Gehenu Lamai (Girls) is directed by Sumithra Peries and produced by Dr. Lester James Peries. It stars Vasanthi Chathurani as Kusum Liyanage, Jenita Samaraweera as Soma Liyanage, Trelicia Gunawardena as Jenny Liyanage, Ajith Jinadasa as Nimal Satharasinghe and Chitra Wakishta as Kamalawathie Satharasinghe.
Kusum is a sensible, well behaved, bright girl from a poor family who is awarded a scholarship to attend a good secondary school. Kusum’s sister Soma on the other hand is irresponsible, flighty and neglects her studies. Kusum’s mother Jenny Liyanage is a basket woman (Watti Amma) who sells vegetables and she is constantly reminded of her low class status. Jenny sells vegetables to a woman named Kamalawathie Satharasinghe who asks Kusum to help her with the housework. Kusum is befriended by Kamalawathie’s son Nimal who entangles her in a relationship despite knowing that his mother would not approve of her because of her low class status. Nimal tells Kusum who is reluctant to enter into a relationship with him to keep their relationship a secret.
Nimal leaves home to attend university and Kusum goes to boarding school. She makes friends with a girl called Podmini who appreciates Kusum’s good qualities and defends her when she is taunted by classmates for being a Watti Amma’s daughter. Kusum is a strong girl who is unfazed by the taunts and maintains her poise.
Soma participates in a beauty pageant which is held in a hotel where Kusum accompanies her and she meets Nimal in secret during the pageant which is surprising because Kusum is prudent. Nimal’s mother Kamalawathie finds out about their encounter and confronts Kusum and tells her to break off her relationship with Nimal. Kusum ends the relationship.
Meanwhile, Soma signs a movie contract and becomes an actress. She gets pregnant and is abandoned by the child’s father. During her pregnancy, Soma thinks that she would give up her child for adoption but changes her mind after she gives birth. The father of the child does not agree to this and abandons Soma who leaves the responsibility of raising the child to Kusuma. Kusuma neglects her studies to look after Soma’s baby.
After graduating from university, Nimal gets an appointment as a teacher in Kusuma’s school. Kusuma tries to avoid Nimal who is engaged to be married to another woman, but Nimal approaches Kusuma on the pretext of helping her by giving her notes to prepare for the final exam and exploits the situation to bully her through another girl in class.
Gehenu Lamai focuses on the plight of two girls from a low social class whose tragedy results from the terrible situation they are in. Kusum was Vasanthi Chaurani’s first role after she was discovered by Sumithra Peries and she is beautifully poised and natural in her depiction of Kusum.