KELE HANDA ON SMALL SCREEN
New faces to play John Jayapala and Malini: Shooting starts tomorrow
Veteran, award-winning journalist Ariyananda Dombagahawatte has written the script for the newest tele series – based on the celebrated 1933 novel ‘Kele Handa' by W. A. Silva.
Dombagahawatte will be making his debut as a scriptwriter with ‘Kele Handa' while the key roles of John Jayapala and Malini will be played by debutants Aravinda Dombagahawatte and Tharuka Wanniarachchi.
Interestingly the role of Jayapala was also played by debutant Stanley Perera in the 1953 film version. Rukmani Devi played the role of Malini. It is a love story involving a village girl called Malini who falls in love with a rich gentleman John Jayapala who pretends to be coming from a poor background.
“Kele Handa was a turning point in the Sinhala cinema because it was the first novel to be transformed into a film. Though the story was written in 1933, the plot is valid forever. That is why I chose to write the 50 episode script without causing any harm to the structure of the story. But I have tactfully changed some aspects to suit the present generation. The shooting schedule will start tomorrow in the Ingiriya area. I had not seen the film but after I had written the script and introduced the song sequence of ‘Mewila Penewi', I watched some parts of the film on You Tube. I was stunned that I had introduced the song at that same situation,” Ariyananda Dombagahawatte told Impulse.
The tele drama is produced by Kiribathgoda Lakseya Colour Lab Chief Nimal Undugoda while it's directed by Upul Prajath who will also handle the camera.
The other key roles will be played by G. R. Perera, Sriyani Amarasena, Ishan Mendis, Janak Premalal, Malini Weeramuni and others.
Nishantha Ranasinghe is the assistant director, Tharaka Adhikari is the make up artist, Manoj Wickremasinghe the art director and Harold Karunathilaka the Production Manager.
Scriptwriter Ariyananda Dombagahwatte has written more than 25 books on a variety of topics including the ‘Eelame Kathawa' which won him the Vidyodaya award a couple of years ago. He also wrote ‘T56 – the JVP story', translations of youth novels, ‘Nonimi Geethaya' (translation of ‘Victor: The Unfinished Song) and ‘Ape Kalaye Deshapalakayekuge Kathawa' which has been chosen to be made into a film. His last publication was a collection of short stories titled ‘Bindunu Palama'.