‘Praana’ amovie on great Christian Massacre in Mannar

‘Praana’ or ‘The Seed’, a newest film woven around the infamous 1544 Mannar massacre of nearly 700 Christians in Northern Sri Lanka is now being screened in cinemas.

Directed by Sanjaya Nirmal, the film is released in all three languages English, Sinhala and Tamil in different cinemas around the country. A remarkable attempt to promote cinema, this is the first time a Sri Lankan film is being released in all three languages at the same time.

The film stars Shyam Fernando, Tray Hicks, Darshan Dharmaraj, Niranjani Shanmugaraja, Nita Fernando, King Ratnam, Steven Mark Lordsic, Robert Siera, Peter Satternitez, Kalpa Munasinghe, Dinesh De Silva, Pahandi Taraka, Kapil Galappatti, Chandra Hassan, Senesh Dissanayake Bandara, Wageesha Salgadu, Mohan Sharma, GA Shahis, Vidura Lakthilaka, Ajran Seneviratne, John Bosco and Michael Collin.

Reviving one the most pathetic incidents in Sri Lankan history the film is based around the killing of 700 Christians in Mannar by Cankali king. Angered by this Catholic priests have complained to the Portuguese rulers in Goa. Even though the Portuguese authorities did not wage a reprisal immediately mainly due to the opposition they were facing in India, later a direct order from the then King in Portugal. Subsequently a battalion led by Dom Constantino left Portugal in 1558 with the aim of punishing the Jaffna King and his action.

According to the film maker this incident was brushed under the carpet mainly due to political reason though the incident is one of the most brutish action by the then political order and needs to be reinvestigated.

The film is also an attempt to bring justice to those killed and their grand children who are now settled in the same area, filmmaker SanjayaNirmal stated.

Interestingly with an ideal symbolical gesture the social media launch of the film ‘Seed’ or ‘Prana’ was held at Thottaweli in Mannar at the historical burial site where those Christians murdered by Tamil Cankili King. The publicity campaign was launched on Youtube, Facebook and on Instragam. Camera by Styner Adams, art direction is by Dhammika Hewaduwatte, make up by Buwaneka Ranawaka, editing and colour grading is to be done by Shan Alwis, sound mixing by Shashingimhan Pereram and production designing is by Suneth Malinga Lokuhewa.

Assisted by Priyantha Samarakone, production coordination is by Rev. Fr. Anthony Nishan and Ranjan Prasanna. Music direction is by Nadeeka Guruge and production executive is Rev. Fr. Prasad Harshan and the film is produced by Janaka Perera.