Gihan Fernando: Manifestation of an exuberant career in theatre
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Gihan in a scene from the play ‘Ada Kale Antigone’
Gihan Adrian Camil Fernando the award winning acclaimed actor, playwright, comedian, and singer is acknowledged and identified by those who are passionate pertaining to the theatre as a superlative and noble actor, in all probability more than anything else, for his flamboyance. He portrays his characters so precisely and energetically gripping and holding all audiences spellbound.
Gihan hailing from Wattala has had his education at De Mazenod College Kandana where he had excelled at studies and shone in soccer as a sport. After leaving school he had been employed for a few years during which period he had studied about theatre under numerous foreign theatre directors through the British Council and other related places. Initially Gihan had got the opportunity to portray roles under a number of directors including late Somalatha Subasinghe, K. B. Herath, Rajitha Dissanayake, Ravindra Ariyaratne and Dharmapriya Dias.
The Silver jubilee of his acting career in theatre, the medium of arts which Gihan cherished most was celebrated in a novel manner over a year ago presenting a theatre festival titled “Ma Dakina Mama” which was held at the Lionel Wendt Theatre Colombo culminating with a festival dinner with a stand up show emulating the actors in European countries giving the opportunity for enthusiasts to meet him. The stand up show had consisted of many items including clips from Wattala Giha and Maharagama Kumar the popular two man show.
Gihan with his able colleague Kumara Thirimadura had successfully compiled a joint venture “Wattala Giha with Maharagama Kumara” a dual entertaining concert which has been successfully shown to audiences in USA and European countries. This show would be shown shortly to our audiences. Both Gihan and Kumara show abundant singing talents which is the hall mark of this show.
Enormously gratified by his success in theatre, Gihan was invited to play in the mini screen for his first Tele drama ‘Hiru Kumari’ directed by Nalan Mendis over two decades ago. However Gihan does not consider television as a form of art anyway. He had confessed that Television was merely a business which cannot be classified as an art. According to confession of Gihan who is although one of the most sort after actors today the satisfaction one gets in acting in stage drams is enormous which is not found in depicting roles in tele dramas. He had lamented that acting is his profession he cannot be choosy when invited to portray role in teledramas.
It is pertinent to mention that several media personnel and enthusiastic fans have inquired about the tummy of Gihan which is of an obsessive nature. He had confessed that it was a natural tummy and if any director needs him to act with a reduced tummy he could oblige, but at an enhanced fee. He had said that he has no issues with his tummy as it was for onlookers.
- Sunil Thenabadu