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KAW pioneered many cinematic innovations
By Susitha R. Fernando
Starting as a scriptwriter of dramas and commercials for then Radio Ceylon, K. A. W. Perera became a household name with his innovative scripts in films like ‘Rekawa’, ‘Sandeshaya’, ‘Getawarayo’ and ‘Sarawita’.

This seventy-nine years old versatile figure, who resides at Kandawatte Road, Nugegoda is still going strong when many younger artistes have lost their popularity. Dressed in a brown Kurtha and a grey coloured trouser he greeted me warmly and I didn’t realise that an hour had passed when I left him.

Born in 1926 Koddul Arachchige Wilson Perera, the Veteran film director passed his English senior exam from the Olcott College affiliated to the Ananda College in Colombo in 1948 and later joined the teaching profession in 1949 as an English assistant.

While he was engaged in teaching, he joined Radio Ceylon as a programme producer. It was K A W, who wrote the script for the popular radio plays ‘Jeewitha Sahathikaya’ and ‘Rahas Parikshakaya’ produced by late Thevis Guruge. Since K A W found himself more adapt and effective as a radio artiste, he bade adieu to the teaching profession in 1955 to become a permanent employee of Radio Ceylon as the SLBC was known them.

His radio programmes ‘Handa Mama’, ‘Radio Sangarawa’ and ‘Sinhala Geetha Dhara’ were instant successes and became very popular among the listeners. Thereafter, KAW was to stay in cinema never to return to Radio Ceylon.
Reminiscing on his early days at Radio Ceylon KAW said there was quality entertainment for radio since there was a censor board to maintain the standards in those days and he regrets that there was no proper control over today’s radio.

Speaking about lack of good scripts in today’s Sri Lankan films the noted scriptwriter says that our thinking is not in our films. Today most of the films are copies from various foreign films. These films are done for their society we can only get their ideas and adjust them to suit our audiences.

In his long journey on the path of cinema, the story, script and the dialogue he wrote for ‘Pirimiyek nisa ‘ became the turning point in his career. It was produced by EAP Edirisinghe for EAP films, he also co -directed it with T.Somasekaran. Also he was the co -director of ‘Suhada Sohoyuro’ (1963) produced by the same company.

The year 1966 was the next landmark in his chosen field of cinema art. He directed the film’ Sanasuma Kothanada ‘for Mr.Somasiri Perera which won him the ‘Sarasaviya’ award for the best film of the year and in which he introduced himself as the pioneer in shaping up a people’s cinema in the country.

He also introduced a new music format for the Sinhala cinema inviting music maestro Premasiri Khemadasa to direct music for first time for the screen. In addition he also introduced lyricist Dharmasiri Gamage to write five songs for the film and his selection proved correct as ‘Sanasuma Kothanada’ gave birth to ever-popular song like “Sulang Kurullo” sung by Harun Lanthra.

Not only did he take the Sinhala cinema to the people, but became the most popular film director as well in the sixties. Another move of his was to introduce young actors and actresses to the Sinhala cinema and both Gamini Fonseka and Geetha Kumarainghe played major roles in the cinema.

In all, he has directed a total of 26 films in his 50 year long career and ‘Kapatikama’, ‘Bicycle Hora’, ‘Seeye Nottuwa’,’Kathuru Muwath’, ‘Lokuma Hinawa’, ‘Duleeka’, ‘Lasanda’, ‘Wasana’, ‘Janaka saha Manju’, ‘Hingana Kolla’, ‘Sumedha’ and ‘Dhawala Pushpaya’ standout as some of his most popular cinematic creations to go on board. The songs in most of these films are still popular even among the present generation of music lovers.

Kalasoori KAW Perera has been honored with Sarasaviya , Deepashika ,Swarna Hansa , Swarna Jayanthi ,Rana Thisara , and Sumathi awards at various stages in his career.

He was honoured at the ‘Taskkent’ International Film festival (1975 ) for his film” Lasanda “ And, he was further honoured with the best film director award at the OCIC film festival held in Rome in 1976, for the same film.

This great storyteller yet has another story to tell with his newest film “Sumeda” the first produced by the National Film Corporation which is already scheduled to be released early next year.

This revolutionary filmmaker has not stopped introducing new talent to the silver screen for even in his latest film talented music director and singer Rukantha Gunathilake has written the musical score for the first time for “Sumedha”.

“It is a sentimental story set to music and it is a social film discussing about divorce which is a very common issue in today’s society. It conveys that the human relationships cannot be broken for any thing in this world specially a relationship like one’s first love,” said Mr. Perera describing his latest direction.

“I hopes this film would be another landmark work in Sri Lankan cinema,” said the filmmaker who was instrumental in introducing many notable changes in the local film industry.

KAW Felicitation and Film Festival
To mark the K. A. W. Perera’s contribution to Sri Lankan cinema, EAP Group has organised a felicitation ceremony on November 19, 2003 at the BMICH and a three-day KAW Film Festival beginning November 16.

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