Anoma Rajakaruna : A True Inspiration

Anoma Rajakaruna, made her floor radiantly. why would not she?  She was another vivid Icon for especially the rising female activists like us!

She shared her personal experiences where she had to face excruciating struggle to make her career in film industry.

Anoma Rajakaruna

She was interested in story-telling from her early age and by observing her creative aptitude for narration, her tutor suggested her to join a course of script-writing. From that time she started facing challenges due to discrimination and accusations due to the minimal chance of being successful in this arena.
However, her dreams and determination never allowed her to collapse before this stereotype mentality of the soceity.
She fought hard to make her way and her hard work  always found a path as she got a chance to make mini-tele-drama eventually. She was seventeen when her first production was released but once again, she was restrained by Political Censorship. The issue was simple. Her first tele-drama, "Sonduriya" contained some sensitive social material. In her words, the story was about a woman whose emotion was torn between two men and her conflicts regarding this issue. 
Surely the society at the time was not ready to accept this bold attempt of showcasing such thing where reality overpowered society's formulated norms.

However, at the age of 22, her short drama 'Amma Keneck' (Another Mother) 1987 was released. This film dealt with the issues regarding conflict in the Tamil community in 1983. The film was screened at the Presidents House and it was appreciated finally! 

Anoma Sharing her Experiences 

But her fight was not over. Her attempts were being questioned again and again as the society felt threatened by her activities that actually talks of freedom, reality and exposure of true human psychology.

Frustrated by the oppression and regular banning of her films she started making documentary films though she never intended for it. She was passionate for photography too. By using visual images she even brought out some vital issues like elephant-human conflict in Sri Lanka.

" Image is itself a story and it is universal" 


Some of her photography even won the International prizes and among those a specific one was very special for her. Here is the photography:

                              Women Sharing Water Building Peace

The story behind this photography was remarkable. These three types of pitchers symbolized three different religion and when the women carrying water share it with another women from different religion, they are consequentially building peace among divergent communities, different religions.

Another Photography by Anoma

I was stunned when I discovered her every photography with a deep meaningful story behind it! It inspired me a lot for practicing freedom of expression. Though Anoma could not managed it one way, she has definitely attained it in another way.


Definitely she will be always a source of inspiration for me. She has taught me to hold on, never to give up and if not possible in your preferable way, make it happen through an alternative one! 
Don't you all feel the same?
Don't you all want to attain what you long for?
Then go for it, never look back once you have started the journey, and those who have not started yet, do it before time runs out. It's even better to fail, rather than not trying ever. 
:)



(To be Continued)