As I was starved of the benefit of a quality Sinhala art-house film for quite some time for want of such high standard productions in the local cinema circuit, I thought of browsing through the commercial section of a local daily -- to figure out if there was such a movie available at all.
To my surprise there was one which was released to the circuit from March 4 titled Nidiyahana Kelambei, roughly translated to in English as ‘The Disturbed Bed’ being screened under a strictly ‘for adults only’ tag.
I decided to see it at a theatre close to my residence in Colombo South last Monday (March 7), and at the outset, it must be stated that the director of the film Sudesh Wasantha Peiris has indeed chosen a timely message to be
conveyed to society through his latest creation.
That message is about a husband (Sameera) who contracts venereal disease (VD) through his promiscuous behaviour -- when invited to a party by one of his close friends who is portrayed as a lady boy in the film.
The venereal disease happens to be gonorrhoea and Sameera then proceeds to pass it on to his expectant wife Nirasha, and their bed ‘gets disturbed’ with dire consequences felt by the couple.
In fact Sameera’s father-in-law demands his daughter leaves him for the shame and disgrace brought on their family and relatives, and his daughter reluctant at first, later agrees with him.
Sameera’s world collapses, as he confides to his most trusted friend at his workplace that after being inebriated at a party, he had been seduced by a woman carrying VD.
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He then decides to take his life as he is of the view that he has committed the world’s greatest sin of being unfaithful to his beloved wife; he is firmly of the view that he cannot live without the love and care of his connubial partner.
Meanwhile, Nirasha, Sameera’s wife also spends time yearning to get back to her husband, but is unable to forgive him for the sin committed, until convinced to do so by her elder sister -- who promises to make up the minds of their parents.
Nirasha’s father had already threatened to seek damages from Sameera by filing a divorce case against him on grounds of adultery, and for deliberately passing a venereal disease to his daughter.
In the end after being coaxed by her elder sister, Nirasha decides to forgive her husband for the sake of their unborn child, and she reaches a canyon top from where Sameera was about to plunge with the intention of committing suicide due to his bereft state, being alienated from his wife.
The story in a nutshell goes like that, and though the message the film tries to impart is apt, it has to be observed that the director has chosen this particular topic with the intention of cashing in on its adult theme which is then maximized with a few simulated sex scenes.
The two lead stars of the film are new to the screen and it is obvious that director Sudesh Wasantha Peiris has grabbed the opportunity to thrive on the assets of his lead actress.
She is shown in several scenes undressing (both in the bedroom and bathroom, while soaping her self in the tub and taking a shower), and later while making-up with her husband. The film is replete with soft-core porn scenes (including passionate mouth to mouth kissing between the two stars) and little wonder that she willingly had given her consent to be shot in the semi nude.
Beauty and figure
There was nothing much to write home about the acting talents of the lead actress (in several scenes she even struggled to articulate her lines properly), though it must be admitted that she has the beauty and figure to draw in a group of young filmgoers who at best may be a handful.
Only time will tell whether she will be able to last the distance, but on the evidence of this outing, I am not giving her much of a chance unless she takes acting seriously.
But, I sincerely wish she gives it a try and hones her craft under a knowledgeable filmmaker rather than confining herself to cheap potboilers, for she seems to have at least the physical attributes to put into shade most other actresses of today. (!)
The lead actor no doubt has the looks and the build to forge a career and also should do well to tread the path carefully if the intention is to last the distance.
The director of Nidiyahana Kelambei has sought the services of at least four veterans in the Sinhala film arena for his newest venture, albeit in cameos. They are Robin Fernando (Nirasha’s father), Nadeeka Gunasekera (Nirasha’s mother), Susantha Chandramali (as the servant woman to the Sameera and Nirasha household) and Rex Kodippili (as a family doctor) etc. It is quite clear that the director has sought them to give his film prestige, but of the quartet only Chandramali and Fernando adds some substance to their roles, as the rest simply have appeared only for the sake of doing so. There is nothing much to comment on the technical aspects, as they are of the same treadmill variety that churns out potboilers of this calibre.
The message that the director labours to give to society is no doubt appropriate especially to married couples as they need to at all times guard against being unfaithful to their respective partners -- given the alarming spread of venereal diseases in the country.
But, it remains to be seen as to how the movie-going people will respond to this topic given that the Nidiyahana Kelambei unspools before the public at a time when the one time so-called sex craze in the Sinhala film circuit has now died a natural death -- and when the story of the film has been penned by the one time self-proclaimed king of that crazy trend Louis Vanderstraaten.
Courtesy - Sunday Lakbima news - by Jatila Karawita
