'Pettah' is a 93-minute documentary by filmmaker Sulochana Peiris that explores the social and economic life of Colombo's Pettah - Sri Lanka's most diverse and dynamic commercial hub. The film highlights the contributions of Muslim, Tamil, Malaiyaha, Bohra, Malay, Bharatha, Sindhi, Chettiar, Memon, Parsi, and other trading communities who have built thriving businesses and sustained livelihoods across generations.

Through on-the-ground storytelling, archival material, and interviews, the film captures how these communities, many with South Indian roots, have coexisted, collaborated, and shaped Pettah's cosmopolitan identity despite moments of ethnic tension and political unrest. It reveals how, amid the bustle of trade and negotiation, everyday life in Pettah continues to foster connection and mutual respect across cultural and religious lines.

By documenting these stories of coexistence, 'Pettah' offers a powerful counter-narrative to dominant histories of division, positioning the marketplace as a living testament to Sri Lanka's plural and interconnected past.

Sulochana Peiris is a documentary filmmaker, researcher, and writer with over two decades of experience working in Sri Lanka and the wider South and Southeast Asian region. Her work often explores intersections of faith, culture, and everyday life.

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