• Amandha Amarasekara on challenging views around men’s mental health through storytelling

Mental health in general is surrounded with a great amount of stigma. Men’s emotional health often comes with even greater stigma and silence. Even within larger mental health discourse, men’s mental health remains a critical and often neglected issue both globally and here at home. 

While men are less likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions, they are significantly more likely to die by suicide, with men accounting for nearly 80% of suicides worldwide despite making up just half of the population. Depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation frequently go unspoken and untreated among men due to deep-rooted stigma around vulnerability and seeking help. 

In recent years, experts – including the United States Surgeon General – have raised alarms about an ‘epidemic of loneliness’ disproportionately affecting men. A 2021 study found that 15% of men reported having no close friends, while a 2023 Equimundo report revealed that 40% of men met the criteria for depressive symptoms and 44% experienced suicidal thoughts within just the two weeks prior to the survey. 

Many men – especially Gen Z – feel profoundly disconnected, with a majority stating that no one really knows them well. Loneliness, now increasingly linked to premature death, heart disease, anxiety, and stroke, has become a silent threat to male well-being.

With Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month having concluded last month, digital content creator and men’s mental health advocate Amandha Amarasekara has taken a bold step forward in advancing the local dialogue around men’s mental health with his latest short film, ‘Half a Man.’ 

The film explores the emotional unravelling of a working-class Sri Lankan man, who, caught between external expectations and internal battles, reaches a breaking point. More than the storyline itself, the film looks to create space for men’s vulnerability in a culture that rarely allows it.

‘Half a Man’ invites viewers to confront the growing crisis around men’s mental health by framing it through a personal lens rather than an abstract issue. While the film is yet to be widely released, Amandha sat down with The Sunday Morning Brunch to give insight into the conversations the film has already sparked – at screenings, in comment sections, and within communities. 

The film features a diverse ensemble cast including Saasha Karunarathne, Kovindu De Seram, Sathiees Sarkunam, and Amanee Kulathilaka, among others. The film was produced by Amandha, directed by Anuththara Senadeera, with cinematography, editing, and colour by Vihanga Weerasinghe. 

The crew also includes Reshalee De Silva as Line Producer, Sathiees as Unit Production Manager, and Chamma Jay on music, supported by a passionate team of creatives and performers committed to bringing this emotionally resonant story to life.

These conversations are both urgent and long overdue. Amandha, through his platform as a model, media personality, and now a filmmaker, stressed that these conversations were forcing the necessary and difficult questions about masculinity, mental health, and emotional survival that all too often go unasked.  

Following are excerpts:

What story beats at the heart of ‘Half a Man’ and what made you feel it needed to be told?

‘Half a Man’ is an emotionally raw story about a working-class man in Sri Lanka who is trying his hardest to hold everything together – his job, his marriage, his mother-in-law, and least of all, his mental health – but it’s slipping through his fingers. 

He feels like he’s failing as a provider, as a partner, and most painfully, as a man. When he attempts suicide and survives, his friends don’t quite know how to handle it – much like society at large. 

The film isn’t just about his pain; it’s also about the silence, discomfort, and loneliness men often face in dealing with emotional struggles. I wanted to tell a story that rarely gets told – one that holds space for the vulnerability of men in a culture that often demands they be anything but vulnerable and how ill-equipped we may be as a society for men here in Sri Lanka. 

The title ‘Half a Man’ is striking. What does it mean to you and what conversations were you hoping it would spark?

The title ‘Half a Man’ was suggested among others by my Director of Photography Vihanga Weerasinghe, but it truly resonated with me as I’ve seen it being used too often – whether by men themselves or the people around them. 

In our society, when a man cries, struggles, or breaks, there is this unspoken suggestion that he’s somehow less of a man. That he’s incomplete. I wanted to reclaim that phrase, because the truth is, the emotional weight we carry in silence does split us; it makes us feel like we are only half alive, half functioning, half seen. Personally, this title is my way of challenging that narrative and making space for wholeness through honesty.

You have taken on men’s mental health in a society where silence often wins. What made you step into that silence and speak out?

Because I’ve lived it. And I’ve seen too many of my peers live it, too. In Sri Lanka, we have one of the highest male suicide rates in Asia. That’s not just a statistic, it’s an emergency. And yet, we don’t talk about it. 

What drew me to this cause was the silence. We fail to hold space for them to repair but are quick to assign fault and blame. The cultural expectation that men must ‘man up’ no matter what – I wanted to open a door where that expectation could be challenged, where stories could be shared, and where healing might begin. 

As someone wearing many hats – creator, model, and entrepreneur – what made this issue feel too important to ignore?

Honestly, it didn’t feel like a decision; it felt like a responsibility. I’ve been lucky to build a platform through my work in media and fashion, and it just made sense to use that reach for something that really matters. 

I realised that I can wear suits, be on billboards, and still show up for men who feel invisible. If we can use our platforms to sell random brands, we can definitely use them to save lives. 

Have there ever been moments where your professional identity and your advocacy came into conflict? Or do they support and amplify each other? 

There were certain takes, content, and a few other things that I would have done for the sole purpose of ‘creating content,’ but taking on the role of being an advocate for a cause as heavy as men’s mental health came with mature decision-making, so that there is some meaning behind every shoot I do and every piece of content I put out. I am happy to accommodate that change.

How has your audience responded to you taking on this kind of deeply personal and socially impactful work? 

The response has been overwhelming in the best way. I’ve had men I’ve never met reach out just to say, ‘Thank you for saying something.’ And even more so from women. The conversations that have started because of this work – especially on social media and in post-screening discussions – have been some of the most honest and heartfelt I’ve ever experienced. 

What were some of the biggest creative or logistical challenges in bringing this film to life? 

The most heartbreaking part of bringing this movie to life was probably the lack of awareness and resistance we had to deal with when it came to finding sponsors. I completely understand that unless something yields a reward for a business, it makes little to no sense to invest in it, but the reasons seemed disheartening to say the least. 

That just gave me even more reason to somehow find a way to make this work. In that sense, I am truly appreciative and thankful to the companies that did choose to come on board, including one all the way from Australia.   

How did you find your collaborators – the cast, crew, and creative partners? 

I was very intentional in choosing people who believed in the message as much as the medium. Most of the crew came on board because they felt a personal connection to the story. Some or most had battled mental health struggles themselves. So there was a deep sense of purpose on set. That energy carried through in every scene, every shot. 

You also launched an open call for crowdfunding. How did that go? Were people eager to support? 

Yes, but – and surprisingly – more ladies contributed to the cause than gentlemen did, which to me showcased the urgency in making something like this yet again. 

Is this process – storytelling through short films – a blueprint you see yourself repeating for future advocacy? 

Absolutely. Film has a unique power to make people feel seen without preaching to them. It creates empathy in a way that statistics and speeches just can’t. I saw it the last time we did this as well as this time. 

This is just the beginning of a longer journey of using storytelling to change narratives and open up conversations that we, as a society, have been avoiding for too long. 

You released another film last year focused on men’s mental health. What was the response to that? 

The first film laid the groundwork. It was smaller in scale, but powerful in impact. We received messages from young men around the world saying it helped them find the words to speak to someone for the first time. For me, that was everything. It showed me there is an audience for this kind of work, and more importantly, that there is a need for it. 

What lessons did you take from that first project that helped shape ‘Half a Man’? 

The biggest lesson was: go deeper. People are ready. The first film showed us that vulnerability resonates. So with ‘Half a Man,’ we didn’t hold back. We leaned into the discomfort, the silence, the awkward pauses. We embraced the grey areas. Because real healing doesn’t happen in neat storylines; it happens in the messy, unsaid moments. 

How has the feedback been so far, from the trailer release and especially the screening at PVR Cinemas? 

It has been humbling. At the screening, there were moments of silence so heavy you could feel the emotion in the room. I saw young people turning to each other, starting conversations on the spot. 

I’ve even had some of the sponsors send heartfelt thank yous for having them be a part of this project, because somewhere along script and line, they saw themselves in the protagonist’s life. That’s the power of this work; it creates space not just for emotion but for connection as well. 

Were there any reactions or conversations that stayed with you? 

Yes. Last year’s film helped us reach out to a gentleman in the Middle East who wanted direction and had the courage to admit it. This year, we had some of the gentlemen who were a part of the audience come up and say that they felt seen. That was the point of this long endeavour. To be the voice for the voiceless 

What do you want people to feel or reflect on after watching ‘Half a Man’? 

I want them to pause and ask, ‘Who around me might be silently struggling?’ And more than that, I want men to see themselves and realise they are not alone. That feeling pain doesn’t make you weak. That it’s okay to ask for help. And for those who support the men in their lives – partners, friends, and parents – I want this to be a reminder that listening, really listening, could save a life. 

Where can people watch the film and how can they support your advocacy work? 

While we still haven’t released the short film on social media yet, I have planned on hosting one more screening for influencers and the media before releasing it on all social media platforms subsequently. As for support, anything is welcome and they can always reach out to me on social media, ideally Instagram.

What kind of change or impact do you hope this film will spark, whether in public conversations or private ones? 

I hope it cracks open a door, whether that’s in a friend group, a family, a workplace, or at a national level. I want this film to be a starting point. For men to talk. For friends to check in. For mental health to be seen as a men’s issue too – not just something to be outsourced or ignored. 

Ultimately, I want fewer men to feel like they’re carrying the world on their shoulders with no one to talk to. 

What’s coming next for you as a creator, entrepreneur, and advocate? 

More storytelling. More disruption. More difficult but necessary conversations. 

I’m currently working on a few new concepts that continue the exploration of mental health, masculinity, and silence. I also want to create platforms for others to share their stories – not just through film, but through events, workshops, and digital media as well.  

Are there any other stories or causes you are eager to spotlight through film or media? 

Yes, definitely. Beyond men’s mental health, I’m interested in exploring intergenerational trauma and what it means to heal in a post-war, post-colonial country like Sri Lanka. There are so many stories here that deserve to be told, especially those on the margins. 

I want to keep pushing the boundaries of what Sri Lankan cinema and media can look like when it’s brave, honest, and deeply human.