Sinhawalokanaya

Sinhawalokanaya සිංහාවලෝකනය
Directed by	Suneth Malinga Lokuhewa
Produced by	Rohan De Silva Pasan Chandrasekara Dilan Lamb
Written by	Suneth Malinga Lokuhewa
Starring	Delon Jayasinghe Raini Charuka Pubudu Chathuranga Menaka Rajapakse
Music by	Rookantha Gunathilake Ravihans Wetakepotha
Cinematography	Prabath Roshan
Edited by	Pravin Jayaratne
Production company	EAP circuit cinemas
Release date	14 January 2010 (2010-01-14)
Running time	144 minutes
Language	Sinhala

Sinhawalokanaya (සිංහාවලෝකනය - Lion's Pride) is a 2011 Sinhala history, sport film written and directed by Suneth Malinga Lokuhewa. The film features Delon Jayasinghe and Raini Charuka Goonatillake in the leading roles while Menaka Rajapakse, Sanath Gunathilake, Kumara Thirimadura, Mihira Sirithilaka, Kanchana Mendis, Pubudu Chathuranga and Cletus Mendis also play key supporting roles.^[1] The Sri Lanka cricket star, Tillakaratne Dilshan also played a supporting role. Produced by EAP circuit cinemas, the film had music scored by Rookantha Gunathilake and Ravihans Wetakepotha. It released in January 2011 and was a very big commercial hit in Sri Lankan Film History in that year. But it received negative reviews from Critics. This is the 1150th film in Sri Lanka cinema.^[2][3][4]

Plot

Dhanuka Wickramasinghe (Menaka) is a popular Sri Lankan cricketer who is a fine allrounder, but started to fail in many occasion. The story begins in a hospital, where Dhanuka with hospital attendants carry an old man in a bed. After his continuous failures, Dhanuka started to ragain his form at sudden instance and he was included to the Sri Lanka 2011 Cricket World Cup squad as well. Media starts to find what is behind him to gain quick progression. Therefore a journalist Shenali (Kanchana) comes for an interview with Dhanuka. He starts to explain what happened him and what changed him over last few months. But he says it will be harsh to believe as well.

The story rolled way back in 28 September 1947, where Sri Lanka is a colony of British rule. Some young persons play cricket, meanwhile some English wealthy people travel in a bus. They saw some rural Sinhalese play their own sport and went to challenge them for a match. Sinhalese only scored 35 runs and Englishmen won the match without giving any wicket. However, one Sinhala young named Jangu (Delon) challenges British that, another match will be held after three months and if Sinhalese won the match, British should left the country, and if British won the match, Sinhalese people will work for them until death.

Jangu with his friends starts to practice the game, but head of the village (Sanath) criticized them and required British to win the match, so his profession will secure. However, after getting advises from village monk, they went to meet a powerful Swami called Vishwamithra (Jayalal) to take more advices about the game. Vishwamithra gives three medicinal balls with a time machine called Thri Kaala Yanthra. By using the machine, the eleven players - Jangu, Cyril (Pubudu), Mohotha (Kumara), Tikka (Sarath), Ran Nayide (Chithaka), Kiri Nayide (Janaka), Bindu (Ashen), Muththu (Darshan), Chanthuwa (Wasantha), etc , went to the future, where the destination was at Dhanuka's home.

Dhanuka understood the story and started to help these ancient young team. He along with his team mates like Tillakaratne Dilshan, starts to train the team according to their capabilities. The team trained very well with new batting, bowling and fielding techniques, which is unmatch with ancient strategies. Meanwhile, in the village in 1947, everyone starts to blame Jangu for his radical thoughts and criticize his parents as well. Village head ordered Jangu's father Jagilis (Cletus) to ask apology for British people. With all these incidents taken place, Hawadiya (Mihira) organize the children in the village to play for the match, due to the uncertainty of Jangu and crew for the match.

On the day where match have to be play, Jangu and crew arrives at the right time with Dhanuka for the match. Sinhalese batting first and made total below 200. However, at the match, Jangu's love interest Samadari (Raini), who has taken poison fallen apart. The match finished first day and Samadari has taken for Ayurveda medicine. With all these incidents, Village head ask his son Cyril to involve in a match-fixing and Cyril gives all the modern techniques to British. On the second day, British starts to took the game away from Sinhalese by scoring modern shots. They posted 333 on the first innings. Meanwhile, Cyril tried to kill Jangu later that night, but eventually Cyril was bitten by a snake. Jangu helped him for the cures and finally Cyril confessed his faults in the match.

However, in third day, Sinhalese batted and posted a lead of 135 or more for British to win. With one Sinhala player was struck down by a beamer, Hawadiya got a chance to play the match. English took a good start, but with good fielding, they fell in quick successions. When last wicket is playing, Englishmen required only 6 runs to get, with one wicket in hand. English captain hit the ball a long distance, where Chanthuwa and Hawadiya ran to take the catch. Both fell over, but Hawadiya stands with the ball in his hand. Sinhalese won the match and credit went to Dhanuka as well. Samadari healed at last credits and Dhanuka ended his thrilling story.

Production

Sinhawalokanaya provided many new faces to Sri Lanka cinema along with the legends already in the cinema to accompany for the first Sri Lanka cricket film. The main role is played by Delon Jayasinghe, who is a US-based singer, who influenced his songs during North East war to enhance the courage of the people. Raini Gunathilaka, who is the elder daughter of famous singers Rookantha Gunathilake and Chandralekha Perera also make the first steps to cinema. Former Sri Lanka cricketer and captain Tillakaratne Dilshan also took part for the film, which is his first in the silver screen. Menaka Rajapakse is a renowned television actor also made his debut in cinema with this film. Many of the foreign actors also provided their contribution to the film.^[5]

Cast

• Delon Jayasinghe as Jangu
• Raini Charuka Goonatillake as Samadari
• Menaka Rajapakse as Dhanuka Wickramasinghe
• Sanath Gunathilake as Gam Muladani
• Kumara Thirimadura as Mohotha
• Sarath Kothalawala as Tikka
• Mihira Sirithilaka as Hawadiya
• Kanchana Mendis as Shenali
• Pubudu Chathuranga as Cyril
• Cletus Mendis as Pabilis
• Jayalal Rohana as Yasomithra Sami
• Seetha Kumari Ehalepola as Bindu's granny
• Palitha Silva as Heen appo
• Chinthaka Pieris as Ran Nayide
• Janaka Ranasinghe as Kiri Nayide
• Maureen Charuni as Magilin
• Dilhani Ekanayake as Subharath Manike (Samadari's mother)
• Kusum Renu as Dingiri Menike
• Damitha Abeyratne as Sirimal Ethana
• Gamini Hettiarachchi as Sube
• Ashen Manjula as Bindu
• Udayanthi Kulatunga as Silindi
• Tillakaratne Dilshan as Himself
• Darshan Dharmaraj as Muththu
• Wasantha Kumaravila as Chanthuwa
• Sadani Sulakna as Pinchi

Release

The film was released on 2011, prior to the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. This has influenced among the public due to that Sri Lanka being an ICC Full Member country and also one of the three hosts of the 2011 World Cup.

Soundtrack

Awards

The Sri Lankan community in Hollywood appreciate the film in October 2011. The Asian Film and Drama Foundation, which is a Hollywood-based Sinhala cinema circuit awarded excellency awards to the film crew. Director Suresh Malinga Lokuhewa won Best Direction award and Best Film Award to two producers Pasan Chandrasekara and Ravi Hans. Two more merit awards was given to Sri Lankan cricketer Tillakaratne Dishan who made a guest appearance and the main actor Dilon Jayasinghe.^[6]

References