The Land of Delights 2

Chandran Rutnam and Sri Lanka's movie Ambassadors

Bandula Jayasekera June 05, 2006

Water, Deepa Mehta's last of a powerful and controversial trilogy of films set in India, is a powerful movie with a mixture of sadness, heartburn and beauty.

The beauty of this movie, which investigates the plight of widows and the social stigma attached to widowhood in India, comes from several quarters including My Sri Lanka.

From Galle-born child actress, (Galle is in the South of Sri Lanka) Sarala, who gives a heart-rending performance as little 'Chuiya,' to the supporting crew, a range of Sri Lankan contributors are linked with Water. Miracle man of Sri Lanka's set design, Errol Kelly, changed the Bolgoda Lake ( it is closer to Colombo) to create the aura surrounding the great river Ganjis of India after Mehta was forced to shoot the movie in Sri Lanka following Hindu fundamentalist protest against the production of the movie in India.

There is no question about the performances of lovely Indian/ Canadian actress Lisa Ray, Seema Biswas of Bandit Queen fame and John Abraham. But, what flows like water in this controversial movie is the beauty of My Sri Lanka thanks to Sri Lanka's moving movie man, Chandran Rutnam.

Rutnam and his Film Location Services have done a lot for Sri Lanka and taken the island's beauty to the world. He has also brought millions of dollars to the country as foreign exchange. In a way, Rutnam has become a true Ambassador for Sri Lanka though he has not been given any titles like Deshamanya or Deshabandu (These are awards given to Sri Lankans for their contributions to the country) . And at a time when many Deshabndus have become Videshabandus, Chandran has remained a true son of Lanka and lives in Sri Lanka though he owns two houses in the US and in Malaysia

Having started his movie career with Britain's Sir David Lean in The Bridge on the River Kwai at sixteen, and having studied with American director George Lucas in film school in the USA, Rutnam brought Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with actor Harrison Ford to Lanka.

Stephen Spielberg refers to Rutnam as "my most valued friend in South Asia." That in itself is one single honour for Sri Lanka. How many of us know that Spielberg fell in love with his wife Kate Capshaw during the filming of Indiana Jones in Sri Lanka? In a way, the credit for that also must go to Rutnam and My Sri Lanka. There is no doubt that Spielberg saw Kapshaw's beauty and charm better in Sri Lanka to have fallen in love with her here.

The world embraced the beauty of Bo Derek as Jane in Tarzan and the Ape Man and the jungles where Tarzan roamed as king. And these jungles are our own. The movie was shot at Udawatte Kelle, Kandy. ( Kandy is the Hill Capital of Sri Lanka) And Rutnam and his team were behind it too. He also took Bo and John Derek to Bentota ( known for its beautiful beaches) to film Ghosts Cant Do It. Even today there is a carving on a stone in Bentota, which says "Great Scot Loves You" - a message from late John to Bo. That's not all.

Rutnam and his team brought the graceful Geraldine Chaplin and Mother Theresa to Sri Lanka and built Calcutta in Colombo and a little bit of Oslo at a warehouse in Kelaniya. Rutnam brought many world-class directors and actors to Sri Lanka, whom I cannot name here due to space constraints.

Errol Kelly also needs special mention because this unassuming man from Kandy has created miracles by way of set designs using Mother Lanka as location for many Hollywood and other international films brought to Sri Lanka by Rutnam. Kelly would have won an Oscar for his creative genius had he lived in England or in the US. But, whatever Kelly has done, he has taken Sri Lanka to the world stage and made us proud. That too silently as he is

We have seen many articles and write-ups about Rutnam and Kelly. Indian television once described Chandran as Sri Lanka's "best-known address in Beverly Hills." Rutnam also brought to life a beautiful love story between a Tamil boy and a Sinhalese girl in Adara Kathawa (Love Story). May be its time to screen it again.

Coming back to our Location Scouts, I don't think the country has recognized their contributions enough. I think its time and it must be done now. They must be encouraged and supported by the State.

These location scouts took great pains to show the world that Sri Lanka is a lassana Sri Lanka (Beautiful Sri Lanka) even during the worst of times. When terrorists blew up banks and trains and killed innocent people in hundreds, these location scouts told the world that the whole of Sri Lanka is a beautiful studio and that dream makers of the world could weave their dreams in Paradise land.

This is my Sri Lanka and they are my Sri Lankans