New venue for Dream Team

The popular 'Blue Leopard' to revamp

By Sanath Weerasuriya

'Dream Team', the popular show and dance band will start their stint at the 'Habour Room' at Grand Oriental Hotel from October 2.

Dream Team will be in action at 'Harbour Room' every Friday and Saturday throughout the season.

Also they will be the first band in action after many years at the revamped 'Blue Leopard' night club from December this year.

According to the General Manager of the GOH, Lalith Jayawardena, The 'Leopard', the past glory at night, will come alive from December this year.

"It was the 'night spot' during the seventies and in early eighties. But unfortunately it has to be closed down due to various reasons. Now the renaissance is on and the 'Leopard' will 'live' again soon," Jayawardana said.

Dream Team left Mount Lavinia Hotel last week leaving its night club Little Hut high and dry.

'I think we made a correct move to come to 'Harbour Room' from the 'Hut'. Soon we will be in action at the Leopard. It is from a traditional to another traditional place,' said Malcolm Perera, the manager of Dream Team.

Together with Dream Team, Footwork DJs will also be in action at the 'Harbour Room'. There will be an exhibition, Latin American dance sport from the 'Footwork' every Friday.

" 'Harbour Room' is a fine dining place and it will continue as an exclusive family dining place. Though we introduced a pupular band for 'Harbour Room' it won't be a discotheque. Only we will be encouraging people to dance and enjoy their evening. Footwork dancers will break the ice and I hope many people will join them on the floor," said Keerthi Pelpola, the Food and Beverage manager of the hotel.

Dream Team now comprises Suresh Joseph on lead guitar, Jude Mowjood on drums, Sunith de Silva on keyboards, Hashendra Fernando on bass, Shian on vocals and Natasha Fernando & Chamari Perera also on vocals.

Grand Oriental Hotel: The old lady of Fort

By Sanath Weerasuriya

Within sight of the Colombo harbour at the extremity of York Street in dusty Colombo Fort, stands a hotel with a history of more than hundred years - The Grand Oriental Hotel (GOH).

Through the years GOH underwent many changes including its name and is now back to her old beauty and charm. The beginnings of the hotel can be traced to August 1875, in a building which served as the first military barracks in the country and was built in 1837.

The ownership of the hotel changed hands, several times over the years. In the early sixties, the name of the hotel was changed to Taprobane. The first manager of the hotel was J. C. Wheeler, who earlier was at the Galle Face Hotel in a similar capacity.

Long before the tourist hotel concept came into being, the GOH stood invitingly on the harbour front beckoning the seafarer to savour its hospitality. By the turn of the century the GOH boasted 154 rooms. An added attraction was a tropical garden where patrons could relax to the strains of the hotel band.

The GOH became popular not only with ships' passengers in the early days but also with Colombo City residents. The hotel also acquired a reputation for ballroom dancing and its crockery and furniture were adopted for fahionable use as GOH plates and GOH chairs.

The Billiard room, Palm Court and Dining Hall for 300 persons were still more added qualificatoins. The view of the harbour especially when the ships were illuminated at night was a spectacle without equal and added to the romanticism of the hotel.

The most popular place in the hotel is the Harbour Room; where the view lends enhancement to service in an atmosphere of homely ambience.

'Harbour Room' is very popular during dinner time. We have theme nights from Monday to Saturday. Harbour Room, though more onto romantic setting, is a family dining place, specially on Fridays, Saturdays when we get lot of family bookings for dinner, said Keerthi Pelpola who was recently appointed as the Food and Beverage manager of the GOH and is also in charge of entertainment. According to Keerthi, Executive Lunch at the lobby in traditional style and Sunday lunch is very popular among the guests.

During the early sixties to late eighties. GOH was 'the hotel' for night revellers with popular 'Blue Leopard' and 'Harbour Room' as the best fine-dining place in the city.

"Blue Leoparol' and 'Hut' were the only two places for young folks during the seventies and early eighties, but with the other night spots and with different management 'Leopard' had to close down. Now it is time to revamp the good old tradition," said Keerthi.

In 1991 the completely re-furbished hotel was re-opened for business under its original name GOH, under the government guidance.

'Step by step we are bringing the old charm back to the hotel and under that scheme, we hope to open 'Blue Leopard' by the end of this year' explained Lalil Jayawardena, the General Manager of the Hotel.

The hotel has three main banquet halls Satin Room, Rainbow Room and Lotus Room.

'Lotus Room' the main ballroom, has the capacity to accommodate 600 persons. This is ideally suited for dances, seminars and exhibitions with eye catching decor and equipped with all accessories. Rainbow Room can accomodate 350 guests. This is the hotel's main wedding reception hall. Satin Room is for a selected crowd. Private parties, dinners and Board meetings.

'We hope to improve 'Taprobane Lounge' and the main Lobby with new decor to give a traditional touch. But at the moment we have more emphasis on 'Harbour Room', which is the main attraction with live music from the best band in town - 'Dream Team' Keerthi explained.

'Dorakada Marawa' release on fifth circuit

"Dorakada Marawa' is scheduled to be released in the fifth circuit cinema halls from October 2,National Film Corporation sources said.

Sanath Gunatileka,Sangeetha Weeraratne,G.W.Surendra,Sathischandra Edirisinghe,Veena Jayakody,play the main roles in this film which is written and directed by Vasantha Obeysekera

The premiere will be held at Regal Cinema on October 2,production sources said.

The film begins with the death of a just wed couple in a car crash.

Director Obeysekera has presented the film on the basis of two layers moving independently of each other,one going from the present to the past revealing how the various interested parties interpreted the cause that led to this accident.The other moves from the past to the present showing what really happened to the couple and what led to their unexpected death.

Jayanath Gunawardena is cinematographer.Rohana Weerasinghe is the music director. Sarath Abeysena is its producer while Devapriya Abeysinghe is executive producer.

Riddle of frauds in cinema halls

Investigation Officers of the National Film Corporation (NFC) have detected a number of frauds practiced in cinema halls in Colombo and outstations, NFC sources said.Investigations are been carried out to find out details how the operations have being carried out.It is estimated that a good slice of income that should be credited to the producer and NFC is fraudulently taken by these cinema employees.

It has been found out that 153 patrons have been admitted into a cinema hall in the outstations without issuing tickets to them but the usual rate been charged.Already several cinema halls have been closed by NFC until investigations are completed."This blatant robbery has been taking place even in a Colombo cinema and other main centre cinema halls taking the owners by surprise "NFC sources said.

It has also been found out that in certain cinema halls tickets already sold are re-issued to patrons.The modus operandi,according to NFC sources is to accept cash while issuing the ticket and request the patron to come back with the counterfoil to give the balance money as there is no change ."The balance money is given when the patron produces the counterfoil after seeing the film Later the portion of the ticket retained in the gate is tallied with the running number and re sold" NFC sources said."The reselling is for the next show on the same day"

A Colombo Cinema hall eemployer has already taken action against an employee who was found committing such an offence.Other cinema hall owners also should act likewise.It's a pity that there are a few cinema hall owners who encourage their employees to commit these fraudulent acts.NFC sources said.

NFC is investigating into these allegations and action will be taken against those found guilty of such acts.

Meanwhile NFC seeks the co -operation of patrons to report to them giving details of any such acts committed in cinema halls with the name of the cinema .

Lester's works appear among the top ten

By Kumaradasa Wagista.

'Gamperaliya' has been selected as one of theTop Ten Asian Films of all time.The film is an adoptation of Martin Wickremesinghe's novel of the same title.

The doyen of the Sinhala novel had his 22nd.death anniversary and the 20th.anniversary of the founding of the folk museum at Koggala commemorated recently.

The honour of turning'Gamperaliya'into an outstanding film goes to that remarkable film director Lester James Peries.

Two more films directed by Mr Peries 'The Line of Destiny' (Rekawa-1956) and'The Treasure'( Nidhanaya 1970) have also been included among the Top Ten Films of all time.

Gamini Fonseka,Henry Jayasena and Punya Heendeniya play the leading roles in 'Gamperaliya'.

'Rekawa' was Mr Peries' first feature film which created a sensation when it was released.Ananda Weerakoon and Mallika Pilapitiya appeared in the main characters.

"Nidhanaya' was based on a story written by G.B.Senanayake .Gamini Fonseka and Malani Fonseka played the main roles.

Thirty five prominent film personalities comprising film directors ,actors writers,critics,and film festival directors have made the selections,with each selecting ten films in order of merit.

Calcutta based film director,author and actor Chidananda Das Gupta has rated 'The Changing Village'(Gamperaliya) directed by Lester James Peries the third in order of merit.Akira Kurosawa's 'The Throne of Blood' (1957) has being selected to the first place and Hou Hsiao-Hsien's"A City of Sadness (Taiwan-1989) has been placed second out of his ten bests.

Tadao Sato who has written over sixty books on Asian and Japanese cinema and director of Fukuoka Focus on Asia International Film Festival has rated "Nidhanaya' as the fourth out of the ten films as his choice.The first in his list is Akira Kurosawa's 'Ikiru'(To Live-1952).'Tokyo Story 'directed by Yasujiro Ozu (Japan-1953) is second.

Author of among other books' An Outline of Egyptain Cinema ,' 'The Cinemas of India' and co- author of 'Guide des Films ',Yves Thoraval, has placed Mr Peries' "Nidhanaya'to fifth place out of ten films.The first is Abbas Kiarostami's 'Where Is My Fathers Home ?'(Iran-1989)."A Simple Event'(Iran-1973) has being placed second. Rating the Top Ten Asian Films of all time by film scholars was organised by 'Cinemaya',the official Journal of Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) edited by Aruna Vasudev.

Polhena Reef Garden Hotel: exciting place in South

Pix and Story by Sanath Weerasuriya

The "Coral Reef of the South Western Coast is situated at Polhena' Matara.

Popular 'Polhena beach' is just 99 miles south of Colombo. This unspoiled beach is mainly patronized by the locals and one of the main attractions is the Polhena Reef Garden Hotel.

Though it is not a popular destination for posh Colombo clients, Polhena Reef Garden Hotel is fully booked during most of the weekends. That is basically because of the people who visited the place once, wanted to come back for the second time.

'Polhena Reef Garden Hotel' is the biggest hotel in the area, which has eighteen rooms with most modern facilities.

When I visited, 'Polhena Reef Garden' a couple of weeks ago, the very first thing I noticed was the courteous service of the staff. Though the hotel is not in par with star class hotels, the service was simply the best and I think it was better than the so called 'top' hotels in the city.

Reef Garden promotes the beautiful beach at Polhena, which is protected by the coral reef.

"Anyone can walk about two hundred yards into the sea in the mornings and it is calm and clear. The sea is perfectly safe for even little children. Most of the locals from the area do come for day outings and it is still not popular among holiday makers from Colombo,'' said Stanley Fernando the Manager of the hotel.

All rooms have private balconies, hot and cold water, piped music and telephone facilities.

The unique thing in this hotel is the private party garden facing the beach with a small hall, bar-be-que facility and mobile bar.

' We hire this place for private beach parties mainly during the day for groups, who come for sea bathing. The catering is handled by the hotel. During nights in weekends it turns into a bar-be-que place. Sometimes the guests from other hotels come for this bar-be-que parties explained Thushitha Amarasena the Assistant Manager of the hotel.

Also the hotel has a large conference hall, which can accommodate about 250 people and another small room for private gatherings less than 30 people.

Beach Safaries with snowkleens are quite popular with foreign guests.

'Day excursions are also popular among overseas visitors. Star Fort in Matara, the famous Veherahena temple, Hummanaya, Devundara Devalaya, Vavuru Kannala and Sinharaja forest are some of the top attractions in day excursions,' explained Thushita.

A well stocked bar is another attraction in this resort, where, I have seen some of the guests from other hotels and guest houses in the area coming during the night for the magical tranquillity of the place.

Polhena Reef specializes in sea food dishes. Fresh fish from the sea and home grown vegetables are some of the favourites among visitors.

'We buy fresh fish, prawns, crabs etc. direct from the beach and we have a large garden of vegetables, which caters about 75% of the hotel's needs. No chemical fertilizers neither insecticide are used on vegetables,' said Mr. Fernando.

Polhena Reef Hotel, together with the Mayor of Matara, GA, Police and other interested parties have come forward to protect the Coral Reef from destruction.

'This is the only reef remaining in the southern belt and we have to protect it. Everybody has got-together and I hope people will co-operate in this project,' said Thushita.

The Delhi Lens

Delhis's night spots glitter

Delhi boasts of 55 bars, 8 discotheques and 3 cabarets. Most of the bars have interesting names such as Drums of Heaven, Ego, Snob, Machan (not our Machans) Tavern, The Quiet Place and Thugs. Moets is a popular bar situated at Defence Colony. Thank God its Friday (TGIF) is at the posh Vasant Vihar and is very crowded most of the time. Henris is a 20th floor Le-Meridien Bar. Delhi lights and Delhi nights look so beautiful from this 20th floor bar specially when your head starts turning. Polo lounge at the Hyatt Regency has a lovely and very cozy atmosphere. Very inviting place for a drink.

Cabarets are at the Ababa, Indira, Blue Star. No big deal, just Cabarets. Discotheques are Annabelles at Hilton. CJS at Le Meridien, Fire Ball at 32 milestone, Ghiungroo at the Mayura Sheraton, Mirage at Surya Hotel, My Kind of Place at Taj, Some Place Else at Park Hotel and Wheels at Ambasador Hotel. Fire Ball, Ghungro and My kind of Place are the most popular Discotheques. But come Friday to Sunday all the discotheques are packed. But unlike in Colombo, ladies don't get free entrance. Charges for couples range from Rs. 100 to 500/- Mirage and Fire Ball are situated far from Delhi Centre. But they can't stop the Music as the vehicles roar to the spots. Fire Ball is at the Jaipur Highway and it's gaining popularity day-by day - with excitement galore.

Ghungroo at Maurya Sheraton has been swinging since 1978 and is India's longest surviving and most successful Disco. It is the world's second oldest discotheque. It completed 20 years of Dance and Music on July 29. The first is Raffles in London which has celebrated 21 years. Ghungroo's sound system is very expensive and top of the line. Their music varies from Pop, Rock, Soul, Calypso, Rock and Roll to Hindi film songs and bhangra. But what I find most interesting is the glass dance floor that invites you to jump in and move on . DJ Sunny Sarid has been with Ghungroo for 13 of its 20 years. Ghungroo is one hell of a place. Just try it out when in Delhi.

Go Karting and Bowling have become a craze in Delhi recently. So far only two venues provide Go Karting mainly in the nights. The Destination Point and the Fire Ball is expected to catch on as people just want to sweat out, be it dance or Karting. The bowling centres in Delhi are on the increase, as it has caught the fancy of the fun loving crowd in the capital. Some of the bowling alleys dotted around the city are Metro Fire, Leo's World, Little Paradise, First Ball and Future Bowl. A single bowling game costs Rs 100/- during non- peak hours from 11.00 am. in the morning to 5.00 in the evening, the peak hour price is Rs 150/-. Now the Delhites are bowling their blues away seeing those Ten Pins topple down.

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