‘There is Something I am Feeling’ an audio drama script from Sri Lanka by a trio of writers: Rukshani Weerasooriya Wijemanne, Rushika Weerasooriya Heinle, and Rajeev Colton, has been awarded the Georgi Markov Award (commendation for the 1st runner-up) in the BBC International Audio Drama Competition 2026. The script is a moving true story about the death of a boy told from the point of view of his young sister and different family members.
This global competition, hosted by BBC World Service and the British Council, offers the unique opportunity for writers from outside the UK to use the medium of audio drama to tell stories for an international audience. The next iteration of the competition will be promoted end 2026 or start of 2027.
Synopsis of ‘There is Something I am Feeling’
Set against the backdrop of civil unrest and political turmoil in Sri Lanka, this story unfolds in the suburban coastal town of Mount Lavinia during the tumultuous year of 1989—a year marked by fear, uncertainty, and a growing sense of disquiet across the nation. It follows the seemingly ordinary lives of a young family who, like many others, are simply trying to navigate everyday routines against an increasingly volatile political landscape. But over the course of one life-altering weekend, everything changes, and the fabric of their family is irreversibly torn.
At the heart of this story is 11-year-old Rushika, a thoughtful, observant child whose quiet world is upended by events she can’t fully comprehend, yet feels the weight of in every moment that follows. Through her eyes, we witness not only the shock of sudden loss, but the aching, slow unraveling of life in its aftermath—the silences, the absent laughter, the way ordinary places and objects become haunted by memory.
While Rushika is the primary narrator, the story is also gently braided with the voices of those closest to her: her grieving mother, her father, and her playful yet perceptive 5-year-old sister. Each voice offers a distinct perspective on the same traumatic events, revealing how grief, though deeply personal, is never experienced in isolation. It is a shared, communal weight that shifts and evolves in the spaces between people—within glances, in what goes unsaid, and in the small, determined acts of love that follow tragedy.
Through the lens of this family, the story examines the ripple effects of loss in a time of national crisis—how personal grief is compounded by collective fear, and how even amidst despair, moments of tenderness and resilience emerge. It is a meditation on memory, childhood, and the unspoken bonds that both sustain and challenge us in our darkest hours. This is not just a story of what was lost, but of what continues—of the fragile, powerful threads that hold us to one another when the world feels like it’s coming undone.
About the writers
Rukshani Weerasooriya Wijemanne is a Sri Lankan attorney with a Master of Laws from King’s College London. Nearly a decade ago, she left her career in law to focus on motherhood and storytelling, and has not looked back since. Her work spans fiction, poetry, children’s books, translations, ghostwriting, and non fiction. Her story Principles of Accounting was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2023. The Georgi Markov Award winning collaborative script There is Something I am Feeling marks her debut in audio drama.
Rushika Weerasooriya Heinle is a former stage actor, teacher, and social worker with an LLB from the University of London. Having written scripts, taken the stage, taught law, and engaged in social work, in both Colombo and Islamabad, Rushika went on to become a homemaker, dedicating two decades of her life to raising her family across continents - from Sri Lanka to Pennsylvania, and now Connecticut, USA. With rich life experience as well as a love for theatre, public speaking, theology, human psychology, teaching and community outreach, Rushika brings creativity and empathy to her work.
Rajeev Colton is an award winning producer, writer, actor, and director with a BFA in Film and Theatre from Evangel University and an MFA in Producing for Film from Chapman University. During his time at Chapman, he worked as Teaching Assistant to two time Academy Award winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi and was one of three development interns at Academy Award nominee Ryan Coogler’s company, Proximity Media. After graduation, he was recommended for the role of Director’s Assistant on Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World. Since returning to Sri Lanka, Rajeev has launched his own production company, Malla Productions, through which he hopes to bring Sri Lankan film and television to a global audience.
Clink here for more details on the award ceremony held in UK.
