Visakesa Chandrasekaram is a Sri Lankan film director, community law practitioner, human rights lawyer, activist, writer, novelist, dramatist, songwriter, artist, stage performer and academic.
[2] His debut play Forbidden Area along with Neil Fernandopulle's short story collection Shrapnel were adjudged as the joint winners of the Gratiaen Prize in 1999.
He received his honorary doctorate from the Australian National University, in recognition of his research work regarding the use of confessionary evidence under the counter-terrorism rules prevailing in Sri Lanka.
[14] Paangshu revolves around the story of a laundrywoman whose emotional element in the role of a mother is revealed as she pleads desperately with the relevant authorities to release her son, who was abducted and detained by a group of paramilitary men during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection in Sri Lanka.
[16][17][18] Munnel revolves around a former rebel who was accused of having close links with the LTTE members and eventually returns home after being released on bail from the military detention.