DORAKADA MARAWA

The suspect motor car accident involving a newly married couple, lead relatives and friends to speculate whether it was the result of suicide, homicide or a genuine accident? This is the end result of Priyantha's and Subashini's tumultuous relationship filled with disputes over social class, wealth and emotional incompatibilities.  

DORAKADA MARAWA (Death at the Door Step) is written and directed by Vasantha Obeysekera. Sanath Gunathilake (Priyantha) and Sangeetha Weeraratne (Subashini) play the lead roles and the supporting cast includes Veena Jayakody, G.W. Surendra and Sathischandra Edirisinghe.

This is a simple plot examining Priyantha's and Subashini's rocky relationship and the subsequent events that lead to their untimely death. The plot not only focuses on the point of view of the couple but also presents the views of friends and relatives. The narrative explores the trials and tribulations of these doomed lovers in an intimate approach. The screenplay is the work of a skilled writer; Obeysekera captures the emotional depth of his lead characters with great maturity. The dialogue is concise, to-the-point and does not waste time on melodramatic nonsense.

The cinematography is certainly nothing to brag about; the mixture of ordinary camera angles, overly lethargic camera movements, poor lighting and the simple lack of use of these vital cinematic instruments are evident. Of course the subject matter isn't really conducive to dynamic cinematography either, but this is a FILM and not a stage play so I feel the camera is grossly misused.

The acting is top notch. Sanath Gunathilake and Sangeetha Weeraratne prove their acting talents and prowess with masterful ease. Their performances are both moving and heartbreaking. It is a good example of actors playing to their personal strengths and not trying to over reach. The supporting cast purely compliments the two leads by their respective performances.

The best part of the film is that it's directed expertly. Obeysekera makes up for his lack of technical artistry by displaying his story telling abilities. The use of flashbacks is seamlessly interlaced with scenes from the present. The overlapping of a different audio track with a different visual is extremely creative. For example, when the ill fated couple is seen on screen for the first time (at their friend's wedding) the natural audio track is replaced by the audio track of the mourners weeping at the couple's future funeral. This is an ingenious method to give the audience a sense of foreshadowing. Another display of the director's inventiveness is the scene where friends and family are shown looking directly at the camera while the audio track of them gossiping is heard. Obeysekera exercises his creative muscles subtly and with artistic quality, this is indeed a director's movie.

Rating: 3/5

S. V. Fernando