Entertainment (Commonwealth Union) _ With its rich history and gorgeous landscapes, Sri Lanka has been a popular filming location for international films since the 1950s, when Carol Reed adapted Joseph Conrad’s Outcast of the Islands. These movies have incorporated the exotic beauty of the country along with its vibrant culture, marking a unique role that the island has played in global cinema. Here’s a list of 10 international films set in Sri Lanka that you probably didn’t realise.
- The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli and Baloo (1997)
Dee McLachlan directed this beloved tale by Rudyard Kipling and released it in May 1997. Starring Jamie Williams as the iconic man-cub Mowgli, this film was shot in the highlands of Kandy. The movie also cast local actors, such as Wijerathne Warakagoda, Raja Sumanapala, and Sunil Hettiarachchi.
- Elephant’s Walk (1954)
Filmed in a tea estate in Kandy as well as the renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa’s “The Brief Garden”, the movie was adapted by Paramount Pictures from a 1948 novel of the same name by Robert Standish. Starring the iconic American movie star Elizabeth Taylor, the movie follows a colonial tea planter living with his wife in colonial Ceylon.
- The Purple Plain (1954)
Directed by Robert Parrish, this movie is a war film adapted from the novel by H. E. Bates. The story revolves around a Canadian Air Force pilot and two individuals who experienced a crash in Burma and endeavoured to endure in Japanese territory. Koggala and Sigiriya served as the filming locations for this major box office success.
- Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)
This movie needs no explanation. With a Disney adaptation as well as a live-action starring Alexander Skarsgård, this is one of the older versions that was filmed in and around Kandy, as well as Sinharaja – a rainforest reserve that has been established by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Yet another film shot in Kandy, this iconic adventure movie is part of the greatest American film franchises of all time. Starring Harrison Ford and Roshan Capshaw, this movie emphasises Sri Lanka’s massive potential as a filming location for adventure and exploration movies.
- Mother Teresa: In the name of the God’s Poor (1997)
With Geraldine Chaplin starring as Mother Teresa, this epic biographical film was based on the iconic figure’s mission to help relieve poverty in India. Famous Sri Lankan actors like Yashodh Wimaladharma, Veena Jayakodi, and Nimmi Harasgama were also part of the cast, who shot the film in the slums of Colombo.
- Water (2005)
Led by Indo-Canadian director Deepa Mehta, this movie was filmed in Kandy and Colombo and honoured at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Also starring a Sri Lankan child actress – Sarala Kariyawasam – the film is set in 1938 in rural India and adopts a controversial take on issues such as misogyny and child marriage.
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Filmed in the scenic terrain of Kithulgala, this epic war movie features a bridge that was built over the Kelani River – the fourth longest river in Sri Lanka. After winning seven Academy Awards, the movie starred William Holden, Jack Hawkins, and Alec Guinness, among others.
- Monkey Kingdom (2015)
One of the more recent cinematic projects, this piece of work is not a film but a documentary. However, that does not make it any less engaging. A creation of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, this documentary was a beautiful portrayal of the beauty of the forests of Polonnaruwa.
- Outcast of the Islands (1952)
As mentioned, Outcast of the Islands was known to be one of the first of many international films shot in Sri Lanka. Starring actors such as Trevor Howard and Ralph Richardson, the cast also included Sri Lankans Ranjana and K. Gurunnanse as dancers.
