Ranmuthu Duwa

Ranmuthu Duwa
danuthuruwa
Ranmuthu Duwa ; danuthuruwa
Directed by	Mike Wilson
Written by	Mike Wilson
Produced by	Serendib Productions
Distributed by	Tharanga Film and Music
Release date	8 October 1962;
Country	Sinhala

Ranmuthu Duwa (English: Island of Treasures) was the first colour full-length

W.D. Amaradeva. The lyrics were written by Chandraratne Manawasinghe.^[1]

Ran Muthu Duwa was a landmark in the history of the Lankan cinema, which at the time was only 15 years old (having started in 1947).[2] It not only introduced colour to the Lankan movies, but also showed for the first time the underwater wonders of the seas around Ceylon, which had barely begun to be explored.

It was also a commercial success: seen by more than a million people on its first release during 1962-63 - a tenth of the island's then population.^[3] But the cultural influence of the film went well beyond the box office. It starred in the leading roles talented young actors who would soon become big names in Lanka's film industry,^[4] especially Gamini Fonseka and Joe Abeywickrama. It also launched or catapulted the careers of a number of other creative or technical professionals.^[5]^[6]

Synopsis

The film is about the discovery of an underwater treasure. It involves a mixture of ancient legends, human treachery and romance.

Ownership

In the early 1980s ownership of the film was purchased by film and record producer, Vijaya Ramanayake. Tharanga films and music currently owns and distributes the film.^[7]