Experienced teledrama director Dayaratne Ratagedara's maiden cinematic creation, 'Nildiya Yahana' (Deep Blue Sleep) will be released from December 18 on the CEL circuit cinemas.

Produced by Sujeewa Priyashantha Hettiarachchi and Malee Hettiarachchi, the movie traces the tragedy of a teenage romance against the backdrop of political intrigue, violence and corruption in contemporary Sri Lanka.

The young duo Chathurika and Saranga Disasekara playing in ‘Nildiya Yahana'.

The film stars Chaturika Peries and impressive newcomer, Saranga Disasekera in the lead roles and it has a unique combination of some major stars led by Tony Ranasinghe, Sanath Gunatilaka and Chandanie Seneviratne to add much dramatic weight to a story, which uses teenage love as the backdrop to discuss a serious social issues. The film also has Damayanthi Fonseka, Menika Attanayake, Manjula Moragaha, Nadee Chandrasekara, Chandrasoma Binduhewa, Daya Alwis and Minister Dilan Perera in the stellar cast.

Ratagedara, who began in theatre and drifted to film in the mid seventies working in its margins found permanent employment in television when that medium emerged in the early eighties. Once more, beginning at the bottom of the ladder, Ratagedara moved up steadily to become head of the Eye Channel under the Rupavahini Corporation. He also emerged as a fully-fledged television director, creating some memorable and award-winning tele-series, like BogalaSavundiris.

Nildiya Yahana is a dream come true for talented Ratagedara who says that he started his career as a child actor in Lester James Peries' 'Madol Doowa' and regularly involved in cinema playing different roles behinds the screen. "And playing the role of director was back in my mind from the very early stage of my career,"

Sanath, Tony and Minister Dilan Perera

However following his first role as a child actor, Ratagedara mastered himself as a make up artiste under the guidance of veteran make up artiste Ebert Wijesinghe and later became an assistant director for country's leading filmmakers like Lester James Peries in his 'Weera Puran Appu' and Sumithra Peiris' in her 'Gehenu Lamai' while assisting other filmmakers like Tissa Abeysekera and Chitra Abeysekera.

Shot in and around the locations in Colombo, Dambulla and Nuwara Eliya, the film also marks the welcome return of veteran cinematographer, Donald Karunaratne, to the Sri Lankan cinema.

Ravindra Guruge-editor, Lal Harendranath- art director, Imal Shanaka Peiris- make up, Rohana Weerasinghe- musical score. Sandhya Jayasuriya- costume designing, Kalinga Gihan Perera- sounds, Sumith Mudannayake- executive producer, Mahesh Bandara- Production Manager and Daminda D. Madawala- Assistant Director.