Premiering Friday 20 February at 8.00 PM | Repeat Sunday at 1.00 PM

Sri Lanka is set to take centre stage on one of the region’s most respected television platforms with the premiere of Jayaflava: Celebrating Sri Lanka, a six-part travel and food series hosted by Tasha Marikkar and airing on National Geographic South Asia.

Premiering on Friday 20 February at 8.00 PM (Prime Time), with a repeat broadcast every Sunday at 1.00 PM, the series will air across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives — placing Sri Lanka directly in front of one of South Asia’s most influential travel audiences.

Inspired by Tasha Marikkar’s HarperCollins-published cookbook Jayaflava, the series offers a fresh and cinematic perspective on the island. Each episode begins with one iconic Sri Lankan dish and expands outward — into the landscapes, communities and cultural narratives that shape it. The result is a vibrant, contemporary portrait of Sri Lanka told through flavour, humour and human connection.

Marikkar, a Sri Lankan author and food storyteller based between London and Colombo, brings a voice that is both globally resonant and deeply rooted in the island. Having appeared on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen Live and widely profiled for her work, she presents Sri Lanka with warmth, authenticity and a distinctly modern lens.

The series is directed by Afdhel Aziz, following the success of his acclaimed documentary Genius of the Place, which explored the legacy of Sri Lanka’s iconic architect Geoffrey Bawa. With Jayaflava, Aziz continues his commitment to elevating Sri Lankan storytelling to international broadcast standards.

Across six half-hour episodes, the journey spans Colombo, Jaffna, Hiriketiya, Puttalam, Bentota, Galle and the South Coast. Signature dishes featured include Kotthu in Colombo, Crab Curry in Jaffna, Hoppers along the South Coast, Coconut in Puttalam, and Lamprais in Galle. The series also features leading voices shaping Sri Lankan cuisine and culture today, including Chef Dharshan Munidasa of Ministry of Crab, Lahiru and Don of Smoke & Bitters, Booker Prize-winning author Shehan Karunatilaka, Chef Karan Gokani of London’s Hoppers, and broadcaster and author Nihal Arthanayake.

Beyond entertainment, Jayaflava signals a new era of Sri Lankan tourism storytelling — shifting from traditional destination marketing to premium, long-format content designed to inspire emotional connection and travel intent.

The series is made possible through a strong coalition of partners. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts comes on board as Title Sponsor, underscoring its commitment to promoting Sri Lanka at scale. The series showcases four key Cinnamon properties, including Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka, positioning it as a new symbol of modern Colombo.

Mastercard joins as Main Sponsor, supporting initiatives that strengthen Sri Lanka’s tourism economy, while Flying Ravana Adventure Park features as Sponsor, highlighting the island’s growing adventure tourism offering. Additional support comes from SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, and Noritake.

The broadcast partnership between Jayaflava and National Geographic South Asia was structured and executed by Dentsu Grant, marking a first-of-its-kind media collaboration in Sri Lanka. The deal demonstrates how locally produced content can achieve international standards while serving as a strategic driver of tourism and national branding.

Jayaflava: Celebrating Sri Lanka premieres on National Geographic South Asia on Friday 20 February at 8.00 PM, with repeat telecasts every Sunday at 1.00 PM — inviting audiences across South Asia to experience Sri Lanka not just as a destination, but as a living, evolving story