- A review of Jagath Manuwarna’s ‘Rahas Kiyana Kandu’
Sri Lankan filmmaker Jagath Manuwarna won the best director award in the Asian Competition at the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) for his first-ever feature film, Rahas Kiyana Kandu (Whispering Mountains). The movie had its premiere at the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam and was awarded the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema or NETPAC Award for the best Asian feature film.
The 87-minute-long film was also invited to the 28th Busan International Film Festival in October 2023, which is another significant achievement in Manuwarna’s career as a director. His recently telecasted debut teledrama, Kodi Gaha Yata, also received high acclaim.
The film Rahas Kiyana Kandu opens with a disclaimer, stating it’s a fictional narrative inspired by civil war and youth uprisings that occurred on Sri Lankan soil within the last 50 years. The initial scenes unfold with a video recording of Prasanna Kumara Soysa’s (played by Manuwarna) suicide note, emphasising his personal choice.
As the movie depicts, a concerning trend has emerged and young people in Sri Lanka commit suicide in large numbers. The Government attributes these suicides to a supernatural virus, advocating the need for combatting it through an ancient ritual.
As the storyline progresses, it raises questions about whether there’s a controlled uprising involving the elimination of those involved. The narrative suggests a cover-up strategy, with authorities falsely claiming that the victims contracted a highly contagious and deadly disease. The media is portrayed as a tool used to manipulate information, concealing the true nature of events and keeping the public at a distance from the reality unfolding.
Monk’s essence
In the movie, the head monk (played by Lakmal Dharmaratne) of the temple plays a significant role. The story revolves around his effort to sell a temporary structure used in constructing the new building, commonly referred to as ‘satalima’ in Sinhala. He’s worried because he used his own money for the structure.
Seemingly the director has aimed to highlight a common issue in today’s religious communities – people often forget the true reason for choosing a monastic life. Money and other benefits take precedence, and the real essence of priesthood gets lost. Towards the end, an older monk reminds the young head monk: “You wore this robe when you were but a youth. If not then, surely now you must sense the gravity it carries. Embrace the vastness of this empty sky, my son. Our kingdom is enlightenment.”
Who holds true authority?
In the movie, anti-rebellion units are set up across the country to capture youth. A seven-member unit readies the bodies of 19 slain youths in an abandoned building. The unit’s leader, a Government official played by Priyantha Sirikumara, remains mostly silent during trivial staff conversations; a man of few words. However, it’s evident that it’s not his instructions being followed. Someone else is directing the actions. This is a common occurrence – when things go awry, we blame law enforcement or the agents executing tasks, forgetting that those issuing the orders are not the ones performing the tasks.
The leader is experienced and mature. It’s clear this isn’t his first time handling such tasks. Even when he finds out that one of his team members released an escapee despite having the chance to catch him, he doesn’t get angry. Instead, he punishes them for bullying each other. This suggests that he’s seen this kind of behaviour from his team before. He understands their psychology and is well-versed in handling such situations.
The team
The anti-rebellion unit comprises some of Sri Lanka’s finest actors, including Sarath Kothalawala, Dharmapriya Dias, and Sampath Jayaweera. Each character exhibits distinct personalities, highlighting various levels of conformity and power dynamics. Sarath Kothalawala’s character serves to illustrate how law enforcement officers sometimes misuse their official status for trivial matters.
The film satirically portrays the team as they follow rituals to dispose of bodies, apparently to eliminate a virus they are supposedly infected with. Despite the public being warned not to come in contact with the infected, the officers dealing with the bodies are shown without any protective gear or following protective measures. However, they still adhere to the prescribed rituals.
The most powerful character
One of the most compelling characters in the movie is portrayed by Jayaweera, a member of the anti-rebellion group. Standing out from the crowd, he exudes a more jovial demeanour, hinting at a subtle disdain for the authority he deals with. A powerful scene unfolds when he has the opportunity to apprehend Prasanna, who manages to escape, and without uttering a word, Jayaweera’s character undergoes a visible transformation.
The climax of this transformation occurs when he defies his senior, taking a courageous stand against the established power. The portrayal of Jayaweera’s character shift is remarkably powerful. However, this act of standing against authority comes with dreadful consequences for him. In essence, his character serves as a powerful illustration of the struggle against conformity and how, at times, individuals may challenge prevailing norms despite the potential repercussions.
The pain of those left behind
Ananda Kumara Unnahe portrays a villager in the film who sells everything he owns to drown his sorrows in alcohol. For him, alcohol serves as a medicine to numb the pain. He desperately calls out to his son to bring his clothes in, shifting the blame to him, although the clothes have been left outside for an extended period – a powerful symbol of the absent owner.
Throughout the movie, we encounter numerous parents grappling with heartache. Some are bewildered, anxiously awaiting their children’s return. Others mourn their losses. A few parents are engaged in protests, demanding information about their missing loved ones.
The film vividly captures the unimaginable pain experienced by those left behind. The uncertainty of whether their loved ones are dead or alive, and if they will ever return, adds to the emotional turmoil. The agony intensifies when, in the case of death, they are denied the opportunity to perform the final rites according to their faith.
The real victims
What compelled the ‘invisible power’ behind the orders to capture and slay the youth to resort to such brutal actions remains unclear in the movie. The youth group’s activities or the cause they were protesting against are not explicitly addressed in the storyline. However, the lack of information about the youth group’s actions doesn’t justify the extreme measures taken by the ruling party to resolve the issue.
While it’s acknowledged that the youth group’s actions might have been questionable, the movie does not provide details. What becomes evident, however, is that the true victims are those left behind – the individuals who loved and raised the youth, anxiously awaiting their return. The focus shifts to the profound impact on those who are left in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
Room for improvement
Despite being Manuwarna’s directorial debut, his efforts are admirable, as evident from the numerous awards and nominations the movie received. The scenes are picturesque, with well-balanced sounds, dialogue, and emotions. The film can undoubtedly compete with movies from established industries like Malayalam and Telugu-language cinema, showcasing itself as a remarkable piece of art.
However, one scene puzzled the writer: the moment involving the woman caring for the injured Prasanna. The body positions and closeness suggested a shared goal, transcending gender differences. Yet, there’s a question whether Manuwarna unintentionally objectified the female body, prompting some reflection.
The film is praised for its meticulous attention to detail, but the decision to dress a female character in lingerie appears out of place and seems to serve no purpose other than to sexualise the character. This raises questions about the director’s decision-making. If there was a deeper meaning or symbolism behind it, it was not effectively conveyed to the audience.
(The writer is a mental health professional and has, over the past 11 years, contributed to several Sri Lankan media publications in both English and Sinhala languages, focusing on topics related to psychology and counselling)