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'Backstage' at Galadari

Derek Rutnum and Sanjaya Alles are the founder members of the band 'Backstage' and have previously performed in Sri Lanka with Trex, Image, Sam the Man and Aquarius.

'Backstage' will arrive in Sri Lanka to perform at the Galadari Hotel's Family Dinner Dance at the Lobby on 31st Night.

Derek plays Guitar, Keyboard, Saxophone, Bass & Vocals, while Sanjaya Alles plays Drums and Vocals. Thushara "Adam" Amaradasa plays Bass Guitar, Vocals and have played with Next, Europa and Pink and Purple earlier.

Jayan Fernando plays Keyboards and Vocals and have performed with Next, Capricorn and Pink and Purple before joining 'Backstage'.

'Backstage' was formed in 1997 and have mostly performed in Germany. They also travelled to Switzerland, Austria and to Holland for performances. 'Backstage' have had a lot of success in the best of Night Clubs in these countries. They will be playing in England and Spain in year 2001. Their original CD will be out early next year.

'Backstage' will also perform at the Colombo 2000, Night Club at the Galadari Hotel every Friday and Saturday from December 15 to January 13, 2001.

Ayesha comes alive at GOH

Once known as 'Mighty Atom', Ayesha Gunesekera will be in Colombo to join her old band mates for the real millennium bash at the Grand Oriental Hotel on December 31.

New Year dinner dance at GOH will feature Dream Team along with DJs at the Lotus Ballroom.

Ayesh will perform with Dream Team at the Ballroom as well as at the Blue Leopard night club , the night spot in town.

'Farewll To Ayesha" will be on January 6 with a galaxy of stars.

Ayesha now residing in Arizona, USA is performing in a night club circuit with two other girl-musicians. According to Ayesha , her new year contract will begin on January 9 .

Ayesha will be in town on December 28 and she will be on stage with Dream Team at the Leopard on December 29, if things go according to schedule.

Lankan's Millennium Concert

'Golden Chimes', along with other popular artistes will be featured in a live concert at the Bishop's College auditorium on December 30 at 7.00 pm.

This concert is organised by the Lankan Cricket Club.

Popular artistes Annesley Malewana, Anil Bharathi and Indrani Perera will perform with Golden Chimes at this event.

Lankan Cricket Club, which was formed in 1983, is an affiliate member of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and plays a leading role in the local cricket scene. The Lankan's Millennium concert with Golden Chimes will be a fund raiser for the Club.

Leo Millennium Bash

The Leos of Modera/Mattakkuliya of Lions International District 306B have organised their annual fundraiser dance on December 22 at the 'Legends' from 9.00 p.m. onwards.

'The Leo Millennium Bash I' which was held last December at the 'Colombo 2000' won the 'highest fundraiser of the year award' at the multiple Leo Conference held in June. The Baila competition, selecting of the Leo Millennium King and the Queen and the banana eating competition and some of the key attractions is open not only for Leos, but also for everyone who wants to make a night to remember!

The media sponsors for this event will be the 'TV Times'.

'Indrakeelaya': tale of woman facing a bitter experience

By Susitha R. Fernando

"Indrakeelaya" a film woven around a destitute girl who faces hardship and troubles in her life with determination is to be released on the fifth circuit soon.

Lakshmi Paranavithana is the only daughter of a businessman father who is engaged in illegal felling and other wrongful activities. The married life of Lakshmi's parents abound with problems denying her of the parental love.

In order to compensate for the lack of affection and warmth is a love affair with a boy. When she becomes pregnant by him she realises that she has sought love not from the right person.

Lakshmi ends her first love affair with a bitter experience when her lover proposes very lightly to abort the pregnancy. The problem becomes grave when her father comes to know about her pregnancy through a doctor who was a friend of her father.

Meanwhile Lakshmi becomes close to the young driver, Sunil who has come from a remote village and has been serving for the family a long time this friendship too goes the way of the first affair. Sunil misunderstands the regular family squabbles over Lakshmi's pregnancy. He believes the father's outbursts are due to his affair with Lakshmi.

Sunil decides to take Lakshmi away and plans a secret trip to his home town where he finds none of his parents except the land that belongs to them.

The couple start to toil away but with the beginning of a Leftist movement the whole village including Sunil who depend on cultivation become helpless as there is no market to sell their products.

Finding no other way to earn their livelihood Sunil takes to the business of illegal felling in the nearby forest.

At this moment Sunil and Lakshmi have to face numerous problems as the activists of the leftist movement threaten them.

While the family moves from place to place to avoid the attacks, Lakshmi gives birth to a boy.

However Sunil's business flourishes despite difficulties and decides to leave the village and settle down in the town. But the dark clouds fall over Lakshmi's life when one day Sunil does not return from his business trip. What has happend to Sunil? What will be her life with a fatherless child?

Almost all the locations were in the areas in Chilaw and Puttalam.

The cast includes Linton Semage, Dilhani Abeywardena, H. A. Perera, Dougles Ranasinghe, Sriyani Amarasena and Luxman Mendis.

Kumar: many sided TV man

Popular television personality Kumar de Silva celebrates his birthday on December 20.

Kumar who hit the small screen with 'Bonsoir' in 1986, now handles four other programmes also on local television.

On Tuesday nights it's the popular musical programme 'Fanclub' (ITN) which he took over from the dynamic songbird Ayesha Gunasekera more than a decade ago. Then on Wednesdays it's the interactive and very polished business talk show 'Business.com' (TNL).

On Thursday nights he co-presents the interesting bilingual chat show with Sri Lankan film personalities on 'Celluoid Lokaya' (TNL). Every Poya night you see him discussing the practical aspects of the Buddha Dhamma on ITN's 'Dhamma in Daily Life".

Plans for the immediate future? Yes, of course. Apart from concentrating on my new media and communications consultancy company 'Adahas', and my numerous television programmes, I plan to get into radio too.

This follows a request from the SLBC to start a new Buddhist discussion programme in English every Poya night. The idea is very interesting. "I'm going for it," he told TV Times over the telephone last week.

Party all night at AGH

Airport Garden hotel (AGH) will have their annual New Year's celebration at the Harbour Bar in grand style this year too.

The duo 'Chandani and Chaminda' Popularly known, as C&C' will be featured at this 'Hello 2001' Bash dinner dance on December 31.

'Chandimal & The Second Connection' will be the other major attraction at this new year celebrations.

The dance only tickets are priced at Rs. 750/-.

"We have Hawker Street Style food stalls in and around the 'Harbour Bar'. This way, the revellers have the choice of their own to select the food they like". said Ashok Fernando the sales manager of AGH and the man behind this New Year's Dance.

This week TV Times gives an opportunity to win six 'Hello 2001' dance tickets for three lucky winners. Only you have to do is to answer the simple question in the coupon and send it on a post card to AGH New Year Bash, C/O TV Times , No.8, Hunupitiya Cross Road . Colombo-2. on or before December 27.

Bonikko deals with problems of unmarried mothers

The bond between a mother and her child is so strong it has the power to heal the traumatic scars on the psyche of parent or offspring. This is the moral of the heart-warming new teledrama "Bonikko" which begins telecast over Rupavahini on Thursday December 14.

Staring Yasodha Wimaladharma, Sriyantha Mendis, Chandani Seneviratne and debutant Subhani Prisika, "Bonikko" is the story of a five-year-old girl who is deprived of her mother's love by the divorce of her parents, and of a lonely 25-year-old woman traumatized by the loss of the child she conceived out of wedlock. Buffeted by the insensitive actions of family and friends, the two find in each other,the emotional sustenance they need to be whole again.

"Family strife is not a new theme in the local teledrama world, but I believe this is the first time that its impact is shown through the eyes of a child", says Nalan Mendis, the award winning director of the 24-episode drama. "It is also possibly the first teledrama to cast a child in a leading role. The whole story revolves around the character of Surangi (played by Prisika) and the success of the production depends on the emotions she evokes in the audience."

Yasodha Wimaladharma who plays the role of Sujatha, a wholesome young woman who becomes mentally disturbed after her parents force her to give up her illegitimate child at birth, says "Bonikko" will strike a chord in parents and children of all ages." A mother needs the love of a child just as much as a child needs its mother", she stresses. "This is a theme that is very relevant to our society today, and "Bonikko" will emphasize the healing of this love."

"Bonikko" also carries a strong message to people who are faced with the problem of unmarried mothers, Yasodha added. "The message is that those who are dealing with this problem should understand the situation of the victims and be sympathetic".

Lead actor Sriyantha Mendis, who portrays Surangi's father Suneth, adds, "Our society still cherishes the value of parent-child love. Most parents are still very protective of their children. "Bonikko" will be a new experience from a much-loved theme".

The production and telecast of "Bonikko" is sponsored by Hayleys Electronics, the sole agent in Sri Lanka for Philips, Daewoo, Usha and Daytron consumer electronic products. The teledrama is produced by Sandya Mendis for Susil Productions and also stars Manel Jayasena, H.A. Perera, Gamini Hettiarachchi, Srinath Maddumage, Anoma Nandani Wijeratne and Ratnavali Kekunawela. "Bonikko" is scripted by Reginald Jayamanne and is based on a story written by the well-known picture storywriter Janaka Ratnayake.

"Bonikko" is scheduled for telecast at 8.30 p.m. every Thursday on Rupavahini commencing December 14.

Festive season at Le Kandyan

Check out for the real festive atmosphere called "Unduwap Asiriya" in the hills at Le Kandyan's Rasawasala Restaurant and their club 'Le Garge!"

Enjoy a delicious dinner buffet at Rasawasala from 23rd onwards on our special night such as BBQ Night, Seethala Unduvap Raathriya, X'mas Buffet, Pasta Night, Para-Apparadige Rasamusu, Baaratha Raathriya, Chef's Night, Dambane Raathriya and the 31st Night with 'Ultimate Entertainments" called "Duruthu Udanaye" and win loads of complimentary gifts and prizes including Airline Tickets, Weekend vouchers and lots more.

In the meantime 'Le Garge' is geared for special theme nights from December 23 onwards such as, "Millenium Fever", "Merry X'mas", "Santa Vs DJ", "Nostalgic Night", "Ladies Night'', Banker Night", "Guys Night", "Arabian Night", and 31st will be "Break Dawn 2001" with the Yes FM crew together with the hottest Hi-Tec sound and lighting system by master of sound that guarantees to keep you moving well into the next millennium.

Tickets are priced at 1500/- inclusive of dinner.

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