Ahasin Polowata (English: White Flowers for the Dead, Sinhala: අහසින් පොලොවට) is a 1978 Sri Lankan drama film directed by Dr Lester James Peries and written by Tissa Abeysekara. The film stars Tony Ranasinghe as Sarath, an abusive husband who is haunted by his wife's death.
Peries made the film as a favour to D. B. I. S. Siriwardene who was ardent that Peries direct a film based on his wife, Eileen's book. It was well received in Sri Lanka, critically and commercially, and made appearances at several foreign film festivals including the Cairo International Film Festival where it won the Best Film from the Third World award.
Contents
Plot
Dr. Sarath (Tony Ranasinghe) domineers over his timid wife Vineetha (Sriyani Amarasena). When she is to have a Caesarean delivery of their baby, Sarath refuses to be present even though he himself is a doctor. She dies during surgery and Sarath is forced to live with the spectre of his wife hanging over him.
Cast
Tony Ranasinghe as Sarath
Sriyani Amarasena as Vineetha
Vijaya Kumaratunga as Sarath's friend, Lalith
Vasanthi Chathurani as Pushpa, Vineetha's sister
Rukmani Devi as Sarath's aunt
Thalatha Gunasekara
Shanthi Lekha
D. R. Nanayakkara
Geetha Kumarasinghe
Eddie Junior
Ajith Jinadasa
Asanka Monarawila
Mapa Gunaratne
Ebert Wijesinghe
Daya Alwis
Awards
Most outstanding film from a Third World country at the 3rd International Film Festival in Cairo in 1978.
Best Actor Presidential Film Awards 1979 - Tony Ranasinghe.
Best Direction Presidential Film Awards 1979 - Lester James Peries.
Best Editor Presidential Film Awards 1979 - Sumithra Peris.
Best Cinematographer Presidential Film Awards 1979 - Donald Karunarathna.
Best Script Writer Presidential Film Awards 1979 - Tissa Abeysekara.
Best Playback Singer Female Presidential Film Awards 1979 - Rukmani Devi ("Doi Doi").