My Award Winning Translation: The Academic Voice of Janakaraliya Mobile Theatre
The translation was awarded the Best Translated Work in the Academic and
Research Category at the 2022 State Literary Awards, Sri Lanka.
Capturing the Echoes: Documenting ‘What Remains’
Working as a Researcher, Videographer, and Recordist on the upcoming documentary What Remains: The Aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War (directed by S. Someetharan and Priya Tharmaseelan) has been a profound exercise in documenting this quiet, lingering devastation. The film, which is currently in post-production, shifts the focus from the spectacle of active conflict to the grueling, everyday reality of survival in its wake.
Translating the Ashes: Researching ‘Burning Memories’
Working as a Researcher and Translator for S. Someetharan’s documentary Burning Memories was one of the most sobering projects I have ever undertaken. The documentary meticulously pieces together the political climate of the time, the testimonies of those who witnessed the fire, and the deeply controversial efforts in later years to "rebuild" the library over the physical and psychological scars of the past.
Translating the Rhythm: Ethnography and Sri Lankan Traditional Music
Working as a Translator and Research Assistant for Jim Sykes (University of Chicago) on his ethnography of Sri Lankan traditional music was a masterclass in cultural translation. It pulled me away from texts and plunged me directly into the lived experiences of our local artists and ritual practitioners.