''Purahanda Kaluwara (Death on a Full Moon Day)'' ( si, පුරහඳ කළුවර, italic=yes) is a 2001

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

n Sinhala drama film directed and produced by

Prasanna Vithanage Udaya Prasanna Vithanage ( si, ප්‍රසන්න විතානගේ) (born 14 March 1962) is a Sri Lankan filmmaker. He is considered one of the pioneers of the third generation of the Sri Lankan cinema. He has directed eight feature ...

. It stars Joe Abeywickrama and Priyanka Samaraweera in lead roles along with

Linton Semage Linton Semage is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well a filmmaker. He is best known for his roles in movies such as ''Padadaya'' (1998), '' Sulang Kirilli'' (2002) and ''Mad Cowgirl'' (2006). He started his acting career ...

and Mahendra Perera. Music composed by Nadeeka Guruge. The film has received mainly positive reviews. It is the 967th film in Sri Lankan cinema.

Synopsis

In a draught-stricken land marred by ethnic conflict, the sons of the rural poor are dying in a bitter civil war. However, Wannihami, the blind old man, knows that rain will come soon. On the Buddhist holiday of the full moon, the body of Bandara, Wannihami's soldier son, is brought home in a sealed coffin. The rains fall on the day Bandara is buried. But Wannihami refuses to sign the papers which entitles the family to Government compensation. Despite pressure from his desperate community, Wannihami still retains clarity of vision which transcends his blindness. He decides to dig up his son's sealed coffin, even though he knows it will invalidate the compensation claim. His greater purpose is to believe that the war cannot kill his son.

Cast

* Joe Abeywickrama as Vannihamy * Priyanka Samaraweera as Sunanda *

as Sunanda's husband * Mahendra Perera as Village Officer * Nayana Hettiarachchi as Yamuna * Kumara Karunananda as Pala * Harshajith Abeysuriya as Vannihamy's Grandson * K. A. Milton Perera as Schoolmaster

Release

With the Supreme Court ruling that the post of competent authority was illegal, the film was finally allowed to be released on fifth circuit from 28 July. However, the screening was delayed again when minister Sarath Amunugama, made the order under section 6 of the NFCSL Act of 1971 that the exhibition of the film had been deferred.

Box office

The film recorded the highest gate collection at the Colombo Regal cinema and earned Rs. 2,420,284.00 within 61 days to break the previous box office record set by '' Saroja'' by

Somaratne Dissanayake Somaratne Dissanayake is a Sri Lankan film director, Screenwriter and Producer. He is the Chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the president of the Film Makers Guild of Sri Lanka (FMG). He won the Peace prize of Chicago Internation ...

which earned Rs. 2,414,000.00 after running for 126 days. Within last 50 days, the film earned Rs. 7,621,643.34 showing in thirteen theatres around the country.

Accolades

The main actor, Joe Abeywickrama won Best Actor award at 12th Singapore International Film Festival for his role "Wannihami". In 1991, the film won Grand Prix award, Jury award and NETPAC at 19th Amiens International Film Festival as well as International Film Critic's award at Fribourg International Film Festival in the same year.

References

External links

Official Site - Prasanna Vithanage
* 1997 films Sinhala-language films 1990s war drama films Films about the Sri Lankan Civil War Films set in Sri Lanka (1948–present) Sri Lankan drama films Films directed by Prasanna Vithanage Films produced by Prasanna Vithanage Films with screenplays by Prasanna Vithanage 1997 drama films {{SriLanka-film-stub