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TV Times

Rohana is an 'Intruder'
By Susitha R. Fernando
Sudath Rohana's maiden cinematic effort "The Intruder"- 'Sudu Kaluwara' has gone through the tedious and cumbersome production process and is ready to be screened.

A scene from 'Maruk Mal'

The script for the film is based on N. T. Karunatilake's novel "Ulu Gedara Arachchila" which highlights the life and times in Sri

Lanka under colonial rule.

'Sudu Kaluwara' revolves around certain true incidents that took place in the 1930's in the island, though not of consequence they are of a historical nature. It depicts the traditional lifestyle of our people in the earlier days and how the culture of the people underwent change once the British arrived among us. The problems the people had to face were numerous with regard to living.

Sudath though new to the cinema has employed a colourful cast including Sanath Gunathilake, Jayalath Manoratne, Somalatha Subasinghe, Indrajith Navinna, W. Jayasiri, Buddadasa Vithanarachchi, Palitha Silva, Jayani Senanayake, Hemasiri Liyanage and Bandula Vithanage.

Sanath and Manorathna in 'Sudu Kaluwara'

Winning awards for script writing and direction in 1997 and 1998 at the Sumathi Tele Awards, Sudath Rohana first got involved with the cinema as an assistant director in the film "Viragaya". He later directed some of the popular teleplays like "Bedde Gedara", "Yuga Wilakkuwa", "Wana Wadule Wasanthaya","Wikum Siha Kathandara" which has been filmed based on several short stories by Martin Wickremasinghe and 'Ambu Daruwoo'

Shooting locations have been Kalawewa, Tambuththegama, and Kaltota.

Filmed by Lal Wickremarachchi, Welegedara Ranasinghe is the art director and Elmo Halide is editor. Navaratne Gamage has directed the musical score in 'Sudu Kaluwara'. Rohana has written the script, produced and directed the film. The film was sponsored by Film Development Fund of the National Film Corporation.

'Rush Hour -2' is a majestic show
"Rush Hour-2" starring the fastest hands in the East-Jackie Chan and the biggest mouth in the West- Chris Tucker will be released at Majestic Cinema from September 9.

Chief Inspector Lee of the Royal Hong Kong police (Jackie Chan) and LAPD detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) arrive in Hong Kong for a vacation. Carter is looking forward to a much needed vacation but Lee, the ever dedicated policeman, continues with his duties, frustrating Carter. No sooner do they arrive, they are confronted with the biggest case of their career- a bomb has exploded in the American Embassy, killing two U. S. customs agents who had been investigating a money smuggling ring that is producing and shipping million in "super bills", high-grade counterfeit US. $ 100 bills.

The Hong Kong police suspects the chief architect behind the blast to be Ricky Tan (John Lone), the elegant and cunning head of the Triad. Inspector Lee is assigned to crack the case, much to the chagrin of Carter. Carter is caught up in the events against his will and feels his vacation plans slipping away. For Lee the case is personal-Ricky Tan was once his father's partner on the Hong Kong police force and played a direct role in his father's death.

With the Hong Kong and US. authorities fighting over jurisdiction of the case, Lee and reluctant Carter set off on their own to track down Tan.

Along the way they must contend with Tan's beautiful and deadly hench-woman Hu Li, billionaire hotel owner and key Ricky Tan associate Steven Reign and alluring, mysterious and seemingly corrupt Isabella Molina who may be something more than she seems.

As Lee and Carter lead a fast-paced pursuit of Ricky Tan and his gang, trying to locate the priceless plates used to print the counterfeit bills, they wreak havoc through a variety of Hong Kong locales, including karaoke bar, massage parlor and a party on Tan's yacht cruising the waters of a scenic Victoria harbour. Also starring are Zhang Ziyi, Roselyn Sanchez, John Lone and Alan King,.

A New Line Cinema production 'Rush Hour-2' is directed by Brett Ratner and produced by Arthur Sarkissian and is a CEL release.

Meanwhile another Karate adventure starring Jackie Chan "China Strike Force" directed by Stanley Tong will be released by CEL at Empire cinema Colombo from September 13.

'Maruk Mal': A tale of a'Kendaraya'
The third teledrama of Susil Gunaratne 'Maruk Mal' will be telecast soon on Rupavahini.

A scene from the movie

Gunaratne earlier directed two teledramas 'Paravi Denauvva' and 'Siusiya Gauvva'.

The main roles in 'Maruk Mal' are played by Cyiril Wickremage, Wickrame Bogoda, Dilani Abeywardana, Badra Gunaratne, Samanthi Lanerol, Manel Vanaguru, Gayana Sudharshani, Gihani Amarasena and many others.

Wijesundara 'Hamu' is a respectable man and in his mid sixties now. His wife Meraya 'Hamine' who is also in mid fifties is a traditional woman. Both elders are living in a mansion which is surrounded by a massive paddy field and their eldest daughter is mentally imbalanced, who is 32 years-old, while his son Nissanka is married to Jenita and both are lawyers. The 24 year-old youngest daughter is undergoing higher studies.

The mansion has two servants, one is over fifty and Misi Nona, who is a pretty servant girl about 30.

By an accident Wijesundara checked the 'Kendaraya' of Misinona, which revealed that Misinona will be an owner of a large property in the future.

When he checked his 'Kendaraya', it revealed that he will be a poor man in the future.

There after he falls in love with Misinona and pretends Misinona is his wife. In the meantime, Jenita forces his husband to take over their properties, which results in the marriage of the two almost breaking up.

Jenita is having another affair with Viraj, who is being forced by Jenita to leave his wife Sakunthala and his daughter Sarada.

Three members of the family the wife of Wijesundara and two daughters have died resulting in Misinona taking the Hamine role of the Mansion with the help of Wijesundara.

While these things are happening Jenita flees to another country with Viraj and later Nissanka also dies mysteriously. Wijesundara, the 'Hamu' of the mansion after seeing these series of incidents of deaths and also of Arnolis, which results in Misinona and driver Albert becoming the owners of the mansion.

The reasons of these mysterious deaths were unknown, while Misinona and Albert are taken into police custody. Were Misinona and Albert behind all these incidents?

'Maruk Mal' is produced by Badra Nandani Gunaratne and the music directed by Navaratne Gamage. The Camera for the teledrama is handled by K.A. Dharmasena, . (SJ)

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