I managed to catch ITNOB on pirate VHS (decent quality), thanks to my mate, and found the film to be rather preachy and bias on the conflict in Sri-Lanka. It was almost as bad as the depiction of Pakistani's in Border, but ITNOB has a go at practically everyone who is not Sri-Lankan Tamil, including Indians! And I have a feeling that people from the Sikh community will be really pissed off with this film as the film features a brutal rape sequence shows them, under the guises of Indian soldiers, as rapists. In fairness it can be said that atrocities has happened in Sri-Lanka from all soldiers, including Indian soldiers. The problem with the movie is that it fails to show the help that the Indian government has given for Sri-Lankan Tamil’s to claim asylum in India. An example of this was seen in scenes from the Indian-Tamil flicks Naandha (2002), and Kanathil Muthamital (2001).
The film screenplay is its weak point in that it simply has a go. Only the elements of the main character Dr. Siva seeking asylum in the UK, and looking at his suffering from the conflict makes for an interesting watch. If the film whole bases were on this then this film could have seriously been a contender for the Oscars! Despite it flaws this low budget film has excellent technical values and I particularly loved the cinematography.
Sri Lankan films have never gotten it due in World Cinema, especially from excellent Singhalese filmmakers like Lester James, who is perhaps a film-maker from the Indian subcontinent to have his films continually shown at many film festivals around the world, including Cannes. Yet they never go beyond the film festivals.
The bonus USP of this film is that this is a Sri-Lankan film from the Tamil community, a rarity as many Sri-Lankan Tamil's film technicians now work in the Indian film Industry, especially in the South. The recent hit film A.M. Ratnam's Dhool (one of Indian cinemas high grossing film of 2003) had many technicians from Sri-Lanka.
INTOB is harsher and contains a more realistic tone then the recent Sri-Lankan conflict drama Mani Ratnam's Kanathil Muthamittal but IMO it is not a better film, as the message of Kanathil Muhathamittal leaves a stronger impact on how everybody suffer from the conflicts of war, and it doesn't side with anyone...
For a more humanistic drama of the Tamil cause, I would recommend Sivan's The Terrorist. The film is slightly Anti Indian in tone (a growing debate amongst me and my friends at university), yet it doesn't point the finger.
BTW Ayngaran are bidding for the rights of ITNOB...for DVD rights -worldwide.
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