Prasanna Vithanage’s 'Paradise' scheduled for June 28 theatrical release in India

Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage's latest movie, "Paradise," is set to hit theatres across India and worldwide on June 28, the makers announced on Saturday. The film stars Roshan Mathew, known for "Darlings," and Darshana Rajendran, from “Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey,” as an Indian tourist couple who travel to a crisis-ridden Sri Lanka to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary due to its affordability. As the conflict deepens, their relationship faces unexpected challenges.

The cast also includes Shyam Fernando and Mahendra Perera. Produced by Newton Cinema, "Paradise" features dialogues in multiple languages, including English, Malayalam, Tamil, Sinhala, and Hindi. Indian veteran Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies presents the film, which had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival 2023, winning the prestigious Kim Jiseok Award for Best Film.

"Paradise" marks Vithanage's first Indian film and the first worldwide release for a Sri Lankan director. “This is, for the first time, a Sri Lankan director has a worldwide release. I want to thank Newton Cinema for opening the world to me," Vithanage said in a statement.

Anto Chittilappilly, CEO of Newton Cinema, expressed confidence that "Paradise" would resonate globally. "I fell in love with the script from the very first time I read it. It's a great honour to produce a film of the master director, Prasanna Vithanage, and to work with such a talented cast and crew whose efforts made this film successful," Chittilappilly said. He noted the accolades the film has received, including the Busan award and four nominations at the Asian Film Awards, emphasizing that "Paradise" is best experienced in theatres.

The film's crew includes Rajeev Ravi as the cinematographer, Sreekar Prasad as the editor, Tapas Nayak as the sound designer, and K as the music director, contributing to the film’s exceptional audio-visual elements.