I was entering Savoy Premiere this morning and to my surprise I saw approximately 300 school students of Royal College joining us to watch the latest Sinhalese movie sensation ‘Tsunami.’ I was informed by the cinema crew that this was a family movie and hence children were encouraged to watch it.
Getting straight onto the movie specifics. The plot surrounded the massive natural disaster that Sri Lanka faced on Boxing Day of 2004, where almost 230,000 people lost their precious lives. The film entails the emotional journey of two families and a lost tsunami child named Prabha. I do not wish to divulge too many details of the story line as I do not want to be guilty of spoilers!
This movie scores high on the emotional quotient and its phenomenal character setup. The direction by respected Somarathna Dissanayake and the stellar acting by the cast made it feel as if the story was unfolding right before your own eyes.
The talented movie cast includes Niranjani Shanmugaraja, Darshan Dharmaraj, Menara Weeratunga, Himali Sayurangi and Bimal Jayakody. I was lucky enough to meet the accomplished Niranjani Shanmugarajah in person today. Her unparalleled acting gave ‘Tsunami’ the winning ingredient.
Further, another hidden star advocating the production of this film is the sweet and enduring Miss Renuka Balasooriya, a household television face during the 90’s. I was fortunate enough to meet and have a conversation about this eminent piece of cinema work she has produced.
An outstanding element that this movie portrayed is the importance of mental health. It broke the stigma behind mental health and in a subtle manner emphasized the significance of seeking therapy following trauma.
On a final note, I would say the ‘Tsunami’ movie draws you back into a time where the whole world swayed as this disaster shocked Sri Lanka. This movie is an emotionally stirring watch so be prepared to grab some tissues as the emotional arc can faze you!
I wish the ‘Tsunami’ movie crew all the best for its success!