Thun Man Handiya

Thun Man Handiya is the only film directed by Mahagama Sekera, one of the most eclectic talents who strode the Sri Lankan art establishment from the early 60s through to the mid 70s. Poet, painter, illustrator, broadcaster, lyric writer, and one who wrote the libretto for many Sinhala operas, Mahagama Sekera also wrote the novel Thun Man Handiya. It is autobiographical and written in a terse economical and unemotional style, almost reminiscent of Hemingway. Sekera draws deeply from his experience of village life, and never has the movie camera before or after, gone as close as in Thun Man Handiya to the inner essence of Sinhala village life. The lives of the characters are marvelously captured in close up by Sumitta Amarasinghe’s polished photography.

Director      Mahagama Sekera
Producer    Chithra Balasooriya
Cast            Joe Abeywickrama, Kumara Balasuriya, Karunaratne Ranasinghe, Dharmadasa Kuruppu, Shanthileka, Denawaka Hamine, D A Balasuriya, Swarna      Mallawarachchi, Gemunu Wijesuriya, Somasiri Denipitiya, Sriayani Wickramasinghe, A.P.Goonaratne
Category    Drama
Duration     93 minutes
Format       PAL
Language   Sinhala
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Awards    O.C.I.C Award – Best Production in the 70’s, Tushcan Award – Best Producer, Tushcan Award – Best Director, Vicharaka Award – Best Production, Vicharaka Award – Best Direction, Vicharaka Award – Best Actor