• The radical story of Chitra Bopage

The life of Chitra Bopage is a compelling one, yet is largely untold. From a devout nun in a Catholic convent to marrying Lionel Bopage, a leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), one of Sri Lanka’s most controversial Leftist movements, her story reflects the complexity of a person caught between two seemingly opposite worlds. 

Yesterday (14), Chitra’s story was officially immortalised in film by ‘Nun Other Than,’ a documentary chronicling her life that offers an intimate glimpse into her experiences and the tumultuous period in Sri Lanka’s history when the JVP rose to prominence. 

‘Nun Other Than’ is directed by Udan Fernando, who began his filmmaking career in 2019 after years in international development. His notable films include ‘Dwandha – A Tale of Two Rebels’ (2019) and ‘Not So Greener Pastures’ (2023), exploring social and political issues. The documentary sheds light on Chitra’s remarkable journey of transformation, while her personal reflections offer insight into the tensions she lived through.

Marking the launch of ‘Nun Other Than,’ The Sunday Morning Brunch sat down with Udan and Chitra for a chat on the documentary’s making and the unique story it tells. 

The making of ‘Nun Other Than’

For Udan, the decision to create ‘Nun Other Than’ was not just about recounting a dramatic personal story; it was about portraying the intersection of individual transformation and broader social change. 

Chitra’s life is deeply intertwined with the history of Sri Lanka, warts and all, and provides a feminine perspective of the radical political movements in the country that defined the 1970s and of the JVP as a political movement.

‘Nun Other Than’ covers Chitra’s journey from her days as a nun to her meeting Lionel Bopage, her political awakening, and her decision to leave the church to pursue a life of political and personal conviction with Lionel. 

“I was struck by the contrast in Chitra’s life,” Udan shared of what sparked ‘Nun Other Than’. “Her journey from a life of spiritual devotion to one of activism and radicalism is a narrative that carries universal themes of identity, faith, and political awakening.” 

For Udan, the key challenge in making the documentary was doing justice to the complexity of Chitra’s life while ensuring that the broader historical context, particularly the role of the JVP, was handled with care and sensitivity. 

“The JVP is a complicated subject, no doubt,” he said. However, it is important that we look at it in a balanced way. As such, his goal with this film is not to portray the JVP as heroes or villains but rather to tell Chitra’s story as it unfolded.

The JVP, formed in 1965 by Rohana Wijeweera, has been a polarising force in Sri Lanka’s political history. Often seen as a voice for the marginalised, the movement’s early years were marked by its radical Leftist stance and the insurgencies it led in 1971 and the late 1980s. 

The 1971 insurrection, in particular, was a formative period in Chitra’s life. Though the rebellion was crushed by the Government, the JVP’s influence persisted and its members were subjected to severe crackdowns, including torture and execution.

In ‘Nun Other Than,’ Udan makes a point of presenting the JVP’s role in Sri Lankan history without sensationalism. The documentary does not glorify the movement’s actions, nor does it minimise the suffering that ensued during the insurgencies. Instead, it seeks to explore the human stories behind the politics, focusing on individuals like Chitra who were profoundly affected by the movement’s ideals and the harsh realities of its uprisings.

The film mixes conventional documentary techniques (interviews, historical research) with more creative approaches. For example, Udan filmed both formal and informal moments during interviews with Chitra, capturing different tones and perspectives. 

He incorporated multiple layers of narration, bringing in other voices (Chitra’s siblings, senior JVP member Kelly Senanayake) that sometimes contradicted or complemented Chitra’s own account, adding complexity to the story. There are also reenactments in the film, where actress Dinara Punchihewa creates a more imaginative interpretation of Chitra’s story, rather than just copying historical events.

A visual autobiography

‘Nun Other Than’ is narrated by Chitra herself and revisits crucial points in her life through the 1970s and 1980s. Speaking to Brunch, Chitra shared that the path to telling her story had been one of mixed emotions. 

“I wondered how people would feel about my role as a nun with senior responsibility, and the decision to move away from being religious to married life, particularly with a leader of a radical Left movement,” she said. “On one hand, I felt anxious, but on the other, I felt it was an important story to tell.”

The experience did turn out to be a cathartic one, however, and also served as an opportunity to highlight the larger contradictions she witnessed between her two worlds. Her early years were spent in the relative comfort of a convent, a life structured around religious devotion and the spiritual needs of the community. 

However, her exposure to the socioeconomic realities of Sri Lanka through her social work gradually opened her eyes to the suffering faced by those in the slums of Colombo. 

“It was in a way liberating to tell about the contradictory aspects of my life while living as a nun with ample luxury at a convent and then as a social worker trying to address the innumerable issues and suffering of the downtrodden people,” she recalled.

The turning point in Chitra’s life came when she was assigned to conduct research for a paper on the 1971 JVP insurrection while attending a residential course at Aquinas College. This research took her to Welikada Prison, where many of the captured JVP activists were being held. It was here that Chitra encountered firsthand the brutal aftermath of the insurrection, particularly the harsh treatment of young women who had been involved with the movement.

“We were given permission to see the young women who were JVP activists held in jail. Their situation was most appalling,” Chitra said. 

She vividly described the plight of one young woman who had been severely sexually assaulted after her capture to the point where she couldn’t walk. This encounter deeply affected Chitra, shaking her worldview and ultimately altering the course of her life. 

“That was the moment my whole life changed,” she noted, reflecting on how her decision to leave her life as a nun and join the revolutionary cause began to take shape.

Her decision to marry a leader of the JVP further complicated her life, drawing her deeper into the movement’s struggles and its attempts to mobilise the masses. Her journey from nun to social worker to revolutionary wife is emblematic of the deep personal and ideological conflicts many individuals faced during this turbulent period in Sri Lanka.

Chitra’s reflections in the documentary are not solely focused on the past. She also emphasises the continuing relevance of the lessons she learnt during her time with the JVP and her years as a social worker. 

“I believe the important message of the documentary is about the necessity of understanding and explaining the genuine causes for the unbearable issues affecting the people and working towards changing their situation by raising awareness and mobilising people towards that,” she said.

For Chitra, this is not simply a matter of revisiting historical events but of looking at the enduring inequalities that still affect large segments of the population as well. “This has become a fundamental necessity for our survival as human beings,” she said.

An unexpected perspective

‘Nun Other Than’ tells the story of a woman who made an extraordinary transition from the cloistered life of a nun to the radical world of Leftist politics. It is also a story of transformation, both personal and political, set against the backdrop of a country grappling with deep social and political divisions. 

As a documentary, ‘Nun Other Than’ looks to capture this transformation with sensitivity and provide a feminine perspective to a narrative that has been overwhelmingly male-dominated. This commitment to feminine narratives also comes through in the film’s score, composed by Rohana Weerasinghe, which features songs of liberation from the era sung by women. 

“‘Nun Other Than’ is an invitation to understand and see part of our history of which we only know one side or narrative. We see a very different feminine-driven narration of and depiction of this history,” Udan said, likening it in a way to being able to hear the ‘Ramayana’ from Sita’s perspective. 

As Sri Lanka continues to grapple with its past and present, stories like Chitra’s serve as important reminders of the need for understanding, empathy, and action in the face of injustice.

‘Nun Other Than’ premiered yesterday (14). The film will be open from 27 September onwards initially for a week at the PVR Cinema at One Galle Face. Tickets can be purchased from the counter and advanced online booking will be open from 21 September.

The film will also be screened in Jaffna and Kandy:

• 17 September at 4.30 p.m., Thanthai Chelva Memorial Hall, Jaffna
• 4 October at 4 p.m., International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Mulgampola, Kandy