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At the Cinema
An asset to the art world

by Sanjeevi Jayasuriya
The talented actor, Henry Jayasena who has entertained millions of fans during his 50 year acting career, is an asset to the Sri Lankan art world. His contribution to the Sinhala stage, and to the art in general, strikes one as noteworthy in several respects. The arts —- visual, performing and literary —- are part of a country’s heritage and culture. In the past such efforts received the patronage of kings and nobility. In modern times, however this mantle of responsibility has fallen on institutions which have failed in their duties. Artists are not given encouragement and assistance by the government and this has led to the art world’s downfall.For an artist to be very much involved in the theatre, cinema and small screen for over five decades is not an easy task. ‘My first step of acting was in way back in 1947, where I acted in the school drama named ‘Harischandra" which was produced by Mrs. U. A. S. Perera, a school teacher of Nalanda College, where I studied up to the level of HSC, ‘Henry Jayasena told ‘ The Island ‘.

‘I took up to teaching thereafter and my first appointment was as an English teacher at Dehipe Primary School in Padiyapelella," the veteran actor said. ‘My first play was written and produced by me during my two year stay in this school," he said. ‘It was with greatest difficulty that I managed to get the permission of the Headmaster to stage a school drama. With the support of the staff, children and the villages I produced a play named ‘ Janaki", a piece from Ramayana. It was a successful attempt and the school managed to collect nearly Rs. 300, which was used to buy the necessities for the poor children," Henry said.Then he had joined the Public Works Department where he had the opportunity to further his talents and produced a number of plays such as ‘ Manamalayo", ‘Vedagathmama" and ‘Pawkarayo" which won him the award for the best script writer in 1954. When the play ‘ Maname" was introduced to the theatre, it took the Sinhala theatre to a new turn. Despite a number of plays being produced, there was a string of very bad and poor imitations, he said. Plays like, ‘Sanda Kiduri" and ‘Nari Bena" stood the test of time. ‘I did ‘Janalaya" which was appreciated by many and it was rewarded as the best piece of drama by the Sahitya Mandalaya in 1965," he said, adding that ‘Janelaya" was an attempt to present contemporary life in stylised form.

His next play ‘Kuveni", was a roaring success and it was a new interpretation to the age old story of Vijaya and Kuveni. Henry said that he felt great sympathy for this woman Kuveni and it had grown with the years. ‘Here was a woman whose plight I could easily link with any number of women today," he said.Then followed ‘Thavath Udesanak", a simple well-knit play about an innocent village boy who was fond of his only possession, a calf. It was a personal experience revolving round a calf Henry had got as a gift when he was a child. He had tried to pay a tribute to a loveable childhood companion. This talented actor always tried to tackle something different. In ‘Manaranjana Wedawarjana" this was evident with much success, it was to look at a strike with an open mind. In this drama, he did not take any sides but tried to portray different aspects in a strike in a lighter vein.Then came his lavish production, ‘Hunuwataye Kathawa" (the Chalk Circle), a translated version of Berlolt Brecht’s ‘ The Caucasian Chalk Circle" which was one of the finest pieces of theatre seen for a long time in this country. It was much more than a Sinhala drama. The play was a vital link between the Sinhala and English theatre and helped to narrow the gap between the two groups. Henry is a versatile actor. In almost all his productions he has played varied roles. In ‘Kuveni" he was the ‘Potheguru".

In ‘Manaranjana Wedawrjana" his portrayal of a drunkard was superb. In ‘Hunuwataye", as Azdak, the judge he was perfect. His delivery, his mannerisms and his stage presence gave considerable strength to the whole production. As a film actor, he proved his talents in Lester James Peiris’ award winning film ‘Gamparaliya". His extraordinarily sensitive portrayal of Piyal is not sufficiently appreciated in Sri Lanka. His performance was untouched by time. On a UNESCO fellowship, Henry toured Russia and Britain studying drama and has benefited much from the tour. ‘I was the very first student to go to Russia to study their theatre," Henry said. In ‘Hunuwataye Kathawa", his wife Manel had acted the role Grusha for 31 continuous years and according to him it may be a world record. In a commendable note Henry said that Manel lives in the role which he thinks that nobody could do as such.’I would not have come all this way without a partner like Manel," he said.

After two of his productions, ‘Diriya Mawa" and ‘Makara", in 1981, Henry joined the Youth Council and after two years, joined Rupavahini where he served as Deputy Director General upto his retirement in 1988. He also acted in a number of foreign films apart from performing in the small screen. The role he played as ‘Sudu Seeya" in ‘Dodaruwo" has won praise from all. The other unforgettable character he portrayed was ‘George" in ‘Nedayo".This experienced actor is not happy about the country’s future. He is of the view that the country is run by a leader according to his or her ethics and is followed by the people. But it is sad to note that there is no proper example set at the top and it is rotten, he said. The rapes, crimes, child abuse and cruelty all come from politicians and they are responsible for the state of affairs today, he said. ‘Our children’s future is uncertain and as a dramatist, I hope that some miracle will happen and some person would bring a change to this country," he said.

He predicted that if the current situation continues, in another 100 years time there would be instances where foreigners come in search of Sinhalese as in the case that now we look for Veddhas who are hard to find today. The war has become a business and politicians and terrorists do not want to stop the war. We have created a Tamil problem and nobody is happy about it, specially the old.’ I hope good will conquer evil which is in abundance in the world. According to the all the laws of the world, the good thoughts of all the good people would become a force in ending this darkness and cruelty. Otherwise it will be the end of the world that had been predicted and it will be the evil that will burst out and end the world. It is my wish that our children have a better future," he said.

He worked hard and never complained and devoted himself without reservation to the task at hand. A rare virture, which alone is good reason to recognise and applaud Henry Jayasena.

The shining hope of a new era

By Zanita Careem
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s recent victory at the December 21 presidential election could be considered the most significant event in the post-independence history of the country.

President Kumaratunga, the People’s Alliance candidate polled 51.12 per cent of the votes and was re-elected for a second term as the Executive President of Sri Lanka.

Chandrika has swept through Sri Lanka’s politics like a hurricane. She was virtually unknown on the political landscape when she was introduced as the candidate for the western provincial council elections.

Mostly in the shadow of either her mother or her slain husband Vijaya Kumaratunga, she fought her way up to the very highest reaches of power.

She first proved herself when she rode to victory to become the Chief Minister of the Western Province, challenging the ruling United National Party in the very heartland of its power.

Then came her triumphant leadership in the Southern Provincial Council election campaign. And then she led the People’s Alliance to victory in the parliamentary election and became the prime minister.

The daughter of two prime ministers S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and his wife Sirimavo R. D. Bandaranaike, - Chandrika Kumaratunga has created history by becoming the third prime minister from the same family. In 1994 she won the presidential election by polling 62 per cent of the votes.

And now she offers herself as the shining white hope of a new era - to free the country from the ongoing ethnic war, at the cost of even surviving an assassination attempt by the terrorists from the North.

A tragic and unfortunate war continues in the North. The cruel and tragic consequences of this war has its impact on the East, as well as the entire country.

She held the elections before her term was over, seeking a fresh mandate to complete the task of finding a political solution for the ethnic problem. Now it is her duty to fulfil her promise to solve the ethnic issue, for which the people have endorsed at the presidential election.

‘Like in many Asian states women in politics have often taken over from a parent or an assassinated husband. Chandrika Kumaratunga is no exception. Tragedy was no stranger to her. When she was mere nine-year-old girl, she witnessed the tragic scene of her father being gunned down by a Buddhist monk.

Later her husband Vijaya was killed by a terrorist. This paved the way for her to take to active politics to eradicate political violence and terrorism.

She inherited a simple humanism, a love for the common man, whom Vijaya epitomised in his film roles, and the people loved him for that. He was the perfect foil for Chandrika for he had no intellectual pretensions but knew from the bottom of his heart what was right and what was wrong. Now Chandrika is a great leader who has got the mandate from the people.

With the mantle of leadership in her hand, Chandrika will go ahead to meet the challenges. As the new President, she has to get down into dust and grime of the arena and come to grips with the real problems, mainly to fight the common enemy LTTE terrorists.

Definitely destiny had beckoned to her. She is firm, combined with a winsome smile which makes Mrs. Kumaratunga such a draw wherever she is and wherever she speaks. She does not wear her sorrow or her sleeve but they do show on her face which is sometimes creased but when smiles she wins hearts with her openness.

Now she seemed to be the new messiah who would usher in an era of peace. President Kumaratunga’s triumph should also be a commitment to free the country from an ugly ethnic war.

Elected for the second term President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is ready to face the challenge for the next millennium.

In her own words: "It is my firm expectation to bring about the unity of all parties and peace organisations on this crucial issue - the ethnic war and adopt a new constitution which will ensure a genuine and meaningful devolution of power in the country. An idealist and socialist at heart she is nevertheless pragmatic enough to recognise the problems of the day. She is a modern leader quite at home with ideas, and persuasive charm all her own.

With a clear mandate, Chandrika Kumaratunga is confident that the people are with her and it is upto her to do the best for the people.

To achieve her aim of taking this country out of the quagmire of ethnic strife and mistrust, and rebuild the confidence and trust among all peoples, she has sought the support of the opposition leader, political parties and the people.

An old girl of St. Bridget’s Convent, Chandrika later obtained a special degree in political science at the Sorbonne University, France.

Lanka’s violin sensation

Ananda Dabare is the all time violin sensation of Sri Lanka’s western classical music scene. His career commenced in the oriental field in which he performed on radio and TV and was a member of the orchestra of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

In 1984 the late Douglas Ferdinand of violin fame persuaded him to transfer his considerable talent to the western field and tutored him through exams of the Royal Schools of music, ‘U K. His successes led to the award of a scholarship in 1987 to study violin in Russia. He spent his first year at the Moscow Conservatory with Professor Ambertzumian and there after transferred to the prestigious Odessa Conservatory of Music which, in the past has produced among many, the world’s top violinist David Oistrakh and the legendary piano virtuoso Emil Gilels.

Ananda spent five years in this hallowed environment and graduated with the degree of master of Fine Arts. His professor latterly was Tatiana Vitalevna Vadapiyanava.

In Sri Lanka, before and after scholarship and during vacation, Ananda has performed numerous recitals, mostly organised by the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund. He was soloist with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka playing the Mendelssohn Concerto in 1986 and the Max Bruch Concerto in 1993.

Ananda Dabare is now a dedicated teacher and students come to Colombo from as far as Galle, Minuwangoda and Galgamuwa for tutelage. This generation, educated in the vernacular, are privileged to have in him a virtuoso who speaks their language.

Ananda Dabare has been performing at the Galadari Hotel for many years and performs at the California grill on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays. During this special season Ananda will continue to perform at the Galadari Hotel.

YOUNG ACHIEVER

By Suresh Perera
It’s a delightful blend of talent, dedication and perseverance that has transformed Ayesha Nipuni Gunasekera into a professional hair dresser and beautician in a sphere so actively competitive.

Admittedly, it is an arduous task carving out a name for oneself and to be known to those who matter in this challenging line of business, but she is in no hurry to take the elevator to success. So modest and unpretentious, Nipuni is happy with what she has achieved so far in her life. As a young performer, her dreams are within the realm of reality.

‘To develop my skills and achieve professionalism at its best is my greatest ambition’, she said.

Hair dressing was close to her heart and after her education at St. Paul’s Milagiriya, she embarked on a meaningful mission to make beauty culture her career. She had worked at sleek salons, attended seminars and workshops on the subject and acquired a wealth of knowledge over the years before achieving her goal.

It was a mission with a vision and Nipuni’s indefatigable efforts saw the birth of her own air-conditioned Ladies and Childrens’ Salon ‘Ayesha’, which was opened recently at the Max building at Soysapura, Moratuwa.

Hailing from the south, this soft-spoken beautician is not only brimming with confidence of a productive journey ahead, but is also awash with gratitude towards all those who extended a helping hand to her to be what she is today.

Nipuni’s family, her husband Rasika and particularly her father-in-law, Hector Hettigoda, Chairman, Max Group of Companies, joined hands to make her dream come true. It was a substantial investment as the equipment involved is so expensive, she said.

Be it hair dressing, facials, bleaching, manicure, bridal dressing, perms, makeup, tints, pedicure and the lot, it will be a job well handled for rates that are affordable, Nipuni assured with a smile only professionals can afford to offer.

There are salons and salons, but the outfit this talented damsel runs doesn’t believe in pricing its services beyond the purse of the average family. It’s not a case of falling back on exorbitant rates merely to slap a tag of so-called exclusivity. To be customer-focussed and extend value for money are among her top priorities.

She is not aspiring to be on par with anybody. Ayesha Nipuni Gunasekera has dedicated herself to shoulder the task at hand in her own inimitable style....

The top of the world hotelier

By Suresh Perera
As a young achiever, Colombo Hilton’s Nishan Silva has done Sri Lanka proud.

To have been conferred the distinguished title ‘Young Restaurateurs of the World’, 1999 by the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) was a rare honour indeed, but to those who had come to terms with the remarkable dynamism and grit determination behind this 28-year-old Nalandian, it came as no surprise.

As the Manager of the ‘Emperor’s Wok’, Nishan is an integral part of the natural environment of this much talked about fine dining restaurant specialising in Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine. The picture is incomplete without his ‘personal touch’ and it’s no wonder that delightful guests come back to him for a service that’s unparalleled.

‘I have to work about 14 hours a day’, he said, before apologising for the umpteenth time to dart across the enchanting restaurant to welcome and greet guests and ensure that they are comfortable and contended.

Describing it as a ‘people’s industry’, Nishan says that it’s a glamourous job with a different lifestyle which calls for a lot of dedication. ‘We are on the move making people happy’, the handsome hotelier underscored with a smile that’s infectious.

‘We offer more than food and beverage here at the Wok’, he continued, but had to apologetically punctuate our conversation again to rush back to guide two beaming foreigners to their table.

He flew to Durban, South Africa in October this year to collect his global award, the highest given during any year to the two best young performers in the restaurant management sphere. The two selections were made from more than 600 nominations from the world over.

An active sportsman, Nishan had played for the Sri Lanka schools cricket team and visited England and Bangladesh for tournaments. Later, he had played for SCC under Arjuna Ranatunga. It was in 1992 that he left for Switzerland to study at the International Hotel Management Institute, Lucerne with intensive training at Basel Hilton and Hotel Royal. This was followed by a one-year stint in Abu Dhabi after which he joined Colombo Hilton as a management trainee. And nobody could stop this enterprising lad’s captivating journey to the top.

Nishan’s talents and capabilities travelled ahead of him and from head waiter to assistant manager, he found himself identified to head the opening team of the US$ 620,000 ‘Emperor’s Wok’. And he was sent to the Hilton Beijing to follow special training courses and to Hong Kong to learn the operation of a fine dining Chinese restaurant.

Hailing from Galle, Nishan has that natural flair which intervenes to make a lasting impact. His father, Wilmot Silva and his mother gave him all the encouragement and thanks to the helping hand extended by his bosses, Michael Nigitsch, Graham Koch, Heartmut Noack and Ruwan Punchihewa that his dream came true.

It was indeed a treat to watch this zealous high-flyer in action at the ‘Wok’. Politely declining to sit, this interview was conducted ‘on the run’ as he had to hastily withdraw from time to time to offer that personalised service which has made this elegant entity unique.

A voracious reader, Nishan enjoys watching television during his leisure to broaden the horizon of knowledge as ‘learning is an infinite process’. He is looking forward to reading for his Bachelor’s Degree in the United States.

As a hotelier who has earned honour and fame, it has always been a mission with a vision for Nishan Silva ...

HIGH FASHIONS
Setting styles for the season

by Kirthi Sri Karunaratne
The General Manager of the Galadari Hotel, Chandra Mohotti, asked friends and clients to cocktails and dinner at the Atrium Lobby, to inaugurate the Millennium celebrations. The lobby has been converted into a shimmering, gleaming new world, in the form of a spacecraft, to transport one on a journey into the new Millennium.

The artiste brought out from different parts of the world, to entertain the guests at the hotel for the season of festivity, which extends upto the middle of next month, provided a cavalcade of entertainment. Among them, was a superb act performed by a woman, with the once popular Hula hoops, which was an amazing display of these rings of colour.

Enhancing the colour aspect were many women dressed in striking attire in a variety of styles. Setting the mood for Christmas and the season, was Suranganie Mohotti in a saree of black silk, bordered in cream and gold, which had a wide pallu which showed off to advantage draped in the gujarati style. Her fabulous heirloom pendent of diamonds, on which I have commented before, was the perfect choice of ornament.

The most striking saree for the night was worn by Pauline Saleem. Her black silk saree was patterned in blocks of white, with a cross in red in them. The border was in the simple black, with two white stripes on either edge, and she wore a black blouse, and pearls for jewellery. Her accessories were in shimmering black.

Nirukshi Ruapasinghe, the amiable public Relations Manager of the hotel, teamed her slim black long skirt with a beautiful claret top embossed in a design of tulips in a swirling design in black. A simple long gold chain was her choice of ornament.

A black trouser suit was Sardha Coorey’s smart choice. The collar and cuffs of the top were embroidered in red and yellow cord.

Sue Perera had the hip length overcoat to her black dress in a sheer fabric. The long sleeves and the body was worked in a swirl of black ribbon. A diamond pendent and earstuds, were the finishing touches to her ensembles.

It was a gala night with excellent food, wine and comedians and clowns, to complete the festive touch.

Sparkling birthday celebrations

Two birthdays parties were also worthy of recording among the happenings of the season. Rukmani Tissanayagam asked her friends to high tea, up on the fifteenth floor at Don Stanleys, spiced with chamapagne and cake, in glamorous surroundings. Glamour also came from the gathering of women who was given the lead by Ruki, in a fabulous saree of grey Tanchoi silk, which had a self patterned weave on it in ivory. A border and pallu in a cross stitch like tapestry weave, in a design of roses in shades of pink and mustard, nestling among sage green leaves. Her blouse was in the same shot silvery grey, and she wore a pendent and drop earrings in pink rubies and diamonds, in refined elegance.

Niece Indu Selvaratnam wore a two piece dress in pearl white silk patterned in a design of leaves. The bolero too was in the same fabric. A choker necklace of pearls and stud earrings made her ornaments in a surprise change. Tahire Illangakoon wore a saree. Her deep green sari of organza had a border in shot paler green and a pale rust tone, the border was edged on either side in gold. The wide pallu in a contemporary design were in the same colours. Her blouse was in the shot colours as those on the border, and she wore a three strand necklace in gold in the "petti malle" fashion. The shaded gold saree Yajna Theagaraja wore she teamed with a blouse, which had cutwork sleeves in a golden brown, embroidered in a design of roses. A narrow border in the same design was featured on the pallu. Her necklace and earrings were in gold.

Champa Mohinee had her pale oyster pink Kameez embroidered in a paler thread, for delicate charm. A lovely necklace in chunky design brought much glamour to the outfit.

A black blouse embroidered in pearls Kamala Rockwood wore with the simplest of white charmeuse sarees.

A saree in mushroom hued silk, with the border and pallu worked, was Bhuveneshwary Nadaraja’s choice, and Mallika Hemachandra’s saree of a cerise silk was bordered in a striking contrast.

The smartest dress in couturier styling was Mersumi Andriesz’s choice. The dress of plum toned velvet, had a corselet of the draping in the same fabric. A necklace of onysz and diamonds completed the picture of western elegance. Masses of flowers filled the room adding that touch only fresh folwers can bring.

The other party was to celebrate the birthday of Udyashanth Fernando, in his beautiful restaurant "The Gallerie", which has an ambiance of its own, and a feeling of ultra elegance. He was fifty that day and joining him for the celebrations were many friends, besides his two pretty daughters. The girls played hostess, and even brought the large birthday cake in for the father to blow out the candles and cut.

Sathya and Nadika both opted for western dress, the one in blue in cheongsam style and the other in black trimmed in white.

A red saree bordered in muted gold was Sunethra Bandaranaike’s choice for the occasion. Swarna Mallawaratchi brought with her, her usually infectious wit and charm, clad in a salwar Kameez in blue, the shaded dupatta of blue draped across the front and over her shoulders.

Among the many friends were Sheila Sathanathan as always elegant in saree, Preethi and Lester Fonseka, Reshmi Ukwatte, Ranjith and Lucille Dahanayake and many expatriates to share in the celebrations replete with gourmet food, and exquisite floral decor, done mostly in letuses.

In Your Stars
The New Year brings benefits

The year 2000 dawned when Sun occupies in Sagittarius, moon in Libra, Mars in Aquarius, Mercury in Sagittarius, Venus in Scorpio, Jupiter and Saturn are in Aries and Rahu and Kethu in Cancer and Capricorn respectively.

The two major planetary changes scheduled to take place during the year are occupation by Jupiter and Saturn in Taurus on June 2nd and 7th respectively while Rahu and Kethu in Gemini and Sagittarius on July 30th. In addition there will be six eclipses four of them being partial lunar eclipses during the year.

The above planetary position indicates the New Year will be better than the last one bringing benefits to some extent.

Even though, finding an acceptable solution to the war and national problem appears to be difficult peace and harmony in the country will prevail. Various political problems too will be sorted out during the year. Another election is likely by March — April with a major reshuffle in political organisations and among top people in the state sector by June.

The gloomy economy will take on upturn by March breaking it’s downward trend in a stable manner. After June, the position will be much better for people with some successful projects being implemented. People in rural areas will be better off with increased agricultural crops and high income. - Sugathadasa Jayasekera

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