Blackout for Sudu Kapuru Pethi?

Controversy surrounds the abrupt suspension of ‘Sudu Kapuru Pethi’, a teledrama which was being aired on Rupavahini every Sunday at 8.30 p.m. over the past two months. A few minutes of one episode had been edited without prior warning, according to its director, Athula Peiris and then the next week it was not shown at all.

“About six minutes of my tele-drama was edited without my knowledge and I found out only when I was watching that particular episode. Nine episodes were telecast completely, but the editing was done in the tenth episode. I was not informed that such editing had taken place. And it is not being telecast at all from last week,” he said.

The plot revolving around a romantic relationship between Anjali, a Sinhalese medical student and Abhijith, a Tamil engineer, the story progresses with scenes set both in Colombo as well as in the North. “The message I’m trying to give in the story is that the feelings, ideas and opinions regarding the war in our country, are the same among all Sri Lankans, irrespective of their race,” said Mr. Peiris, an award-winning tele-drama and stage director, who is also attached to the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation at present.

But according to Newton Gunarathne, Chairman of SLRC, the teledrama consisted of some damaging and demoralising content, with regard to the Sri Lankan security forces. “Considering the present security situation of the country, we feel that this teledrama could affect the morale of our soldiers. In addition, when we get appeals from religious leaders, eminent educationists, members of the security forces and other citizens, to stop the telecasting of a tele-drama due to these reasons, we have to pay heed to them,” he said.

The tele-drama has not been banned, but only temporarily suspended, and once certain parts are edited, it will be re-telecast, he said. “The director of the tele-drama was informed of the editing and the suspension by his department heads. It was not an arbitrary decision of one person, but a collective resolution taken by all the responsible departments. A committee consisting of neutral parties has been appointed to review the tele-drama and edit the unsuitable parts, and so the tele-drama will be re-telecast in the near future,” Mr. Gunarathne said.

Mr. Gunarathne added that being a production of the SLRC itself, and spending close to Rs. 5 million rupees for its production, the Corporation needs to recover the money spent and so the tele-drama will definitely be re-shown soon.

“As a state media organisation, the SLRC has to consider many things. There is a huge difference between the security situation during the time period when this tele-drama was approved, and now. SLRC feels that some of the content within the script, is causing a negative impact on security forces, and so we have decided to review, edit and re-telecast the tele-drama later on,” said Gamini Abeykoon, Deputy Director, Programmes, SLRC.

Didn’t SLRC officials view the entire tele-drama before it was aired? “The Corporation does not view the programme if it is a production made within the Corporation. If it is an outside production, and a foreign production, the entire programme is reviewed,” says Mr. Gunarathne. “Though the script could be read and approved, when the creativity aspect comes in, a production could change as well. Also, we don’t look at the entire production, but view it in sections,” added Mr. Abeykoon.

With only a thin line between the freedom of expression, and sensitivity to national concerns, especially during these trying times, this is evidently a no-win situation. Until a compromise is reached among the parties concerned, viewers will have to wait patiently in the hope of seeing the rest of “Sudu Kapuru Pethi” unfold.