Of Ethnic Battles, Truces, and a "National"1 Cinema: The "Bolly-and-Hollywood Syndrome" as a Catalyst in the Construction of Sri Lankan National Cinema

Without seeming to highlight ethnic differences, this article proposes a critique of "national" cinema and its construction within an ethno-sensitive context. The question of the "other" is a social reality that determines much of what is said and done in Sri Lankan society. And the cinema is no exception. Within the wider scope of discussions on Sri Lankan cinema, this article will focus on the formative years between 1940 and 1960 when Sri Lanka forged its "national" cinema . It will examine the confluence of movements which took place during this period, spearheaded by various groups whose conflicting views and interests, in fact, made cinema progress.