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Exclusive to the Sunday Island

The social conscious actress
Stardom sits lightly on her

by Zanita Careem
More often than not, it is Kushboo's flawless beauty that mesmerises onlookers but she has always felt that her looks are overrated.

Even so it wasn't her looks but her character in film "Chinnathambi" that made the audience sit up and notice her.

"Chinnathambi" saw Kushboo's metamorphosis as an actress. Her portrayal of a young, rich girl torn between love and social taboos brought her latent talent to the fore. As she portrayed the character with a touch of restraint, naivete and brooding moodiness, she transcended from being just another glamour doll to an actress of rare cinematic presence and skills as were seen in many memorable roles in some of her other films.

Hailing from Bombay from rather an Orthodox Muslim family, Kushboo changed her name from Nakath to Kushboo, which signifies a flower. Soon the flower bloomed in all its glory. What's the sucess of her secret in the South? I queried "I think I have been lucky especially by doing the kind of films I did. I have come the hard way I've had a mixed bag of hits and flops. But the fact that hits have not evaded me is why I've managed to keep going," said Kusboo indulgently.

Dressed in a seagreen and magenta shalwar kameez, Kusboo looked pretty but unlike a film star. Simple sans make-up, Kusboo is the youngest in a family that had three older brothers. You ask her to name her favourite role and she thinks long and hard and then says that every role is challenging.

Baring a few miscarriages here and there, her 15-year career graph hasmany high points. "Coming from the North, how have you managed with Tamil?" I asked. "I had the determination to make it. I don't think I would have succeeded if I had not become comfortable with Tamil. It is my driver who coaxed me to learn Tamil" said Kushboo. How did the transition from Mumbai to South happen. It just happened. I was not doing well in Hindi movies and that was the time when D. Rama Nadu offered me a role with his son Venkatesh in a Telugu film "Kaliyugapandavindu" in 1986 - that was a major hit. At that time Chinni Prakash recommended me for a Kannada film with Ravinchandran. That started my career in Kannada. During that time I met Prabu. It was he recommended me to Devar films I did "Dharmathin Thalaivan" in Tamil. It helped me to enter the south said Kusboo remniscing her past.

Kushboo described herself as a normal human being, passionate outgoing, outspoken - totally frank "This is me" she said with a mischievous smile. "I love reading and relaxing and of course eating," Kushboo chuckled.

"I don't diet and I am too lazy to exercise." "Could you rate your best performances? "My first film Aarathi Edungadi, Chinna Thambi, Kolangala, Jaathi Malli, so on and so forth.

Born on September 27, Kushboo was friendly and outspoken. In a career straddling over 100 films she has portrayed every conceivable role... few minutes into one of her films and you don't see Kushboo anymore. Instead you see only the character she plays. She is an artiste who can be relied upon to deliver. Whether it is a light hearted comedy or a serious character role.

Her sense of humour is tremendous, her timing impeccable whether it be serious emotional drama.

During the dinner hosted, she mixed with the crowd at the Taj without being stuffy as some celebrities do.

Her humility is infectious and even if some journalists were formal at the beginning of the interview their staidness was soon dented.

Having won much acclaim and generating considerable excitement with her sensuous face... Where does she go from here?

Eventually, I suppose every actress has to go forward attempting to be a commercially viable star. She has all it takes to walks on both sides of the divide - the ability to take on roles in the more imaginative kind of film making and the ease and spontaneity required by the more popular genre. When that happens I hope she remembers that acting is rapport and coordination and team work.

Beneath that rare and gentle veneer is a woman who is intelligent and sensitive as well. Though a talented actor she is a woman who wants to live life to the fullest no matter what the cost, without withdrawing into splendid isolation.

Kushboo said marriage and settling down is a priority right now. Will she continue to act with total commitment or will she suddenly give up all for a domesticated family life?

An artiste of top drawer quality, a concerned social worker a trusted friend, she is above all a nice human being that is one could always interact with that Kushboo for you!

Forgotten Heritage
From padda boatman to boat builder

by Gamini G. Punchihewa
Old Roymis when he was 40 years old at the instance of an Englishman, whom Roymis remembered as one Mr. Pelfp, the Master Attendant then of the Colombo Harbour, he was taken as a helper to man the padda boats in the Colombo harbour.

New lease of life

He was paid a monthly salary of Rs. 11. After the railway was introduced to Kalutara in 1879 and beyond, the cargo transportation by padda boats declined and Roymis daily travelled to Colombo by train from Wadduwa.

Roymis recounted food items and other commodities were cheap. A measure of muthusamba rice was 8 - 10 cents, sugar 1-2 cents a pound, the best Palayakart sarong Rs. 6 and his salary of Rs. 11 per month was more than enough for both him and his wife to lead a comfortable life.

Changed for the better

Roymis was later appointed by the Master Attendant as a pattern maker in boat building - making moulds out of wood or chinachatti as models for boat building.

In 1954 he retired at the age of 55 years drawing a salary of Rs. 300 per mensem and now gets monthly pension of Rs. 3000.

When the 'Sunday Island' asked Roymis his secret for longevity he said: "All through out my life I have been a vegetarian, a non-smoker and a teetotaller. For the last 15 years I bathed in warm water. I am a good Buddhist and a believer in gods and pray to them. I have no heart ailments. Well that's the secret of my life attain longevity."

Pointing to his 'konde, I asked him What's it was for?" He replied "Oh that has been there for from my youth and then it was much bigger."

A relative of his said that knot had been there from his young days. It unknotted only while he bath. He won't allow anyone to untie it. If anyone tries it there would be trouble.

Once there was a devil dancing ceremony in his village. A wooden pole called the Devul Maduwe Pandama, 30 feet high had to be lit up and while Roymis climbed it and lit it.

Padda boat song

Folk songs were sung while rowing the boats Roymis is still in his very old age remembers some of the songs even and he sang two lines.

Demeta mal veli kusa thula danawa,
Katath mehema duppath kama siduwenawa.

The demeta flowers while sunk in the sandy soil burns
within its bossom
Such poverty befalls everybody.

Austrian's 'Brush' with Asian Art

by Suresh P. Perera
His artistic creations are as colourful and astounding as the maestro himself. From Austria he has come to make Sri Lanka his 'home' and embark on a cultural venture that's unique to our country.

'Ayubowan', he beamed with clasped hands, extending a traditional, indigenous welcome to his creative world of art. Looking around at the paintings adorning the walls of his house, tucked away in a tranquil corner off Dehiwala, a surge of ideas erupt and at times, clash in a silent mental skirmish, as if the grotesque realities and ungraspable complexities of life, had abruptly stormed the conscience.

It was indeed an exhilarating experience meeting Professor Guenther Herman and his charming wife Inga. 'Without art there is no life', he enthused, obviously delighted to dwell on what's so close to his heart.

Herman hails from Graz, Austria's second largest city in the district of Sturia, bordering Slovania. A professor of the Austrian University of Fine Arts, he is not only a professional artist cum painter, but also an eminent lecturer on art, culture and history. His exhibitions in Europe and many parts of the world, had broken new ground, but the higher he ascended the ladder of success, the more unassuming and unpretentious he emerged.

Attired in a sarong and shirt and wearing a smile that's infectious, the genial professor loves life in its simplest forms. 'Artists are searchers and for them it's an eternal search to hand down what's best in its purest form', he says.

He is a devout Hindu and as a follower of Ganapathi, God of wisdom and success, starts his prayers at sunrise. For serenity and peace of mind, he meditates.

It was way back in 1979 that the Hermans first came to Sri Lanka. The professor had been working too hard and doctors advised him to be away from it all for some time. He needed to rest and relax. They had to decide on a country which had to be their 'home' for one whole year. The choice was difficult. Greece was considered, but when the Sri Lankan wife of a dear friend suggested her motherland, 'we jumped at the idea because of our intense love for Asian art', Mrs. Inga Herman recalled.

Fascinating

'We found this country fascinating. Time went by and as we yearned to stay here for longer, we secured leave for another year. During this period, Herman held an exhibition at the Lionel Wendt, which was opened by the then Cultural Affairs Minister, E. L. B. Hurulle. The ambassador of a communist country who was amazed by what he saw, offered my husband a stint as a lecturer in a university there. This invitation was captivating and we looked forward to it. But problems developed in that country and the ambassador had to leave. A successor was in place, but we didn't want to pursue the matter any further', she said.

At first, it was difficult for a pretty Austrian mother, with two babies, to adjust herself to the local lifestyle. It was a complete change from the affluent Western way of life to the system in a developing Third World country. Two years elapsed and the time had come to bid adieu to Sri Lanka. At that point, the professor's wife suffered a bout of typhoid and departure was delayed by three months. 'When we finally went back to Austria, we felt 'home-sick'. It's something inexplicable, but how much we longed to be back in Sri Lanka, amidst a friendly and hospitable people. It was as if we were born here', she recollected with a smile.

The Hermans have two daughters and during their stay here they had studied Sinhala and Tamil to some extent. 'I can also speak and understand certain Sinhala words', interjected the professor not to be left out and happily mumbled a few monosyllables of the indigenous language to proudly prove his point.

Herman has invested Rs. 45 million on his cultural and recreational centre which is nearing completion at Mahawaskaduwa in Kalutara. Located on a one-acre extent, it's a complex encompassing a studio for painters and sculptors, gallery for exhibitions, six junior suites and a restaurant. In addition to organising cultural events, the centre, which is a BOI-approved project, will also play a vital role in bringing down artistes from Europe and United States for diverse programmes. 'Our primary objective is to promote art and culture and bring together people. We want these foreign artistes to perform with local groups", he explained.

Interesting
The centre has an interesting line-up. Scheduled to open in May this year, it welcomes all those interested in art and culture, including students to enter its portals to make its motto of bringing human beings together, more meaningful.

Herman's voice dropped to a conspiratorial ebb, when asked how old he is. 'Fifty five', he whispered shielding a corner of his mouth with his palm and looking mischievously at his wife before announcing 'I am still 25 at heart!'. It's his belief that people with open hearts don't grow old at that hectic pace.

'The journey is initially difficult for an artist. He has to start with small drawings and struggle to reach the top. They can, because of their sensitivity, see more of the future and are highly accepted in communities. An artist is an individual who views the sunset quite differently. For him, the 'ups' and 'downs' in life are felt much stronger. The 'downs', in particular are more depressing because of the profound sensitivity involved', the professor reasoned.

An ardent lover of nature, Herman has now given up lecturing in Austria. 'They want him to come back, but there is too much on his plate here. We have to get our cultural project moving and with a difficult start, we are now moving towards its realisation', his wife said.

After their exit in 1982, Mrs. Herman accompanied by one her daughters had returned to Sri Lanka 7 years later. This was followed by trips every year. The concept of establishing a cultural centre in this country was germinating and in 1996 the couple purchased a land to make their dream come true. But they were blissfully unaware of what was in store for them. Then the agony started.

'We were driven from pillar to post in our bid to secure official clearance for the project. As this was a novel concept, at times the authorities themselves didn't know from where to start and how to get about. It was a long drawn battle and we were exhausting all our savings as until the venture got off the ground, we had no income', she lamented.

After the dark clouds cleared, the Hermans were over-joyed that a glimmer of hope had appeared over the horizon. As the professor says, life is difficult for an artist. Perhaps, that's why he was able to endure and hold on for so long till the authorities dragged their feet and as if by divine intervention, decided to end the anguish.

Situation

How do the Herman family assess the situation in Sri Lanka now, that's 20 years after they first came here? 'The situation has deteriorated', Mrs. Herman said softly. Her eyes had turned misty for this is a country and a nation she loves so much. 'Money has become centre-stage. It was not so earlier. Unfortunately, the situation has changed. People feel so insecure. They have plunged into the depths of depression. Those days people, especially those in villages, invite us to their humble homes to share a cup of tea. All that's no more. People are so frightened today. There is suffering all around and they are battling for survival', she bemoaned.

She says that, in her view, our country should have a strong middle class. Some people crave more to secure all the goodies they see on television. 'I always buy certain commodities from little road-side boutiques and I see poor people purchasing rice in meagre quantities. More often than not, they tell me their woes and ask for money and jobs. Though I am shattered by their abject poverty, there is not much I can do help them', she pointed out.

The professor is also concerned about the erosion of social values. 'Some people, due to exposure to television, live outside their souls and fantasy is making them completely blind', he said.

As a Hindu who prays and meditates daily, Herman avoids consuming meat. 'I feel that I have so much power and can understand other people better', he declared.

Unlike other professions, for an artist the process of thinking, trying to create something new, processing and transforming what he sees and feels, is infinite. It's always somewhere deep down in the mind to create and create better.

'Artists are a little crazy', the amiable professor proclaimed, exploding into laughter. This brought out a remarkable trait in the man; he laughs at himself.

Excellent

For Austrians, the Herman family has an excellent command of English. 'That's another vital aspect lacking in Sri Lanka. The younger generation can only converse in their mother-tongue and this doesn't auger well for the country', Mrs. Herman noted.

'I asked a teenage boy selling fruits at a stall how much they cost. He looked helplessly at me as I spoke to him in English. His face brightened when his grandfather emerged and answered my question. I asked him why the boy couldn't even understand simple English. The old man, quite proud of himself, replied that during his time, they did learn English, but it was no longer so. This episode speaks volumes about the sorry situation that exists', she said.

Is there a conducive climate for investment in the country? 'It's tough here because anything and everything is a struggle. Duty free facilities are extended to investors, but they have to pay the defence levy. I don't see why the security levy should be imposed on foreigners who come here to invest, despite the risks involved. When I raised this question. I was told by officials that it's to ensure our security'. This is too far fetched', she complained.

The professor offered to share a secret with me. He is a fine cook and an expert on preparing rice and curry, the Sri Lankan way. 'And I love a lot of 'miris' (chillies)', he exclaimed.

Author

The author of three books and a media columnist, Herman has what he calls his 'private alphabet'. An interesting composition with 'C' signifying 'Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka. The island I love with all its positive and negative sides'. 'O' for 'orgy, only with colours' and 'Q' makes up 'quack, a concert of frogs, I think it's romantic'. 'Everything in life is an art by itself, but for an artist, the bouts of depression are rather intense', he says.

Perhaps, that's because an artist is a hypersensitive creator who sees beyond the divide. Through ink and diverse colours, he drives home the painful truth. Art is as complex and embrangled as life itself. Not many people understand the story behind the eruption of those colours. 'There is no life without art', the professor repeats cheerfully as we shake hands to bid good bye. In the backdrop, his paintings come into focus again. It's paradoxical that their complexity personify beauty.

Stepping outside, the grim realities emerge and life's complexities invade. The beauty is gradually being eclipsed in a situation that's sinking.

Unlike professor Guenther Herman's paintings......

Givenchy unfolds a new mystery for the man

P by Givenchy is an elegant masculine fragrance developed like a work of art, with passion and imagination why choose p to symbolise the eternal masculine? Christine Escoffer from Givenchy said that it encapsulates all the desires of men, it is a perfume full of energy and sensuality. This classical woody fragrance was launched recently at the 36th floor of the World Trade Centre amidst a large gathering. This perfume embodies the humour, vitality and easy charm of the new man of the next millennium. Profoundly masculine it comes in a whide packaging to match the high fashion in the next millennium.

An ideal gift for that special man in your life.

An enigmatic fragrance which take its time in revealing itself and adventurous fragrance that transcends every man's skin to make him stand out in a crowd.

Its a matter of signs and directions. If P is the story of the long struggle to achieve the unattainable, it is also a portrait of the fabled conqueror in search of knowledge. In its trail you can find the tracks of great adventures of history, from Christopher Columbus to Neil Armstrop and on to Buzz Aldrin and all those visionary geniuses in science and the arts who have made it their business to push the limits of knowledge ever further.

P speaks of men, of all men... of their scientific genius, their taste for adventure, their willingness to act and of their passions too... to the extreme. From the peaks of intellect to the peaks of the senses.

P regarded by Givenchy as the king of numbers, is a badge of recognition for those who know what it is to search for the absolute.

Available at the Parfumerie shop at Liberty Plaza and Majestic City.

High Fashion
Styles and colour at the birthday bash

Text and pix by Kirthi Sri Karunaratna
A group of about fifty women had themselves a jolly good time when Wijes Nagendran invited them to lunch, to join in her birthday celebrations at the Holiday Inn. Dr. Farzad Nazeen on the keyboards with Sithy Omar in vocals sang in several languages, besides acquiring themselves with a host of new fans, lured the women on to the dance floor, with the swirling figures in a variety of styles and colour making kaliedescope of design. Setting the lead and the pace were Lalitha Rajapakse, Yoga Rodrigo and Lucy Page.

Lalitha for the noon wore a salwar kameez of trendy styling. The embossed steel grey kameez had a mere suggestion of a sleeve and a V neckline embroidered in silk thread and pearls. Sleeveless or very short sleeved salwar kameezes are the most fashionable innovation to this traditional garment in Mumbai, even though the trend has not caught on, due to conventions prevalent in India.

Yoga and Lucy opted for sarees, with the hostess Wijes in one of the best of them in a deep blue charmeuse silk, with only the sleeves and triangles at the edge of the fall embroidered in cut work trellis in which were caught blossoms in aquamarine. A magnificent set of blue sapphires and diamonds were her choice of ornaments.

The saree Gowrie Swaminathan wore in white, had a chalk white fret work of a weave on the body, while the border and pallu was full of colour ranging from green, to amber and purple.

White with black contrasted in smart elegance on Romola Sivasunderams saree. Illika Karunaratne had shades of green combine with yellow in her printed silk saree, she wore with a deeper green blouse, and Shobhana Nagendra as always looked elegant and cool in a white saree with a narrow border of wine with hints of gold in it.

Salwars were the choice of Pathma Maharaja, Shiraz Sellamuttu and Onitha Weeratunge. The salwar Pathma wore was in a delightful grey and shaded pink, with shaded shawl all embroidered in silk thread. Shiraz had her deep turquoise kameez embroidered in front with pearls and deep purple beads. Her long dupatta was in the deep purple and she wore pearls for ornaments.
Shiraz

Onitha's old gold salwar kameez, had a black shawl block printed in gold and rust red. Badra Wijesena wore a skirt in a deep lilac with a long top in a paler lilac with beautiful guipure lace at the hemline and edge of sleeves on a foundation of still another tone of lilac, with the buttons down the front to match this colour. Her pendent on a lasso and earstuds were the perfect ornaments.

A choker of pearls was the choice of Lucky de Silva to wear with her pale shell pink saree patterned in a lace like weave for high noon elegance.

Three of his four children flew down from different parts of the world when Lee Wanigasekera celebrated his eighteenth birthday. A family affair, his only daughter Lesly Gunasinghe was here with her husband Nihal and sons Scotty and Adrienne flew from Australia and France respectively. Also present were grand son and grand daughter from London, besides sister Eva from America. The closest friends gathered at Lee's and Celia's home, and it was a gathering of people who have been faithful friends throughout the years.


(L-R) Lesly Gunasinghe, Celia Wanigasekera, Adrienne Vinniar, Lee Wanigasekera and Sooty Wanigasekera		 Celia wore a simple dress in black while Lesly had her trouser suit in a lovely and unusual tone of blue. The long top which was square necked and sleeveless, was perfect foil to a choker necklace of pearls.

Grand daughter Simone made a pretty picture in a dress of ribbed deep purple worked in vandykes of deep coral and gold. The youthful style was bare shouldered with straps.

In his and hers styles were Kumar and Tharindu de Silva. His blue and white checked sarong he teamed with a white kurta, and she wore her white kurta with white churidhars.

A black dress with black lace trimming at the neckline was Yasmin Rosairo's choice, and Tania Samarasinghe had the long shirt styled top in black, with two large patches splashed with electric blue at the waistline on one side, and at the hemline on the other.

A blue saree which was like the colours of a peacock Mano Caderamanpulle wore with a blouse that had only the sleeves embroidered. A green handbag further strengthened the peacock hues, and she wore a strand of pearls and blue saphire beads. The top of the birthday cake had the flags of Sri Lanka and of France on it in icing. The reason for this was, because, it was also a celebration of Adrienne's fifteenth birthday, and Adrienne is a citizen of France, having lived in and worked in Paris for more than twenty five years.

Style
Vimal sarees steal the limelight

It is well known that in the ephemeral world of changing fashion the slightest shift in focus creates a vastly different product. The Indian staple-the saree which is popular in Sri Lanka too is however quite immunue to such volatile shifts. Since aeons of history the draped cloth has achieved much beauty and dignity. And even today when so much investment is made in designing upmarket fashion clothes the saree has been able to hold its own in our country. Keeping with the trend in Sri Lanka, Vimal sarees, a name synonymous with high quality sarees in India were introduced at a press briefing and exhibition held recently at capri.

 

There are over two hundred and fifty designs and thirty varieties of Vimal sarees said a spokesman of the company. "These sarees in a variety of designs have been priced within the range of Rs. 350/- and Rs. 575/- in Sri Lanka which is a big give away to our customers".

Reliance Industries spearheaded by India's top giant textile manufacture Reliance is represented by Market Makers (Pvt) Ltd who are sole agents for Vimal sarees. the launch of these products should fill the dearth of sarees in the local market for middle class and working women.

As an incentive to Vimal's launch in Sri Lanka they have also offered over rupees five hundred thousand as prices to those who purchase Vimal sarees.

Vimal products are extremely popular in India. Reliance Industries, spearheaded by perhaps India's best known industrialist, Dhirubhai Ambani, and which is a gigantic corporation with global connections today, produces these sarees and a host of other textile products. Reliance Industries Ltd. began with 4 warp-knitting machines and 60 employees way back in 1968, in the state of Gujrat.

Today, it has emerged as India's No. 1 private sector corporation and the country's most vertically integrated group. Today, with 2.6 million shareholders, Reliance has become one of the world's most esteemed companies and ranked among the world's top 50 emerging marketing companies.

Shamila Bongso was the choreographer for Vimal fashion shows.-Zanita

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