''Madol Duwa'' (Sinhala, ''Mangrove Island'') is a

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Lester James Peries Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries (Sinhala language, Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය ලෙස්ටර් ජේම්ස් පීරිස්; 5 April 1919 – 29 April 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director, ...

and produced by Upasena Marasinghe. The film stars Ajith Jinadasa as Upali, a young rebellious youth who travels to a small island to get away from the restrictive society around him. The film is based on Martin Wickremasinghe's 1947 novel ''

Madol Doova ''Madol Doova'' ( Sinhala: මඩොල් දූව) is a children's novel and coming-of-age story written by Sri Lankan writer Martin Wickramasinghe and first published in 1947. The book recounts the misadventures of Upali Giniwella and his fri ...

''. It was a commercial success.

Plot

Young Upali Giniwella (Nandana Hettiarachi who grows up into Ajith Jinadasa) is resentful of his new stepmother (Somalatha Subasinghe) and lashes out by committing harmless acts of mischief around the village. For this Upali is sent to a boarding school where he bonds with the headmaster (Joe Abeywickrema). He once again gets into trouble however and is returned home when a new headmaster installed. Upali is punished by his father back home. He becomes more resentful and takes off with his servant boy Jinna (Padmasena Athukorala) to the island dubbed Madol Duwa. After some adventures there, Upali is found by a friend of his father. Upali learns that his father is sick and returns home to ask for forgiveness.

Cast

* Ajith Jinadasa as Upali Giniwelle * Padmasena Athukorala as Jinadasa 'Jinna' *

David Dharmakeerthi Kalukapuge Don David (born 1 September 1913 – died 10 September 1987 as ඩේවිඩ් ධර්මකීර්ති), popularly known as David Dharmakeerthi was an actor Sri Lankan early Sri Lankan cinema. Personal life He was born on 1 ...

as Mudalali 'Thaththa' * Somalatha Subasinghe as Upali's stepmother * S. A. Jamis as Podi Gamarala *

Joe Abeywickrama Deshabandu Gammana Patabendige Don John Abeywickrama ( Sinhala:ජෝ අබේවික්‍රම) (22 June 1927 – 21 September 2011), popularly as Joe Abeywickrama, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Initially famed ...

as Dharmasinghe 'Gurunnanse' *

Daya Alwis Thuiappuarachchi Don Daya de Alwis (born 7 November 1942 – died 27 April 2015 as දයා අල්විස්) inhala, popularly known as Daya Alwis, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. He was also a screenwrite ...

as Punchi Mahaththaya * Trilicia Gunawardena as Dharmasinghe 'Hamine' * Mapa Gunaratne as Lawyer Rajapakse *

Damayanthi Fonseka Wanniarachchige Damayanthi Priyalatha Fonseka (born 25 August 1960) is a Sri Lankan actress, director, and producer. Personal life She was born on 25 August 1960 in Kelaniya in a family with 11 siblings. Her father Gilbert Fonseka worked at a G ...

as Lawyer's daughter * Nandana Hettiarachchi as Young Upali * Sunil Premakumara as Dangadasa * Upali Attanayake as Suranchiya * Dhamma Jagoda as Balappu * Pujitha Mendis as Upasaka Appu * Denawaka Hamine as Net trapped homeowner *

Shanthi Lekha Rita Irene Koys (July 1, 1929 – May 11, 2009), better known as Shanthi Lekha, was a Sri Lankan Film actress. She played the role of mother in more films than any other actress in Sinhala cinema. Personal life Lekha was born in Kalutara on July ...

as Annie Perera *

Somaratne Dissanayake Somaratne Dissanayake is a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter and Film producer, producer. He was the Chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and the president of the Film Makers Guild of Sri Lanka (FMG). He is the winner of the most nu ...

as Raja Niladariya * Senaka Perera as Suranchiya's friend * Harry Wimalasena as Stage fleeing actor * Rinsley Weeraratne as Fisherman *

Miyuri Samarasinghe Wijeratne Miyuri Samarasinghe (15 March 1939 – 6 February 2021: as ), popularly as Miyuri Samarasinghe, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Apart from acting, she also worked as a dancer, scriptwriter, producer and dire ...

as Upali's mother

Soundtrack

The song ''Koheda Koheda Ape Lowak'' sung by

Victor Rathnayake Rathnayake Arachchilage Victor ( Sinhala: වික්ටර් රත්නායක; born 18 February 1942), popularly known as Victor Rathnayake, is a Sri Lankan singer, composer, lyricist and a renowned musician. He was the first Sri Lankan a ...

is included in this film.

References

1976 films Films directed by Lester James Peries Films based on works by Martin Wickramasinghe Films based on Sri Lankan novels {{SriLanka-film-stub

Plot

Cast

Soundtrack

See also

References