BBDO Sri Lanka launches ‘Deleted scenes’- 7 short films addressing workplace harassment

From left: BBDO Sri Lanka Chief Creative Officer Harendra Uyanage, BBDO Sri Lanka Executive Chairman Thayalan Bartlett, Silent Frames Productions film producer Hiranya Perera,  UN Global Compact Network Sri  Lanka, Executive Director Rathika De Silva, Women In Need (WIN) Project Manager and Attorney-at-Law Mariam Mohammed and moderator Attorney-at-Law Uma W. Indatissa 

By Uma Chandrasiri

'Deleted scenes,' a collection of seven creative and thought provoking short films premiered at the PVR cinemas, One Galle Face, on 6 October, bringing to light workplace violence and harassment in Sri Lanka, a largely taboo and hitherto unexplored topic. 

Through this employee-led creative initiative, BBDO Sri Lanka envisages creating awareness, commencement of difficult yet needed conversations, stringent policies and their implementation in Sri Lankan workplaces. This timely initiative comes in-the wake of Sri Lanka's ratification of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) violence and harassment convention, 2019 (no 190) on 16 April 2026.

BBDO Sri Lanka Executive Chairman Thayalan Bartlett identified work place harassment as the culmination of the failure of systems starting from schools and universities and the same proceeding to the corporate world. 

"We have been managing issues of wonk place harassment for the past nine years without notable improvement in occurrences although we are stringent in our efforts on reprisal. With this in mind I'm grateful to our Chief Creative Officer Harendra Uyanage and his team for their extensive research and the creation of 'Deleted scenes". We believe that we have been successful in bringing difficult and diverse workplace scenarios to life and contributing towards a broader conversation aimed at respectful workplace cultures "

Women In Need (WIN) Project Manager and Attorney-at-Law Mariam Mohammed stated that even though section 345 of the penal code identified workplace violence and harassment as a stand-alone criminal offense, very rarely do women turn to legal recourse due to pressure, stigma and the fear of losing livelihoods. "Misogeny and patriarchy are still very much a part of our culture and women are still expected to prove themselves much more than men. In such an environment, complaints of harassment can lead to alienation, isolation and even punishment. Thus, it becomes imperative that awareness is created on what constitutes workplace harassment,  the policies in place and what action can be  taken. A promising recent development in this regard was the 2024 supreme court judgment that places the onus regarding the creation of a safe work place, on the employer," she added.

UN Global Compact Network Sri  Lanka, Executive Director Rathika De Silva urged corporates to apply the same standards of health and safety protocols to workplace harassment, stating that if an organisation strives towards zero incidents where occupational safety is concerned, the same importance should be given to workplace harassment. 

"BBDO Sri Lanka has shed light on an issue that has hitherto remained largely invisible. Workplace violence and harassment is not merely a Human Resources issue. It is a human rights issue and a leadership and business issue. Sri Lanka’s ratification of  the ILO convention 190 is an important step but a framework only matters when it reaches the people concerned and when they are made aware of their rights and feel safe in their work places,” he said, adding that UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka is pleased to announce their partnership with BBDO Sri Lanka to take these films and their message into workplaces. 

He further urged corporates to join the 113 companies strong UN Global Compact Network.

Award winning film producer and a member of the panel of judges for "Deleted Scenes”, Hiranya Perera emphasised the importance of these stories or lived realities traveling across the country to schools, universities and all organisations including small and medium scale businesses. 

BBDO Sri Lanka Chief Creative Officer Harendra Uyanage lauded the BBDO team who rose to the challenge and created 24 stories which came from all departments from which 7 were selected by-the panel of judges.

The panel of judges for “Deleted  Scenes” comprised of award winning film director Shanaka Galagoda, winner of most popular and best actress awards at the  2026 Sarasaviya film awards Sandra Mack, film producer Hiranya Perera and cinematographer and filmmaker Hasitha Warnasooriya. The production teams for the seven short films that will initially be available through social media are: Strawberry films, Mantra films, Origin films, Spectrum studios, 24 frames, Dissent films and Fever, the content arm of BBDO.

The line-up included Talk Keroth Puluwan, written by Amila Yahalawela, directed by Chathra Weeraman and produced by Praveen Kulasinghe of Strawberry Films; The Flip, written by Sandini Tennakoon and Thamal Manjitha Weerasinghe, directed by Vishwa Balasooriya and produced by Ravin Wettasinghe of Mantra Films; and Extra Mile, written by Ruchira Kurulugama, directed by Dulitha Nanayakkara and produced by Sumedha Jayawardana.

Also featured were Senuli Missge Car Eka, written by Sahan De Silva, directed by Janaka R. Dommanige and produced by Chamin Dissanayake of Origin Films; and Harmony Index, written by Praveena Perera, directed by Malaka Premasiri and produced by Virgil Thomas of Spectrum Studios.

Completing the collection were Error, written by Heshan Kuruppu and Maleesha Dilhani, directed by Shakthi Laknatha and produced by Ishfaq Thaha of Fever; and How to Stay Not Out, written by Janidu Siriwardena, directed by Dilon De Silva and produced by Priyantha Kaluaarachchi of 24 Frames.

BBDO Sri Lanka plans on working in collaboration with UN Global Compact Network and Women In Need with the aim of creating tool kits that can  be presented to the corporates and further engage with the government to take the initiative forward.

A study conducted by the International Finance Corporation. officially published in September 2022 on workplace violence and harassment revealed 3 out of 5 people (61% of survey participants across nine companies) experienced some form of workplace violence or harassment: 59% experienced workplace bullying, the most common form of workplace harassment. A more recent cross – sectional study published in PubMed in May 2026 revealed -that 58.6% of female doctors reported experiencing sexual harassment at some point in their careers.