Shoba shows three nights a week

Tissa Madawela's production, the tele-drama 'Shoba', which is telecast three nights a week at present on ITN in Sri Lanka, carries a very robust and moral advice to the young generation of Sri Lanka.

The main character in the drama, Shoba, a young girl, inherits substantial wealth following her parent's death in a fatal car crash. As an orphan she moves in to her aunt's home where she comes across a calculating man who manages to steal her heart with falsehood. Simultaneously she associates with a tuition teacher who shows some affection towards her but she fails to recognize his interest in her. Finally Shoba ends up marrying the swindler, and it becomes too late to find out about his devious intentions of plundering her wealth. However, providence plays a significant role in saving her from an impending calamity when the teacher comes to her rescue to help her.

The film stars of more than 40 artistes including Palitha Silva, Nadeesha Hemamali, Sanath Wimalasiri, Wijeratne Warakagoda, Vishaka Siriwardena, Sunil Hettiarachchi, Indika Ginige, Miyuri Samarasinghe, Isan Gammudali, Nanda Wickrama, Saman Almeida, Ravindra Mapitigama, and was filmed using DVCAM equipment which was new to Sri Lanka at that time.

Chandraratne Mapitigama directed the teleplay in which all its locations are confined to in and around the Kandy area. Shoba was presented by Ranjith Fernando of Televista.

Tissa Madawela prior to leaving for in the UK 30 years ago was attached to the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. He gained experience in the cinematic field by working alongside with GDL Perera on Dahasak Sithuwili, Romeo and Juliet Kathawak, Wasantha Obeysekera's Walmath Uwo, Dharmasena Pathiraja's Ahas Gauwa and Wimal Waidyasekera's Tharange.

In London he worked as an associate producer with GDL Perera in the first ever Sinhala teledrama, produced in the UK in 1981 (Rata Giya Aththo). Subsequently he worked with GDL Perera's Samanala Gamanak teledrama, followed by Ira Bata Tharuwa jointly produced by Lilani Perera and Sriyani Amarasena under the direction of Sudath Rohana. Some of the other London productions where Tissa Madawela was involved were Sasara Wasana Thuru directed by Gamini Abeysinghe and Sihina Paradeesay directed by Sujeeva Niunhella whose editing was done by Tissa Madawela while the handling of the camera was done by his son Anupa Madawela, who graduated from Shefield University in film making.