TV Times

TV Times

KAW’s Sumedha: a landmark film
By Susitha R. Fernando
Veteran filmmaker, K. A. W. Perera is busy preparing the trailers of his twenty seventh film “Sumedha”, a musical love story with a story a timely theme. The filming done under a tight schedule mostly in Hunnas falls and certain scenes in Kandy was finished a few months ago and it is scheduled to be released next February.

Speaking to TV Times on the latest direction this experienced film maker said “Most of the shooting was done in exterior locations and it was very tough as we had to work some days from 2pm to 5am the following day in cool weather condition,.”

“It is a story set to music and it is a social film discussing about divorcees which is a very common issue in today’s society. It conveys that the human relationships cannot be broken for any thing in this world specially a relationship like one’s first love,”

“This is a sentimental story on a social issue of divorce and it speaks to both married and those who are awaiting it”, Mr. Perera who had handled different issues in his former twenty six films said.

“Nowadays girls and boys fall in love and enter into a marriages. But only after sometime they realise that their ideas and way of living differ widely. They try to change each other and finally end going before a court of law.”What I want to question here is, after all these, how can a feeling of love specially a first love that is in the heart of hearts could be rooted out through a legal process.

The tale is of Mano a, young musician over whose voice Sumedha has fallen in love with. They get married but with the time Sumedha looses interest in the voice that she dearly loved once.

They realise that they are living in two different worlds and they think differently. Attracted by the carefree life style Sumedha looks upto outward appearances and is keen to find freedom from the hassles of life.

Unable to adjust with the changes around, Mano is forced to take the most crucial decision in his life. “Playing the main role of Sumedha, accomplished Wasanthi Chathurani came out with a sterling performance,” KAW said speaking eloquently about the support he got from his cast to successfully complete his film.

KAW Perera was instrumental in introducing a new music format to the Sinhala cinema, He invited music maestro Premasiri Khemadasa to direct music for the first time on the screen for his first film ‘Sanasuma Kothanada’. Similarly KAW has invited young music director Rukantha Gunathilaka to handle the musical score for the first time in Sunedha.Talking on his choice of this young music maker he said “Rukantha’s music style suited the film and the younger generation too”.

“Music plays an important role in this film. Songs are poetic expressions and this poetic expression could be used powerfully in the medium of cinema,” said KAW who was in the forefront of making a people’s cinema.

“After Sanasuma Kothanada, ‘Sumedha’ has got five songs and these songs are connected to the story and depict certain situations in the film,” said Mr. Perera who presented many melodious songs hiring the voice of late H. R. Jothipala and many other popular singers. Sumedha will be released at Film Corporation circuit from KAW’s overwhelmed by ‘people love’ Asked about the support he received from his cast and crew to complete his film KAW said, “At the end of this film I realised that today’s younger generation respect the elders more than we think.

I discovered this from the way I was treated by those around me - (most of them much younger to me),”. “It was an immense support I got from my cast and the crew in addition to their normal job. While continuing with a tight schedules of day and night filming at times people around me held on to me thinking that I would fall down” Mr. Perera in his late seventies and still going strong with his creative talent said. “I should specially thank the village folk around our locations.

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