''Ranmuthu Duwa'' ( en, Island of Treasures) was the first colour full-length

Sinhalese language Sinhala ( ; , ''siṁhala'', ), sometimes called Sinhalese (), is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka, who make up the largest ethnic group on the island, numbering about 16 million. Sinhala is also s ...

film to be produced in Sri Lanka in

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wor ...

. It was co-produced by Shesha Palihakkara,

Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A Spac ...

and directed by Mike Wilson, who also made his debut as a feature director. The film stars some of those who would go on to become big names in the Sinhala Cinema, such as

Gamini Fonseka Kala Keerthi Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka () (21 March 1936 - 30 September 2004 as :si:ගාමිණී ෆොන්සේකා, ගාමිණී ෆොන්සේකා), was a Cinema of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan film actor, film director ...

, Joe Abeywickrema and

Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya (born 2 December 1941 as ජීවරාණි කුරුකුලසූරිය) inhala, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. One of the most popular actresses in early Sinhala cinema, she pl ...

in the leading roles. Playback singing was by Nanda Malini, Narada Disasekara and W.D. Amaradeva. The lyrics were written by Chandraratne Manawasinghe. ''Ran Muthu Duwa'' was a landmark in the history of the Lankan cinema, which at the time was only 15 years old (having started in 1947). It not only introduced colour to the Lankan movies, but also showed for the first time the underwater wonders of the seas around Ceylon, which had barely begun to be explored. It was also a commercial success: seen by more than a million people on its first release during 1962-63 - a tenth of the island's then population. But the cultural influence of the film went well beyond the box office. It starred in the leading roles talented young actors who would soon become big names in Lanka's film industry, especially Gamini Fonseka and Joe Abeywickrama. It also launched or catapulted the careers of a number of other creative or technical professionals.

Synopsis

The film is about the discovery of an underwater treasure. It involves a mixture of ancient legends, human treachery and romance.

Ownership

In the early 1980s ownership of the film was purchased by film and record producer, Vijaya Ramanayake. Tharanga films and music currently owns and distributes the film.

Cast

as Bandu *

as Kumari * Joe Abeywickrama as Sena * Shane Gunaratne as Rajo *

Anthony C. Perera Mahapatabadige Anthony Crisman Kivlojiyas Perera (born 13 September 1921 – died 20 May 1988 as ඇන්තනී සී. පෙරේරා) inhala, popularly as Anthony C. Perera, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and theater. One of the e ...

as Bandu's uncle * Austin Abeysekara as Danapala * Vincent Vaas as Kumari's father, Muttusamy * Thilakasiri Fernando as Swami *Eddie Amarasinghe as Sena’s friend

References

External links

* * 1962 films Sinhala-language films 1962 drama films {{1960s-drama-film-stub

Synopsis

Ownership

Cast

See also.

References

External links