The island nation known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean — where films like “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Tarzan, the Ape Man” and “The Bridge on the River Kwai” were shot on location — has been through some extraordinary times in recent weeks.
Costs for catering, lodging and equipment rentals have risen massively from pre-pandemic days, and with a dearth of foreign currency, imports have been limited to essential items. Meanwhile, a massive shortage of fuel, cooking gas and prolonged power cuts have also hit the industry hard. The Sri Lankan film industry hasn’t had a national policy since 1956, despite cinema dictating the entertainment market, adds the director. The popularization of television from the 1980s, he argues, has seen the gradual “downfall of the film industry.”
Despite the mordant local industry, high profile international productions have continued to use Sri Lanka as a location. Recent projects include Michael Winterbottom’s “Greed,” Deepa Mehta’s “Funny Boy,” Tiger Aspect/ITV series “The Good Karma Hospital” and Indian drama “800,” a biopic of Sri Lankan cricketer Muthiah Muralidaran. However, it’s unlikely that international productions will return soon and local productions are stalled as well.
“As an actor, many of the Sri Lankan films I’ve been cast in have been shelved with no start date in sight,” he says. “The remainder of my acting and directing work has been U.K.-based, and has not been affected by the crisis.”
Let’s hope and pray