Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Chandran Rutnam is set to bring the harrowing true story of Rizana Nafeek to global audiences with his latest film, “Rizana – A Caged Bird”
The film stars newcomer Vidushika Reddy as Rizana, a Sri Lankan domestic worker who was executed by Saudi authorities in 2013 for allegedly killing an infant in her care. The story sparked global outrage and condemnation from human rights organizations.
Academy Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons plays Julian Miles, a British human rights campaigner who advocates for Rizana, while Indian actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar portrays Dr. Rani Chelvam, an activist supporting her appeal.
At the official launch event in Colombo, Rutnam described the film as a “deeply emotional and socially urgent project” that seeks to raise awareness about the struggles faced by migrant domestic workers.
Vidushika Reddy, a first-time actress from Hatton, said the story resonated personally. “My mother worked abroad for many years. Playing Rizana gave me insight into the risks women like her face,” she said.
Rizana Nafeek was arrested in 2005 in the town of al-Dwadmi, Saudi Arabia, after being accused of killing a four-month-old baby. She denied the charges, saying the child had choked during bottle-feeding. Her supporters argued she was only 17 at the time — making her a minor — and had no access to proper legal representation or interpretation during interrogation.
Despite international appeals for clemency, including from the Sri Lankan government and global rights groups, Nafeek was beheaded in January 2013. Rights advocates called the execution a violation of international child protection norms and due process.
The Saudi interior ministry said she was executed for smothering the infant following an argument with the child’s mother.
Jeremy Irons said he had followed the case when it happened. “The injustice and the silence around her execution stayed with me. This film gives her a voice,” he said.
Sarathkumar, making her Hollywood debut, called the project one of personal and professional significance. “This is a story that needs to be told. Rizana represents so many unheard women,” she said.
The film, produced by Sumathi Studios and co-written by James Rutnam, is currently in production in Sri Lanka. A release date has not yet been announced. (Newswire)
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