Wanted to probe post-war Sri Lanka through my film: Vithanage

Director Prasanna Vithanage has adapted Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short story 'The Meek One' to probe the post civil war scenario in Sri Lanka through his film 'With You, Without You' as he believes it is impossible to move ahead without understanding the past.
"After the war many people believed that there will be a reconciliation and a political solution but unfortunately nothing much has happened. And as a Sri Lankan I feel very sad about it. All these compulsions made me re-look at the aftermath of war," Vithanage told PTI in a telephonic interview from Colombo.
Set in post-war Sri Lanka, the story revolves around a Sinhala man, who falls in love with a Tamil woman. The Tamil-Sinhala language film explores whether love can overcome the weight of history. It also probes how masculinity impacts a relationship.

Starring Indian actress Anjali Patil and Shyam Fernando in lead roles, 'Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka' (With You, Without You) is being released in India this Friday through PVR's Director's Rare.
Patil won the best actress award at the International Film Festival of India 2012 for the film, which has been screened to wide acclaim in festivals like Kerala, BFI London, Chicago and Hong Kong.
The award-winning director, who was a jury member at IFFI last year, is happy that the film is releasing in India as he loves visiting the country.

Vithanage admits that it was difficult to make a film about a crisis that was so recent but feels as an artiste it is his duty to probe uncomfortable questions.

"Unfortunately, in the last four decades people of Sri Lanka became polarised on ethnic and religious lines. Raising these issues is difficult because of the polarisation. But without understanding the past you can't move ahead," he says.
"As an artiste it is our duty to probe even when the conditions are against you. Otherwise, you become a part of the polarisation and the agenda.