Historical movies resonate with stories from the past for an audience watching them with a sense of awe after many years.
The effect is gobsmacking when you see what you have fancied in your imagination on the silver screen as the events in history unveil how our world is shaped. Besides the benign charm that the historical movies generate, there is a triviality involved in distorting the history through false narratives.
Historical movie directors and scriptwriters often get lambasted for culling the stories by adding their whims and fancies which lead to fabricating stories devoid of historical accuracy. The South Asian audience is especially agitated before such cinematic creations regardless of the artistic value. The hullabaloo occurred after screening Jodhaa Akbar in India and Aba in Sri Lanka, which exposed the tip of an iceberg. Thus, writing a screenplay based on historical facts or directing a historical movie can be a Herculean task for any movie maker in this region.
It is by no means an exaggeration to describe the recently released Sinhala movie “Sri Siddha “ as a movie standing above such accusations. Rear Admiral Dr. Sarath Weerasekera wrote the script and also took the plunge of directing the movie, which brings the theatrical talents of many Sri Lankan artists such as Jagath Chamila, Paboda Sandeepani, Udari Warnakulasooriya and many more into the silver screen. The long silence that Dr. Weerasekera took after his debut Gamini in 2011 hasn’t marred his skills as a director, which is visible from the entertaining manner in which he presents a wonderful historical story full of humour and pathos equally.
The movie is based on the Panakaduwa Cooper Plate discovered in 1948, which unveiled the toughest times of Vijayabahu I in his childhood escaping from the Chola invaders and the content of the Copper Plate refers to the veneration given by the Sinhalese monarch to a leader called Sipna Budalna for protecting him during the turbulent period he underwent.
Taking from the first scene that shows how Prof. Senerath Paranavithana grasped the hidden value of the Copper Plate, the rest of the movie flows exploring the different stages of Vijayabahu’s life until his arch triumph of restoring the Sinhalese dynasty in Rajarata by overthrowing the Chola rule. While unfolding this historical narrative the movie evokes many subthemes ranging from love to betrayals that add a catharsis to this find work.
As a commentator in military history and strategic studies, my admiration would naturally go to Dr. Weerasekera’s effort in tracing how Sinhalese organised themselves against the large forces of the Chola empire after the complete dissolution of Anuradhapura. According to Prof. Raj Somadeva, the fall of Anuradhapura was more an offshoot of internal chaos within the polity than the magnitude of Cholas as the historical chronicle Mahawamsa affirms the feeble rule of Mahinda V, the last king of Anuradhapura.
The State’s reliance on the mercenaries went haywire when the treasury had no money to pay them which propelled the mercenaries to switch sides by deteriorating the situation. The first half of the movie refers to all the anarchy that prevailed after the total eclipse of Anuradhapura and how Sipna Budalna, the ferocious Sinhalese leader from the Rohana devoted himself to safeguarding Prince Kitthi, who hailed from Rohana principality.
Panakaduwa Copper Plate
The basis of the Panakaduwa Copper Plate reveals the bonhomie of Sipna Budalna, the chieftain from Ruhuna who protected Vijayabahu as the Plate narrates the following annotation.
Ruhunadadanayaka
Sithnarubimmudalnavan
Vadithansahaviyahi
Vadaminlovadavada
Several scenes from the move depict the military mastery of Budalna and the way he inculcated the military discipline in young Vijayabahu. Although no evidence from the Mahawamsa or the Panakaduwa Copper Plate corroborates this, Dr. Weerasekera’s imaginative endeavour adds glamour to the rich tapestry of the movie.
A historical movie can feel tedious if it doesn’t evoke human emotions like love and grief throughout its narrative. Beyond showcasing the heroic endeavours of Vijayabahu, the film touches on the softer side of this tough monarch, who lives in the forests to unify his country.
His romantic involvement during his exile ultimately ends in tragedy, as he must sacrifice his love for the preservation of the crown.
When Dr. Weerasekera included this element in the plot, he likely intended to connect it to a broader geopolitical reality during the late Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa eras. The intermarriages between the Sinhalese kings and the Pandyan royal families acted as a shield, protecting the Sinhalese monarchy from Chola invasions, as the Pandyans formed a formidable alliance with the Sinhalese against their common enemy, the Cholas.
The practice of intermarriage as a political strategy was not new to the Asokan state system in the Indian subcontinent; ancient Indian strategist Shukracharya endorsed it in his well-known work, “Shukra-Nithi.” This approach served as a pragmatic tool for smaller States to secure their positions against more powerful neighbours. The movie illustrates how Prince Vijayabahu adopted this time-honoured practice for long-term political gain, even at the expense of his personal sentiments.
Another notable aspect of Sri Siddha is its engagement with the military strategies adopted by Vijayabahu in taming the formidable Chola opponents who kept their grip over Rajarata by transforming it into a part of the Chola Mandala system. After the cascade of failures, Vijayabahu finally vanquished the enemy by encircling them from two sides and his alliance with the Pandyan King brought the due results when Pandyans militarily engaged with Cholas, which reduced their capacity to send reinforcements to Mahathiththa in Sri Lanka. More than an artistic piece filled with love, humour, sorrow and bravery, this is an eye-opener for a vigilant reader in history, who wants to know the strategic factors behind the long occupation of Cholas in Rajarata. To be precise, the narrative throughout “Sri Siddha” unfolds the perennial geopolitical uncertainties around the island and how our ancestors successfully outmatched them.
Historical films
Like many historical films, this one has notable flaws. Specifically, the fighting scenes and the use of technology are quite disappointing, especially considering the advanced AI tools available to filmmakers today. The depiction of the Chola ships arriving at Mahathiththa and the representation of the Chola fortress do not do justice to the intriguing plot. However, despite these minor shortcomings, viewers should not be discouraged from watching “Sri Siddha”, as it is a commendable effort to recreate our history and honour the characters who deserve our respect.
The writer is a lecturer at the Department of International Law, Faculty of Law, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
