The Sri Lanka Tourism Board (SLTPB) welcomed a special Kannada Cinema delegation from Karnataka, India, at a press conference held recently at Cinnamon Grand Colombo. The PR division of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is currently hosting the delegation from 28th April to 3rd May 2023 in its efforts to promote Sri Lanka as an ideal film destination for Indian cinema productions.
The visit is a collaboration with the Asian Media and Cultural Association (AMCA) and the delegation is led by Mr. Nagathihalli Chandrasekharan, a veteran Film Director in Kannada Cinema. The delegation also includes popular Kannada film stars Kavya Shetty, Nirup Bhandari, and Madan Gawda, as well as G. N Mohan, a senior journalist from Karnata media, S.K.Rao, Cinematographer, and Shanker Gowda, Film Producer.
Film tourism is one of the niche products that the SLTPB hopes to capitalize on with the aim of promoting Sri Lanka as a major film production destination. The Kannada cinema delegation was invited for a familiarization visit of Sri Lanka to explore the potential for film productions on the island. Sandalwood cinema, as the Kannada film industry is known, releases approximately 20 films in Bengaluru weekly.
Mr. Nagathihalli Chandrashekara, a veteran film director, actor, screenwriter, and lyricist, leads the Kannada Cinema delegation. His 1997 movie, “America! America!” will be screened at the Kannada Film Festival in Colombo. Speaking to the media, Mr. Chandrashekara stated that he has established a film school known as “Tent Cinema“ in Bangalore.
He believes that the visit of the delegation will bridge the gap between cultures, while film workshops held in Colombo would greatly benefit the youth.
Charismatic Kannada actors, Nirup Bhandari and Kavya Shetty, were also in attendance. Speaking to Top News Asia, Nirup Bhandari, who made his debut in the 2015 critically acclaimed movie “Rangi Taranga” and starred in the 2022 Kannada-language action thriller “Vikrant Rona” with Sri Lankan Bollywood actress, Jacqueline Fernandez, stated that there was great potential to explore Sri Lanka as a film shooting destination with beautiful locations island-wide.
Kannada actress, Kavya Shetty, who made her acting debut in 2013 with the Kannada film “Nam Duniya Nam Style”, is no stranger to Sri Lanka and has visited the island as a tourist and for film shoots. One of Kavya Shetty’s films will be screened at the 1st Kannada Film Festival taking place on 2nd May 2023 at the Tharangani Theatre in Colombo 7, near the National Film Corporation.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Board is excited to welcome the delegation and hopes that their visit will encourage more collaborations between the two industries.
