Sarachchandra's concept of drama had undergone a major transformation since the early 1950s. In 1952, he produced a semi-natural semi-stylized play "Pabawathi" which was the first step he took to create a local drama tradition. It was the first time that his play has included "Pothe Gura" and songs. Later, he had the opportunity to study in Eastern countries such as India and Japan. After returning, he produced his first stylist play "Maname" in 1956 to widespread acclaim. Maname is generally considered the first real Sinhala drama, signalling the transition from the "Nadagam" or folk drama to the modern theatrical drama format. After the successful venture, he continued as a playwright, developing his next stylist play "Sinhabahu" in 1961, which is widely considered as his best work. Based on the Nadagam tradition, he produced only these two plays.