Ganga Addara
Encyclopedia
Ganga Addara was a 1980
Sinhalese language film directed by Sumitra Peiris and produced by Sumathi Films. The film stars Vasanthi Chathurani
and late Vijaya Kumaratunga
in the lead roles. Adapted from a novel by Letitia Botejue, its script was written by veteran director Tissa Abeysekara
. Both, the music and the English lyrics of the famous song Ganga Addara from this film were composed by Nimal Mendis
and was sung by Vijaya Kumaratunga
, who also made his mark as a playback singer
. The song was translated in to Sinhala by Augustus Vinayagaratnam. Ganga Addara, which was the second production of Sumathi Fims was set in Kandy
, colonial Sri Lanka. Its plot is about a tragic love story between a boy and his uncle's daughter ,where all the incidents take place around river Kalani ,a famous river in Srilanka,
It bagged many awards at the prestigious Sarasaviya Awards Festival
including the Best Film Award
, Best Director Award
, Best Music Direction Award
and Best Actress Award
for Vasanthi Chathurani
. Even after two decades, the film, which was a box-office hit in the eighties, still remains as one of the finest Sri Lankan films
ever made.
educated Dr. Sarath Pathirana (Vijaya Kumaratunga
), who is willing to try out new methods to treat his patients, is directed towards a special patient by the Head Doctor (Henry Jayasena
) at the mental hospital. This patient is a beautiful girl named Nirmala (Vasanthi Chathurani
), who does not speak a single word nor trouble anyone excessively unlike any other patient at the hospital.
In order to cure her, Dr. Pathirana seeks help from her father, a proud, rich man called D.J. Atapattu (Tony Ranasinghe
) and the patient herself. He is certain that he can restore her to normal, if he can find out the causes for the sudden change in her mental makeup.
Through the several characters in the story, it is revealed that Nirmala was in love with her cousin, Ranjith (Sanath Gunathilake). He was an educated youth, but not a financially able one like Nirmala's family and so her father refused their marriage. Instead, she was married to the son of the rich, dignitary Kobbekaduwa family from Kandy
. After six months of their wedding, she becomes pregnant and is about to leave to her parents' home, when a white lady with two children arrive at their home. The two children are seen calling her husband, "Daddy." As soon as Nirmala is aware of the fact that Kobbekaduwa was married with two children in England, she poisons herself and is taken to hospital.
It is this incident that had changed Nirmala's life as well as her mental condition. She had not spoken a word since then. Yet, through Dr. Pathirana's kindness, she begins to gradually heal, when her forehead is hurt by another patient at the hospital. This accelerates Nirmala's recovery and she regains her lost memory. But, by that time, Dr. Pathirana has fallen in love with her.
Her parents are now ready to tie their daughter's knot with Ranjith, who has returned from England after his higher studies. But, Ranjith's parents have already agreed on another girl.
On the other hand, Dr. Pathirana is also ready to accept Nirmala's hand, although she does not remember a bit of the history with him at the hospital now.
At the end, she goes back to the place near the river, where she spent her childhood with Ranjith and she extends her hand to him, when she falls in to the river.
- Dr. Sarath Pathirana
Vasanthi Chathurani
- Nirmala Atapattu
Tony Ranasinghe
- D.J. Atapattu
Henry Jayasena
- Head Doctor
Sanath Gunathilake - Ranjith
Shanthi Lekha
-
1980 in film
- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
Sinhalese language film directed by Sumitra Peiris and produced by Sumathi Films. The film stars Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani is an award-winning Sri Lankan film and teledrama actress. She made her debut as a teenager in Sumitra Peiris's Gehenu Lamai in 1978. Her most acclaimed role in the silver screen was that of 'Nirmala' in Ganga Addara opposite late Vijaya Kumaratunga in 1980...
and late Vijaya Kumaratunga
Vijaya Kumaratunga
Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga was a popular Sri Lankan film actor and politician, married to former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga from 1978 to his assassination in 1988.- Family life :In 1978, Kumaratunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike, daughter of the...
in the lead roles. Adapted from a novel by Letitia Botejue, its script was written by veteran director Tissa Abeysekara
Tissa Abeysekara
Deshabandu Kalasuri Vishvaprasdini Dr. Tissa Abeysekera was a Sri Lankan filmmaker, writer, critic, presenter, interviewer and political activist.-Early life:...
. Both, the music and the English lyrics of the famous song Ganga Addara from this film were composed by Nimal Mendis
Nimal Mendis
Nimal Mendis is a Sri Lankan singer and songwriter. He is one of a handful of Sri Lankan musicians to make it to the BBC television programme Top of the Pops in 1968....
and was sung by Vijaya Kumaratunga
Vijaya Kumaratunga
Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga was a popular Sri Lankan film actor and politician, married to former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga from 1978 to his assassination in 1988.- Family life :In 1978, Kumaratunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike, daughter of the...
, who also made his mark as a playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
. The song was translated in to Sinhala by Augustus Vinayagaratnam. Ganga Addara, which was the second production of Sumathi Fims was set in Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, colonial Sri Lanka. Its plot is about a tragic love story between a boy and his uncle's daughter ,where all the incidents take place around river Kalani ,a famous river in Srilanka,
It bagged many awards at the prestigious Sarasaviya Awards Festival
Sarasaviya Awards
Sarasaviya Awards are the most prestigious awards presented to distinguished individuals involved with the Sinhala cinema, each year by the Sarasaviya weekly newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited , Sri Lanka in recognition of the contributions made by them to...
including the Best Film Award
Sarasaviya Best Film Award
The Sarasaviya Best Film Award is presented annually in Sri Lanka by the weekly Sarasaviya newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival for the best Sri Lankan movie of the year....
, Best Director Award
Sarasaviya Best Director Award
The Sarasaviya Best Director Award is presented annually by the weekly Sarasaviya newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited as part of the Sarasaviya Awards Festival. It was first given in 1964....
, Best Music Direction Award
Sarasaviya Best Music Direction Award
The Sarasaviya Best Music Direction Award is presented annually by the weekly Sarasaviya newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival. Although the Sarasaviya Awards Ceremony began in 1964 , this award was introduced much later....
and Best Actress Award
Sarasaviya Best Actress Award
The Sarasaviya Best Actress Award is presented annually by the weekly Sarasaviya newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival.The award was first given in 1964...
for Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani is an award-winning Sri Lankan film and teledrama actress. She made her debut as a teenager in Sumitra Peiris's Gehenu Lamai in 1978. Her most acclaimed role in the silver screen was that of 'Nirmala' in Ganga Addara opposite late Vijaya Kumaratunga in 1980...
. Even after two decades, the film, which was a box-office hit in the eighties, still remains as one of the finest Sri Lankan films
Cinema of Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the films made in Sri Lanka. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with Kadawunu Poronduwa produced by S.M.Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone.Sri Lankan films are usually made in the Sinhalese language, the...
ever made.
Synopsis
EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
educated Dr. Sarath Pathirana (Vijaya Kumaratunga
Vijaya Kumaratunga
Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga was a popular Sri Lankan film actor and politician, married to former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga from 1978 to his assassination in 1988.- Family life :In 1978, Kumaratunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike, daughter of the...
), who is willing to try out new methods to treat his patients, is directed towards a special patient by the Head Doctor (Henry Jayasena
Henry Jayasena
Henry Jayasena born in Bendiyamulla, Gampaha is a Sri Lankan actor and dramatist.-Early Life:Jayasena studied at the Gampaha branch of Lorenz College and at Nalanda College Colombo. Some of Jayasena's notable classmates at Nalanda College were Karunaratne Abeysekera, Dr Harischandra Wijayatunga,...
) at the mental hospital. This patient is a beautiful girl named Nirmala (Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani is an award-winning Sri Lankan film and teledrama actress. She made her debut as a teenager in Sumitra Peiris's Gehenu Lamai in 1978. Her most acclaimed role in the silver screen was that of 'Nirmala' in Ganga Addara opposite late Vijaya Kumaratunga in 1980...
), who does not speak a single word nor trouble anyone excessively unlike any other patient at the hospital.
In order to cure her, Dr. Pathirana seeks help from her father, a proud, rich man called D.J. Atapattu (Tony Ranasinghe
Tony Ranasinghe
Ranasinghe Hettiarachchi Anthony Silva is a Sri Lankan actor.Ranasinghe began his career in theatre with a role in Ran Thodu in 1963 which won him the Governor General's Award for Best Stage Actor. This award was presented by minister T. B. Ilangaratne.Ranasinghe debuted in film with Lester James...
) and the patient herself. He is certain that he can restore her to normal, if he can find out the causes for the sudden change in her mental makeup.
Through the several characters in the story, it is revealed that Nirmala was in love with her cousin, Ranjith (Sanath Gunathilake). He was an educated youth, but not a financially able one like Nirmala's family and so her father refused their marriage. Instead, she was married to the son of the rich, dignitary Kobbekaduwa family from Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
. After six months of their wedding, she becomes pregnant and is about to leave to her parents' home, when a white lady with two children arrive at their home. The two children are seen calling her husband, "Daddy." As soon as Nirmala is aware of the fact that Kobbekaduwa was married with two children in England, she poisons herself and is taken to hospital.
It is this incident that had changed Nirmala's life as well as her mental condition. She had not spoken a word since then. Yet, through Dr. Pathirana's kindness, she begins to gradually heal, when her forehead is hurt by another patient at the hospital. This accelerates Nirmala's recovery and she regains her lost memory. But, by that time, Dr. Pathirana has fallen in love with her.
Her parents are now ready to tie their daughter's knot with Ranjith, who has returned from England after his higher studies. But, Ranjith's parents have already agreed on another girl.
On the other hand, Dr. Pathirana is also ready to accept Nirmala's hand, although she does not remember a bit of the history with him at the hospital now.
At the end, she goes back to the place near the river, where she spent her childhood with Ranjith and she extends her hand to him, when she falls in to the river.
Cast
Vijaya KumaratungaVijaya Kumaratunga
Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga was a popular Sri Lankan film actor and politician, married to former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga from 1978 to his assassination in 1988.- Family life :In 1978, Kumaratunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike, daughter of the...
- Dr. Sarath Pathirana
Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani
Vasanthi Chathurani is an award-winning Sri Lankan film and teledrama actress. She made her debut as a teenager in Sumitra Peiris's Gehenu Lamai in 1978. Her most acclaimed role in the silver screen was that of 'Nirmala' in Ganga Addara opposite late Vijaya Kumaratunga in 1980...
- Nirmala Atapattu
Tony Ranasinghe
Tony Ranasinghe
Ranasinghe Hettiarachchi Anthony Silva is a Sri Lankan actor.Ranasinghe began his career in theatre with a role in Ran Thodu in 1963 which won him the Governor General's Award for Best Stage Actor. This award was presented by minister T. B. Ilangaratne.Ranasinghe debuted in film with Lester James...
- D.J. Atapattu
Henry Jayasena
Henry Jayasena
Henry Jayasena born in Bendiyamulla, Gampaha is a Sri Lankan actor and dramatist.-Early Life:Jayasena studied at the Gampaha branch of Lorenz College and at Nalanda College Colombo. Some of Jayasena's notable classmates at Nalanda College were Karunaratne Abeysekera, Dr Harischandra Wijayatunga,...
- Head Doctor
Sanath Gunathilake - Ranjith
Shanthi Lekha
Shanthi Lekha
Rita Irene Quyn , better known as Shanthi Lekha, was a Sri Lankan actress. She played the role of mother in more films than any other actress in Sinhala cinema....
-