Paradise: Darshana, Roshan sail through wonderfully in this chilling Lankan drama
The cottage, close to the woods where a sambar deer roams by like a watchful god, is perhaps the paradise in the little world Prasanna Vithanage creates in his new film. Or perhaps it is paradise when the camera zooms out and carries the cottage’s two inhabitants to the caves and rivers of Sri Lanka, where centuries-old stories are sacredly retold. The film leans a lot towards these stories, based out of the Ramayana, and its two main characters appear to be built around versions of Sita and Rama. Darshana Rajendran and Roshan Mathew sail through wonderfully as a couple far removed from home, presenting you a drama with the thrills you don’t expect. Prasanna’s script is as crafty as it’s gripping.Paradise is a Sri Lankan film that comes with a good dose of English and Malayalam in addition to Sinhalese and Tamil. Both the lead actors handle languages with ease. Roshan spouts Hindi, English, and Malayalam in equal measure while Darshana speaks fluent Tamil, English, and Malayalam. As Keshav and Amrita (Ammu), they are clearly cosy in each other’s company, the comfort that comes from years together in love. After watching a beautiful sight, Amrita rests her head on Keshav’s shoulders, a look of contentment on her face.Keshav is the more practical one, overjoyed at finally getting a breakthrough with a series for Netflix, panicky when Ammu holds a loaded gun meant for hunting. He is the partner who recalls that it is time to start a family. In the face of a crisis, he means business, is menacing until he is taken seriously. He is single-mindedly focussed on getting his stuff back after a scary burglary. The police are involved, the staff questioned. Keshav seems indifferent to everything else that’s going on in Sri Lanka – the financial crisis of 2022, the shortage of fuel, and the protests of people.By contrast, Ammu is keenly sensitive, playful with the children selling flowers on the road, attentive to the issues of the people around them, and concerned about the animals being hunted in the woods. Her conversations with a third constant character in the film, Mr Andrew played by Sri Lankan actor Shyam Fernando, show her interest and respect for fellow human beings.With the early tranquil moments predictably fading away and tension setting in, the scenes shift from picturesque Lankan locales to the local police station and the eerie cottage. Ramayana stories continue to be thrown about, with even the deer playing its part. Prasanna and Anushka Senanayake’s writing packs what’s going on in the country into the script, not letting you ignore the many sufferings of its people. Only the sequences with the police – with Mahendra Perera playing the official leading a probe – come off as less thoughtful.But Prasanna does not take the easy way out, and makes you guess wrong. K’s music and Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography make the atmosphere go from exciting to calming. The unpredictability of the ending, cleverly crafted, makes it more the former. But the abruptness of it is a little unsettling after the detailed nature of the rest of the script.Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the producers or any other members of its cast and crew.‘A homage to Malayalam cinema’: Sri Lankan director Prasanna on his film Paradise
THE cottage, close to the woods where a sambar deer roams by like a watchful god, is perhaps the paradise in the little world Prasanna Vithanage creates in his new film.
Or perhaps it is paradise when the camera zooms out and carries the cottage’s two inhabitants to the caves and rivers of Sri Lanka, where centuries-old stories are sacredly retold. The film leans a lot towards these stories, based out of the Ramayana, and its two main characters appear to be built around versions of Sita and Rama.
Darshana Rajendran and Roshan Mathew sail through wonderfully as a couple far removed from home, presenting you with a drama with the thrills you don’t expect. Prasanna’s script is as crafty as it’s gripping.
Paradise is a Sri Lankan film that comes with a good dose of English and Malayalam in addition to Sinhalese and Tamil. Both the lead actors handle languages with ease. Roshan spouts Hindi, English and Malayalam in equal measure while Darshana speaks fluent Tamil, English, and Malayalam. As Keshav and Amrita (Ammu), they are clearly cosy in each other’s company, the comfort that comes from years together in love. After watching a beautiful sight, Amrita rests her head on Keshav’s shoulders, a look of contentment on her face.
Keshav is the more practical one, overjoyed at finally getting a breakthrough with a series for Netflix, panicky when Ammu holds a loaded gun meant for hunting. He is the partner who recalls that it is time to start a family.
In the face of a crisis, he means business, and is menacing until he is taken seriously. He is single-mindedly focused on getting his stuff back after a scary burglary. The police are involved, the staff questioned. Keshav seems indifferent to everything else that’s going on in Sri Lanka – the financial crisis of 2022, the shortage of fuel, and the protests of people.
By contrast, Ammu is keenly sensitive, playful with the children selling flowers on the road, attentive to the issues of the people around them, and concerned about the animals being hunted in the woods. Her conversations with a third constant character in the film, Mr Andrew played by Sri Lankan actor Shyam Fernando, show her interest and respect for fellow human beings.
With the early tranquil moments predictably fading away and tension setting in, the scenes shift from picturesque Lankan locales to the local police station and the eerie cottage. Ramayana stories continue to be thrown about, with even the deer playing its part.
Prasanna and Anushka Senanayake’s writing packs what’s going on in the country into the script, not letting you ignore the many sufferings of its people. Only the sequences with the police – with Mahendra Perera playing the official leading a probe – come off as less thoughtful.
But Prasanna does not take the easy way out and makes you guess wrong. K’s music and Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography make the atmosphere go from exciting to calming. The unpredictability of the ending, cleverly crafted, makes it more the former. But the abruptness of it is a little unsettling after the detailed nature of the rest of the script.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the producers or any other members of its cast and crew.
