Someone had to say it.

Some weeks, Sri Lanka feels like a whole series of plot twists that nobody bothered to edit. The past week, between cinema surprises, trash trails, and unexpected grace, there was a little bit of everything. Here's what caught my eye - and stuck.

Wait - Did Local Cinema Just Eat?
For most of my life, local movies were... skippable. Let’s be honest. You watched them only if your parents had it on or if you were stuck in a waiting room. The stories felt recycled, the acting theatrical, and the pacing? Like someone forgot to edit.

But suddenly, I’m watching local movies on purpose. Rani led the charge, bringing back people who hadn’t bought a ticket to a local film in years. Nelum Kuluna, possibly Sri Lanka’s first dark comedy, was bold, original and captivating. And now Walampoori? These films have actual teeth. They’re shot well, written sharply, and aren’t afraid of grit or grief. It’s giving urgency. It’s giving relevance. It’s giving, dare I say... edge.

And the fact that someone like me is showing up, reading every subtitle, and coming out feeling something? That’s not small.

Last Word: This is what cinema’s supposed to do. Please, for the love of good storytelling, don’t let this be a fluke.

We Keep Screaming “System Change” But Can’t Even Hold Our Own Trash
The Sacred Tooth Relic was out. Crowds were in. And so was everyone’s snack wrapper, plastic spoon, and water bottle - dumped generously on the streets of Kandy like a cursed breadcrumb trail.

And yet, the same people who won’t hold onto a used yoghurt cup until they find a bin are yelling about government accountability. Babes. We need to talk. You can’t be quoting Aragalaya slogans while throwing litter into a drain. You can’t be calling for clean politics while leaving temples dirtier than you found them.

This whole "system change" conversation is starting to sound like background music at a party no one’s actually attending.

Last Word: If you’re serious about change, maybe start by not treating the city like your personal dustbin.

Meanwhile, This Happened - and It Went Viral for All the Right Reasons
Not all the news out of Kandy was garbage (pun fully intended). Amid the chaos of the Sacred Tooth Relic exposition, with crowds flooding the streets, something quietly beautiful unfolded. A mosque opened its doors. No announcements, no cameras shoved in faces, no branding exercise masquerading as “unity.” Just a quiet invitation: come in, have some water, take a moment to rest. Buddhist devotees walking toward the temple stepped into a space they weren’t expected to. And they were welcomed.

It’s going viral. And it should. Because this is what Sri Lanka really is when the noise dies down - layered, complicated, but deeply kind. We have so many moments like this. Moments that prove coexistence isn’t a dream - it’s already happening.

But it only takes one terrible politician, one dog whistle, one agenda-pushing headline, to make us forget all of it. And suddenly, the togetherness we felt becomes a footnote.

Last Word: It’s not that we don’t know how to live together. It’s just that some people keep making a living off pretending we can’t.

Until next week, stay sharp, stay soft, and carry your trash home!
- Rihaab