudly draped in the Sri Lankan flag, at WCOPA 2027!

The contact address is: Chris Rajendra, wcopa.nationaldirector.sl@gmail.com

or chris.rajendra@gmail.com

Meanwhile, a star is born for 2027, in the form of Lakisha Bernard who is all set to represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2027.

Originally hailing from the sun-drenched coastal city of Colombo and now carving out her creative career in Canada, 22-year-old Lakisha is stepping into the international spotlight.

This accomplished freelance Model and Fashion Design graduate has officially been appointed as the Team Sri Lanka Promoter for Canada as she prepares to represent Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA in Las Vegas.

Lakisha brings a unique blend of high-fashion sensibility, captivating camera presence and expert garment design to the Team.

Having built her career, from local college shoots to high-glamour concepts, Lakisha’s inspiring journey embodies the true spirit of cultural bridge-building and creative resilience, bringing immense pride and recognition to Sri Lanka on the global stage.

WCOPA 2027 will be held at the legendary Westgate Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, from 12th to 20th July – the very same iconic arena where the late, great Elvis Presley himself performed!

Your moment is now. Your stage is Las Vegas, so hurry and contact Chris Rajendra.