Priyantha Colombage

Background

Priyantha Colombage is a film director and photographer in Sri Lanka. He was born on the 30th of June 1966. He studied at Isipathana College, Colombo, and graduated in Mass Communication from the University of Jayawardenapura. He is the Founder and the CEO of Creative Force, a film, television, and audio production company.

Image 1: Priyantha Colombage. Source: Facebook

Tobacco Related Activities

Priyantha Colombage has produced a number of films that depict cigarette smoking including Mandara, Adaraneeya Kathawak, Vimukthi and Arumosam Wehi (Image Gallery). Adaraneeya Kathawak was accused of violating the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act and taken to court upon a complaint to the police by the NATA. Please read more details on our page Sinhala Movie "Adaraneeya Kathavak" Accused of Violating the NATA Act. NATA Act is the main legal framework related tobacco and alcohol control in Sri Lanka and it prohibits tobacco and alcohol advertisements and promotions in Sri Lanka. Commenting on the litigation to the Sri Lankan Mirror, an online news website, Colombage accused tobacco companies of being behind the lawsuit against him which supposedly showed the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol on youth. The lawsuit ended with the court refusing to issue an interim order to stop the screening of the film as requested by NATA.

• Gallery
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  Image 2: Excerpt from the trailer of the movie ‘Adaraneeya Kathawak’

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  Image 3: Excerpt from the movie ‘Vimukthi’

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  Image 4: Promotional Poster for ‘Mandara’ movie

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  Image 5: DVD cover of ‘Arumsam wehi’ movie

Alcohol related activities

The promotional trailer of “Adaraneeya Kathavak’’ depicted its main character consuming alcohol while holding a cigarette in his hand. Other films directed by Priyantha Colombage such as Dedunu Akase contain scenes of alcohol consumption.

Image 6: The promotional trailer of ‘’Adaraneeya Kathavak’’

Priyantha Colombage’s company Creative Force lists Lion Beer as one of their clients. Lion Beer is a local beer company in Sri Lanka. Lion Brewery had the dominant market share in the beer Industry in Sri Lanka with a revenue of Rs. 109.7 Billion for the year ended in 31 March 2024.

Image 7: Creative Force lists Lion Beer as a client.

Implications

Multiple research studies have shown that exposure to portrayal of tobacco products or their use in television and in movies is associated with initiation of smoking among viewers, especially among adolescents and youth, and sustenance of smoking among current smokers.A large body of evidence suggests that tobacco industry is known to have commissioned celebrities to promote tobacco and related products in media and through entertainment activities.

National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act No 27 of 2006 is the main legal framework for tobacco and alcohol control in Sri Lanka. Section 35 of the NATA Act prohibits tobacco and alcohol advertisements and promotion in media including ‘the internet’. NATA Act defines tobacco advertisements as, “any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or distinctive colours or other visual image or any audible message or any combination of the aforesaid that promotes or is intended to promote – smoking, the purchase or use of a tobacco product, a trade mark registered in respect of a tobacco product or articles that include tobacco products, a brand name associated with a tobacco product, the name of the manufacturer of a tobacco product.” Thus, portrayal of tobacco products and their use has a negative effect on tobacco control measures in the country and violates the NATA Act.

Tobacco Unmasked Resources

• Sinhala Movie "Adaraneeya Kathavak" Accused of Violating the NATA Act
• National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act

The local language translations