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Filmmaker Asoka Handagama Defends 'Ini Avan' amid Criticisms of Exploitation and Insufficient Character Development

In the north of Sri Lanka, the Tamilian people struggle to survive on the border between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE. The film "Ini Avan" tells the story of a rehabilitated LTTE combatant who returns to his community after the Sri Lankan civil war. However, his return is not welcomed by the villagers and he faces challenges in starting a new life in his hometown. This film, directed by Sinhalese director Asoka Handagama, is notable because it is a Tamil-language film with broken Tamil Sega subtitles. Like many third world films, "Ini Avan" is a powerful experience for the audience. The film portrays the struggles of the Tamilian people and raises questions about whether it is exploitative to depict their survival. However, some of the scenes in the film are confusing and do not add much to the overall story. I had concerns about the film due to Handagama's previous work, "Take This Road" (2004). In a TV interview, Handagama stated that he has ov