Renowned Sri Lankan director Sumitra Peries released her debut film, Gehenu Lamai, in 1978. With an impactful take on youth, romance, and social frameworks, the Sinhala film established Peries as a prominent figure in South Asian cinema. Almost half a century later, a careful 4K restoration process has reinvigorated this classic film, bringing it back to screens.
Based on Karunasena Jayalath’s novel of the same title, Gehenu Lamai narrates the tale of Kusum, portrayed by Vasanthi Chathurani in her debut role, a young girl attempting to navigate the fragile balance between her desires and familial responsibilities. Ajith Jinadasa’s portrayal of Nimal evokes a gentle yet troubled affection for her. When familial obligations compel Kusum to decide between affection and responsibility, the narrative transforms into a depiction of quiet sacrifice.
Leaning heavily on visual poetry, Peries worked with acclaimed cinematographer MS Ananda, creating impressionistic imagery, framing Kusum against the greenery of rural Sri Lanka. The result was a film rich with rhythm and mood rather than spectacle—a quality that critics likened to an Impressionist painting.
Gehenu Lamai skilfully defied convention, depicting the friendship between Kusum and her schoolmate Padmini with subtle undertones of undisclosed affection. This was a rather radical suggestion in the context of the conservative Sri Lankan cinema presented during the 1970s. Director Prasanna Vithanage, who saw the film as a teenager, described it as “a work of pure cinema” that revolutionised how relationships were portrayed on screen.
Peries’s success was quite significant considering only a few women had directed films in Sri Lanka before her, although none had matched her level of artistry. By directing her film Gehenu Lamai, she stepped out from the shadow of her husband, veteran filmmaker Lester James Peries, establishing her identity as a director.
By the 2010s, tears, warping, broken sprockets, and severe sound degradation had left the original prints of Gehenu Lamai in a fragile state. However, the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), a Mumbai-based organisation dedicated to preserving South Asian cinema whose founder, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, had met the Peries a couple of years earlier and was determined to rescue Sumitra’s films.
Carried out at the L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in Bologna, the restoration was made possible by funding from the France–India–Sri Lanka Cine Heritage (FISCH) initiative. The work was painstaking: removing embedded subtitles, repairing damaged reels, and restoring audio plagued by hiss, distortion, and missing segments. However, the process successfully restored the film’s original depth and value.
The restored Gehenu Lamai has since been featured in international showcases, including the Cannes Classics section at the Festival de Cannes alongside works by Satyajit Ray, Mikio Naruse, and Stanley Kubrick. Lead actress Vasanthi Chathurani, who was just 16 during filming, indicated that for her, the revival is deeply personal: “Sumitra taught me the nuances of acting and how to face the camera. The character of Kusum will stay with me forever.”
Actor Ajith Jinadasa, who played Nimal, noted the lasting impact of the story. “Even today, people ask why I abandoned Kusum. Their passion shows how deeply the film touched them,” he said. He believes the restoration allows new generations to experience “a love story that truthfully portrayed the silent battles within society and oneself.”
Nearly half a century after its release, Gehenu Lamai feels timeless, with its themes of love, class, duty, and personal freedom remaining relevant, and its quiet sensuality and naturalistic performances give it a contemporary feel. The restored version not only preserves a cultural treasure but also introduces it to a global audience unfamiliar with Sri Lankan cinema, ensuring that important works from South Asia survive for future viewers.
