Thanha Rathi Ranga (2014) User Reviews

Great cast and a superb act with a twist

[anupiya · 9/10 · 10 August 2014]

A very peculiar title from what we normally see out there, and do not mistake it to be the story of the three daughters of 'Mara', from Lord Buddha's days. Not your everyday sort of movie either where the hero chases after the beauty and kills the villain in the process. If that is where your taste lies, then please do not watch this as it is focused at a much more mature audience.

A three-wheeler driver, a handyman and a university student plays the main characters in the aftermath of the war celebrations. The story is about their journey to the war inflicted areas in Northern & East regions in Sri Lanka and how it ultimately brings back distress into their lives on return mainly due to a cowardly act.

The acting I found to be exceptional which is not the case in most Sinhalese movies and it does keep you glued to the screen throughout the 95 minutes of playtime. All in all, great movie to lookout for.

Entertaining, but not deep

[PanKaru · 7/10 · 15 December 2014]

Thanha Rathi Ranga (Between Yesterday and Tomorrow) is a visually pleasing, entertaining movie. It cautiously introduces and presents an interpretation of our post-war society, but doesn't bravely explore it. As a result, I would say that it is an entertaining movie that lacks depth.

Director Nilendra Deshapriya starts the movie well, with an engrossing, captivating, 30-minute sequence that takes us to the moment in 2009 when we heard of Prabhakaran's death and the ensuing street celebrations. The sequence establishes the mindset of the people that the rest of the movie deals directly with – namely, the urban poor – and specifically introduces the three protagonists, planting in our minds interesting seeds of unanswered questions. These questions would, eventually, yield an interesting coverage of our general social (or sociological) ills. These include the intolerance of the ethnic 'other' (Chandare vs. Suraj) and the inequality of everyday life (Wimal vs. his uncle).

The director then takes us to the theater of war – a search for the war's legacy. In between tender moments of innocence and romance, the protagonists discover it: the residue of violence that has become the sediment of our minds and lives. His use of the snake as the visual metaphor of our impending peril – something the audience sees but the protagonists cannot – is beautiful. Eventually, the tiny snake grows into a terrible cobra that comes home to roost. In effect, this is a brilliantly structured script (by Sarath Kothalawala and Kumara Thirimadura).

The weak part of the film follows this moment of truth, once the terrible legacy we have inherited has had its full effect. Instead of a deep, searching exploration of our plight and fate, the movie slips into a colorless anti-climax, bereft of dialogue, ideas or interpretations. The one moment of poignancy was Suraj's mother's equanimity, as she watches her son being taken away to his fate (played by Swarna Mallawarachchi) – a Tamil mother (with a symbolic name), who has already lived and learned through her terrorized society, watches with profound yet concealed grief, while the Sinhala mothers, to whom this truism is yet to dawn, wail openly.

It is in this part that the movie fails to 'go deep.' This is partly because of the lackluster script, which fails to fill its brilliant structure with the substance that could have carried the message effectively. But there is another part to this failure. Deshapriya's skill with the visual has got in the way of serious engagement with the issues that underlie the characters and the plot. Next time, I hope he seriously curtails showing off his skills. Just as an author with too vast a vocabulary can obfuscate the issues and alienate the reader, a movie director with a great visual eye can paint too many aesthetics into a frame and misguide the audience of the message. Sometimes, very often in fact, the most visually pleasing camera angle or lighting are not the most articulate.

But Deshapriya has got many things right: a well-structured script, an ensemble of wonderful actors who play their roles with sensitivity, a visually pleasing style and, perhaps most difficult of all, the right pace and mood that he sustains throughout. If this director develops well, great things may be on the way. I would say without any hesitation: 'watch this space!'

Thank you Mr. Deshapriya!

[cmiduna · 9/10 · 8 November 2014]

Firstly i urge you all who see this film and enjoy it at some level(or even hate it) to vote at IMDb because it is a rare genuine attempt from a Sri Lankan at creating something that is not embarrassing. so please appreciate the attempt and vote it whatever you think it deserves!

For me, i had a wow reaction to this film, especially considering the uninspired attempts at 'film-making' in the form of either pathetic comedy or embarrassing 'youth films' or boring and politically correct pieces of history-selling in the post-war era. the first half is nice and realistic enough, with very good attention to detail and fine editing with beautiful cinematography and also some real small moments.when did you last hear a 'bajawwak' in a sinhala film which is exactly as how we do it in real life? And kumara thirimadura makes for, as strangely as it may sound, a far better lover who's vowed by a charming lady than most our local young 'heroes'. he puts most of our handsome young 'actors' to shame.

The second half is exhilarating, i dare not spoil any surprises for you, but i'll not refrain from saying that it hits you in the chest with its emotional power and surprises you with its final act. Although the film, for many reasons may be,is an apolitical look at the post- war common man in Sri Lanka, finds time to condemn violence and there are minute moments of subtle social commentary.

Although i want Mr. Nilendra to explore more about the things he flirts with here, that would be a different film and may even be impossible to make with the artistic freedom an artist can get at present in SL. It is admirable he made a film without any obvious propaganda.

I'm no one to nitpick a movie and i don't have enough experience of expertise to do so. but i didn't feel any parts that i felt didn't fit and all the actors did their job pretty well.

trio of friends does an excellent job and to me, the expression of Swarna Mallawarachchi while the camera walks with her is one of the most touching moments in the film. she just comes from nowhere, but in that beautifully subtle scene, she conveys a great deal. i now got some clue as to why is she so highly regarded.

if i have to say anything negative at all, the Derana parts may come across as bit too prominently considering the quality of the film and frankly seems like too much of a product placement.

finally, i urge all you common men to see this film! if my review sounded as if this is a boring artistic film, believe me it is not, it is hugely entertaining, there are many moments of comedy and laughter and its a story for all the audiences, not just for critics and experts. Since we have had mostly films which either made for the former or the latter, Thanha Rathi Ranga is an important important important film, please don't miss this one! (and for international viewers, i hope and think this can be a universal experience, although it'll resonate more with Sri Lankans)