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A fresh innocent face stared down at startled passers-by from the huge billboard of the film "Dorakada Marawa". The dewy-eyed lass was Gayana Sudarshini.
Gayana is a vivacious and charming girl with an infectious smile. Her debut into films was accidental. Kadapola Kumaratunga, the well known director, a family friend, introduced Gayana into films.
Her true to life portrayal, the ethos and passion she exuded remained in the viewer’s memory long after the image on the screen has blanked out.
Her name is well-known on TV series "Dawala Mandiriya".
Gayana makes her performance utterly convincing. She does it so effortlessly that it is seen that she is not acting at all. She is able to become the role that she plays.
In the film "Salupata Ahasata" that ran a few days in Ceylon Theatres, Gayana’s interpretation of her role is outstanding for the simple reason that she is able to make herself and the thoughts going through her mind so utterly unbelievable.
A competent actress, she is able to subtly choreograph her stance and movements so that her presence blends into the fabric of the scene being shot.
In most of her films Gayana was able to convey a plethora of complex emotions despite having to grapple with the intricacies of the dialects.
"I love to act in TV feature films and I know my future lies in teledramas as I have built an identity of my own" said Gayana.
Gayana’s main aim was to be come a music teacher, but fate stood in her way, and she selected a career which she loves to act. "Acting gives me confidence and I know I have an audience".
Added to this unique qualiiity of being able to feel a role, Gayana’s spontaneity of performances enriched any film or TV series she is in. She can demonstrate eloquently the ability in communicating the most moving of emotions with subtlest of gestures and expressions. A trail blazer on the silver big and small screen, Gayana has made a niche in the film world. For in her very first screen appearance, she came, we saw and we were conquered by her sheer simplicity and ‘Joie de vivre’. - ZC
Style
Chula in new avatarChula Ariyaratne may not ring a bell among the fashion conscious but Chula Nayakkara certainly will.They are one and the same person.
Although she is making a re-appearance after a long lapse in the fashion world, Chula is still a trail-blazer in the fashion scene by her unique and elegant dressing.
She has sent ripples across the Lankan fashion world, by staging the first fashion show in London by a Sri Lankan, highlighting local ensembles. She has been writing articles on beauty care, choreographed many fashion and beauty pageants.
Her creativity and ideas have caused waves enough to be noticed by all. She was able to penetrate the international market, and prove herself as one of the top designers in an industry which puts a premium on originality, a Sri Lankan who made it in the Western World by having a show in London, but has for her own collection blossomed into a passion to express the traditional designs of Sri Lanka to the Western audience.
Chula’s passion lies in expressing her roots and fusing into the fabric and giving meaning to what the West considers style.
Designing bridal wear remains Chula’s first love. She designs so many different lines of bridal gowns and sarees. The traditional Kandyan sarees turned out by Chula has a stamp of her individuality.
Freshness and innovation are Chula’s forte. The adventurous spirit that characterises Chula’s personality is very much seen in her creations too.
She believes in the axiom that women lead multi-faceted lives and demand clothes to suit every image they portray.
A varied wardrobe is a pre-requisite to suit every mood and occasion of a woman. So Chula tries to embody the new found confidence on women by her elegant styles.
The secret of her success is the fact that she designs clothes for the real woman of today, old, young, working girl and non-working type.
With a reputation made strong by her versatality, Chula is set again to make a comeback in the fashion world.
She has also been designing clothes for stars in leading films like Yuganthanya, Kalayugaya and many more.
Right now Chula is busy organising a fashion show in London. She also choreographed the last show "Designer of the Year contest in 1984, after which she went into hibernation.
High Fashion
Hungarian RhapsodyBalalaika music played by the specially flown out Gypsy Band, and gourmet food bringing the flavours of Hungary were the star attractions at the Hungarian Rhapsody, Magyar Festival.
To launch the event the General Manager of the Hotel Lanka Oberoi, Stephan Pffiefer invited a host of friends, clients and celebrities to cocktails and buffet, which ranged from a mouth watering Goulash to a gastronomical journey of flavours to delight most palates. The third in a series of food, music and other touches from a distant land, this proved to be the best, and perhaps the most popular. Dimunitive and doll like was Serohazi Andrea, the Mareting Manager Grand Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, in a micro shift dress in off white exquisitely embroidered in honey brown silk thread in a design of mutyo flowers and paprika, worn over a micro mini black slim skirt.
Glamour plus came from our very own film star Geetha Kumarasinghe in chic western attire. Her dress in a grey stretch fabric had shoestring straps and a unusual hemline on a flare, which fell in folds. A stole in shimmering silver grey tissue, with a wide silk fringe at either end, added a lustrous touch. A neckfiller of grey pearls in two tones of the colour, brought drama to the ensemble. Angela Abeywardene had her long tresses in fine braids on the sides, to bring sophistication to her black skirt and cutwork embroidered blouse.
Black was also the choice of Kalpana Wijesinghe. A simple loosely flowing lace top and skirt she enhanced with gold and diamond jewellery. Narmada Muller, the charming Public Relations Manager of the Lanka Oberoi cultivated a Chinese look. Her cheongsam like top in a midnight blue was worked in a scroll design in ribbon of the same colour to be teamed with tailored pants. To further stress the image she wore her hair in a plait. A dress in a stretch fabric Sonali Gunawardene wore made a water mark of pattern in dark blue and grey. It was an evening of good food, good music, and a crowd of friendly people, with Steffan and his dear wife Sybille mingling with the invitees and talking of the Chefs who were flown out from Grand Hotel Hungary, Budapest through the courtesy of our National carrier Air Lanka.
Reception
Ruani Weerakoon was married to Richard Keit on the 18th of April in San Francisco. To celebrate the occasion they flew out to be at the Post Nuptial reception and dinner hosted by her father Ronnie Weerakoon at the Empire Ballroom of the Mt. Lavinia Hotel. For this event which was a relaxed evening among friends and family Ruani wore a saree. Following the traditions set by her late mother Marion, Ruani picked on the traditional look of a Manipuri silk saree in a shade of orchid verging on a red, with a wide gold border and pallu and scattered motifs. Her one concession to fashion was in the cutaway armholed high necked blouse. Her jewellery was in gold and she had no flowers in her hair nor did she carry a bouquet.
For the wedding in the States Ruani wore a simple but elegant dress of oyster white satin, with a bateau neckline and little cap sleeves. The dress at the back flowed into a train off a empire waistline. A short veil flowed off an unobtrusive headdress, and she carried a posy of peach toned silk flowers. Her jewellery consisted of a necklace in gold and earstuds to match. Her retinue of twelve children were all in white, and carried posies in the same flowers as the bride. At the reception at Mt. Lavinia many old friends gathered to wish the couple a wonderful future. Among them was Shireen Amerasinghe, we saw after a lapse of many years. Her saree for the occasion was in black silk with a magenta printed border, worn with a printed magenta blouse.
A rich tanchoi silk in a wine and gold made the Kandyan saree Dhushyanthi Wijewardene wore. A sapphire blue contrasted with a vivid green with a gold edge to the borders on the saree Sheranee Sellamuttu wore. The tone of mauve on Thilaka Hitchcock’s saree was both pleasing and unusual. The border was in blocks of cerise and green with spun gold. Her handbag was the perfect match to the cerise on the border, and her jewellery was in rubies and diamonds. Richard, the bridegroom, is the son of Sidney Keit of New York and the late Elise Keit.
Rhythm of The Night presented by Dance Works Centre which went on the boards at the Lionel Wendt in March will be back by popular request. It will be staged once again on May 23 today so here’s a great opportunity for those who missed it the first time, and even those who did not, to have an enjoyable evening of fun, dance and music.
The first half of the show comprises excerpts from The Water Babies, Snow White and Cinderella (with a twist). The second half of the show comprises free style and modern dancing.
Rhythm of the Night is produced and choreographed by Kanthi Ranchigoda.
By Ramya Perera
The European Union Chamber Orchestra made their debut in Sri Lanka on May 6th performing works by Haydn and Mozart.The Elphinston Theatre in its grandeur and splendour transported us to a truly pure classical music era.
The impressive director Lavard Skou Larson with nineteen players began the concert with a refreshing rendering of our national anthem. From the outset the beautiful balance between strings, oboes and horns was evident.
In the Haydn’s symphony (Lamentatione) the slow movement epitomized the character of this work. In this movement the chant like melody, played by the first oboe and second violins sounded plaintive and the muted resonance gave it the appropriate colour.
The showpiece of the evening, Violin concerto in G major by Mozart was played by the director tuned soloist, Lavard Skou Larson. Clearly articulated solo line, with well-defined phrasing, never exaggerated was heard in perfect balance with the rest of the ensemble at most times. Larson interpreted the many repetitive phrases, especially in the slow movement with varied emotions. It was reflective with the touch of nostalgia at times, the experience of anguish, borne silently. His communication with the audience was remarkable. The orchestra very aptly snapped back to the lightness and grace in the rondeau, which followed.
After a short interval Hayden’s symphony no. 44 in E minor was played, with the first movement bristling with energy and with a different kind of dramatic flavour. Following the uncomplicated lines of the middle movements, the finale was built up dynamically and sequentially to a feverish conclusion.
The brilliance of the individual players was never foremost; it was always excellent teamwork that displayed the composer’s ideals in the various treatments of textures and tonality, in a cohesive manner.
It was certainly an unusual evening with the skilled performers bringing the genius of the classical masters to the forefront.
By Cecil V. Wikramanayake
What is inspiration? Taken literally, it means to "infuse thought or feeling into", "to arouse and create feeling".That makes sense when you think about those times when you have felt inspired — as if you are full of life and raring to go.
Inspiration happens like that because our minds are like a huge filing system. We think about things over and over again without finding a solution.
Very often inspiration strikes us when our mind is relaxed. When the filing system is not overloaded. That is why, many people wiser than we are tell us "sleep on it"
You will find that the most inspirational thoughts come to us after a good night’s rest, or when we are in the bath, or during a relaxing walk.
Getting inspired is really easier than you think. Try this simple fun exercise for a start.
Hold a fruit, an apple, an orange, or even a tomato, in front of you. Now try to describe it, without stressing the obvious fact of its colour. Instead, try to imagine where it came from, the field in grew in, the people who picked it. What they were wearing, what their lives were like.
One friend to whom this was suggested, imagined an apple in a pig’s mouth, on a table laden with food, in a room full of people dancing and having a grand time.
She did not realise that a simple apple could be so inspirational.
Yet another way to get inspiration, real inspiration, is to relax your mind by working crossword puzzles, like the one you find in the Island every week. Try not to use dictionaries, but work the thing out yourself. You will find that this kind of activity gives you terrific inspiration.
I can tell you this because I often do it, work crossword puzzles, I mean. And this, perhaps, is the secret of how I am able to write on almost any subject, at the drop of a hat.
Inspiration is a feeling we all have. Only we do not let ourselves be taken over by the inspiration that comes to us.
There are times when we come across a painting, a piece of music, a building or even a person, and feel so inspired that we want to go home straightaway and create something ourselves, or become a better human being. That is inspiration.
To be really inspired, you need to be a little more receptive about the things around you, opening up a little more, maybe stepping out of your routine and trying to look at things a little differently.
See if there is a way you can do something that you usually do, in a different way from the usual.
Of course, this does not mean that you must rush home and write a novel that will outdo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, or that you will outpaint George Keyt or something. Don’t be ambitious. Just let inspiration come to you and you will, eventually, find that you are doing greater things than you have ever done before.
Do you come to work, or go to school, by car? Try doing it differently. Take a bus. Or even walk, even if it means walking a mile or more. And as you travel, keep your eyes and ears open and you will discover that you are seeing and hearing things you have not heard before.
When you meet people, take an interest in them. Ask them their stories. You will find that almost everyone has a story to tell, if only you will take the trouble to listen to them. And such stories will really be interesting and you will find inspiration in just listening to them.
Keep a dairy. Keep writing down the things that have excited you, motivated you, widened your horizon, or just made you feel good.
It might be a song you heard on the radio, or a friend who made you laugh, or a book that moved you to tears.
You’ll be surprised at the things that can inspire you. And when you are inspired, you will find that you will do the most amazing things that you never thought you could do.
Be young at heart. Think of the things that you loved doing when you were a child. Perhaps it was some form of sport, or writing, or even dressing up your dolls. Give yourself permission to do them all over again, even after you have grown up. This too will give you inspirational thoughts.
Best of all, take a breather. Relax. Stand back and look at the problems that face you from a different angle. You will end up by finding solutions to those problems.
Finally, try to be an inspiration to someone else. Think of someone you really admire, perhaps a teacher in school, or one who encouraged you or a friend who was always there and on whose shoulder you could cry on. Think of the qualities in them and see if you can apply those qualities to yourself.
Just by being a little kinder, more supportive, a better listener or by resolving to make someone else’s day a little better, can improve your own day.
The best way to be inspired is by trying to inspire someone else to improve.
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