by Nanda P Wanasundara

In a pre-screening article the film is said to be “an attempt to chronicle the heart wrenching and mind challenging story that lies as the centerpiece of Buddhist faith”. It claims modestly to be an attempt. The film is a success, no doubt about that. Not only will cinema goers of the Buddhist faith appreciate the film and sink deep into it emotionally and religiously, but even film goers of other religions will benefit by seeing a very worthwhile film. It carries English sub titles and thus we presume, very creditably, it is prepared for international screening. We wish all luck to it at various film festivals.

The story

Does it correctly chronicle the life of the Sakyan prince until he renounces his princely life to go forth? It does, tracing incidents and actions as related in the Buddhist scriptures. It cuts out myth like the baby placing his foot on the sage’s forehead and does not even show a lotus in the pond in the garden where Queen Maya gives birth. He is an ordinary boy though living in a palace highly protected and expected to be a supreme king, but with one very evident quality: his compassion and his desire for solitude.

He is totally disinterested in the palace dancers and refuses marriage until Yashodara presents herself to him as a prospective bride. He wanted, as he told his step brother Nanda, a wife who combined sister, mother and sympathetic friend and he found the beautiful girl would suit him. She is both radiantly beautiful and projects a personality which is above that of other girls. The prince falls in love with her and their love is depicted as deep and stable so much so that the prince is able later to tell her he must leave her and go forth.

The story veers from what we have heard tell regards his leaving the palace to become an ascetic seeking the truth. What our mothers told us and we read was that he left the palace (supposedly not having made his intention known) on the night of the birth of his child. We got the impression that he was almost stealing away. This is not so in the film and that is a definite plus point, since a person of Siddhartha’s integrity and stature would not have sneaked out of home, however honourable the end was.

In the film much precedes his leaving wife and home and the kingdom. He tells his father and step mother. King Suddodhana is gravely grieved but he does not forbid him, though he made every attempt to keep the prince from experiencing sorrow and seeing age, the sick and knowing people die. Prajapathi Gotama is heart- broken but knows the prince needs to go forth. He tells Yashodara long before he leaves her of his need to seek the truth and help all mankind to shorten their samsaric existences of unsatisfactoriness. She wonders aloud how she will bear his leaving her but tells him to leave her when she is asleep, which he does; many days after the birth of Rahula.

Emotional yet intellectual

Is the film heart-wrenching? Most certainly yes. I was in tears almost all through the film with a wonderful break when the young couple is shown so in love and considerate of each other.

But here is the strongest feature of the film, the most commendable. It is not one bit sentimental nor does it strive to wrench your heart. There is no studied pathos in the film. It moves realistically and since the renunciation is so sad and many other scenes like when Prince Siddhartha tends a bird struck by an arrow of Devadaththa’s. The film made me have tears all through the film but it was, I believe, an individual reaction. Others may not be so affected as me. Siddhartha the ascetic’s starving too causes deep sadness. The script, acting and direction, even cinematography and, of course, the music all combined to work on the viewer’s emotions, not solely of sadness but with a lingering, mellowing with admiration sort of reaction caused by the sincerity of the film. The viewer is made to actually live through the incidents. That is great credit to the film.

Was the film mind challenging? Certain Dhamma truths came through by what Siddhartha said and what his guru taught him, and through the words of the three songs, expecially Yashodara’s lament in song at the very end that accompanied credit titling and scenes of her renunciation and meditation. To a non- Buddhist, I am sure the film will challenge the mind and intellect. A person not familiar with the story has plenty of thoughts and opinions to think through after seeing the film. We Buddhists too keep mulling over the film.

Buddhist faith

As the reader would surely have discerned, I have taken a sentence off an article about the film and analyzed it against the seen film. The sentence I have been breaking up to judge the film has at its end: ” … the story that lies as the centrepiece of Buddhist faith.” That, I feel, is extravagant. At the very start of the film the Buddha’s Eightfold Noble Path is segmented and written in both Sinhala and English within lotuses. To me that is the centrepeice of Buddhism, not the story of Prince Siddhartha., but his teaching – the Dhamma. But his life story, particularly that of a protected prince is integral to Buddhism as the many qualities this young man showed long before he became the Buddha, are major tenets of Buddhism, namely: the middle way in life avoiding extremes; compassion for all; strength of character with integrity; renunciation for the greater good of man; total unselfishness.

Acting and production

The actors and acting are totally commendable. Gagan Malik with a superbly sensitive face and stature of a prince fits his part perfectly as Siddhartha. He played his role with sensitivity, shown in face and body language. I thought a mite of the Nepalese Mongolian look diluting the totally Indian features would be good, but then again, Siddhartha was born on the border of India not in the centre or north of Nepal. So his markedly Indian looks are to be appreciated. I am glad an Indian was selected to play the role of Siddhartha. Anchal Singh is Yashodara, again with sensitivity of expression and great beauty. Some books tell us Yashodara was dark in complexion. I am glad Anchal is beautifully fair and radiant. Congratulations are due to our Ranjan Ramanayake – King Suddhodana. He managed all the facial expressions, body language and voice changes that his role demanded and he was regal right through. Roshan Ranaweera was cast correct and acted well though his part as Nanda was fairly minor. Saranga Disasekera as Channa was fine and Gautam Gulati was deviously evil yet handsome as Devadhatta. Anjani Perera and Dilhani Perera, both from the US, are Prajapati Gotami and the mother of Yashodara, I presume. Many other Sri Lankans, such as Wilson Gooneratne, play minor roles very competently. Credit goes to them, plus in large measure to the Director of the film.

Another noteworthy as commendable feature was the method of narration of the events in the film. We first see Prince Siddhartha leave his palace and family and take to the ascetic life. He sits under the bo tree and the assumption is that after nature’s upheaval in rain, thunder and lightning and the temptation, he attains Buddhahood. The story then cuts back to the very beginning of his life. This technique is fine.

Thus all praise to the Diector Saman Weeraman. Praise and thanks for giving us this beautiful film to the producers Navin Gooneratne (Chairman /Light of Asia Foundation) and co-producer Jeff Gunawardena, a former Consul General in Los Angeles. The credit titling gave credit to Navin Gooneratne for set design and costumes. Here a special word of praise is due. He used muted colours of browns and blues and soft reds, and greens for outdoors, and the entire production was in muted sepia or fine brown. The royals wore jewellery but far different to the usual princely stuff one sees in local and Indian films – garish tinsel. The jewellery worn by the royals in the film are chunky ornaments but pieces match and are very elegant. Thus was a mantle of graciousness and subtle richness given to the film. The Sakyan clan was not a spectacular one and the film showed it just right.

Music was composed and the playing directed by Pradeep Ratnayake. The background music, swelling at certain times and the three songs sung were most evocative. Choreography was by Channa Wijewardhena. Chandran Ratnam was main advisor to the entire production. With a production team such as this, what else can you expect, and receive, but the best?