• The day Lankan storm hit Kuwait
• "Golu Hadawatha" portrays teenage love
• A film off the beaten track
• Vasantha's next ready to roll
• Ray's long road to fame began with 'Little Road'

The day Lankan storm hit Kuwait

Story and Pix by Sanath Weerasuriya in Kuwait

The New Year, according to astrology falls on April 14 each year. Sri Lankans have been celebrating this event enthusiastically since ancient times. The New Year season is a time of joy and happiness, a time of brotherly love and kindness and a time of religious observances as well.

Sri Lankans, wherever they may be, cannot forget these traditional events. Those abroad for years will have nostalgic memories of past celebrations in the motherland and may yearn to be here.

The Sri Lanka Cultural Association in Kuwait, which was formed about fifteen years ago, organised a grand New Year Festival on April 16 at the Al-Mansouriya Football Stadium in Kuwait.

This year's New Year Festival was a total success and the festival was followed by a grand musical and cultural festival in the presence of more than twenty thousand Sri Lankans.

'This is the fourteenth successive year, we organised this 'Avurudu Festival' which inclued traditional events such as 'Kotta Pora', 'Kanaa Muttiya Bindeema', Fancy Dress etc., with usual sports acitivities', said Gamini Wijeratne, the President of the Association.

The other events that took place were usual sports events such as 100, 200, 400 and 5000 metres races, both men and women, six a side cricket and football finals, children's activities and the selection of 'Bak Maha Queen '99'.

The Kuwait Sri Lanka Cultural Association which was founded 15 years ago has done credit for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our Motherland.

The Sri Lankans who serve in the state of Kuwait gathered to this central spot in order to participate in the annual New Year celebrations and festivities whereby national unity and friendship was promoted. The true rural folk life was illustrated thr-ough this festival and the basic steps taken to preserve our national heritage, and for this very reason the Sri Lanka Cultural Association was formed.

Sri Lanka Cultural Association works very closely with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait.

The festivities started in the morning by the lighting of the traditional oil lamp. The representatives from the embassy, the officials of the Association, guests and M.S.M. Liyawdeen, the Deputy General Manager for International Affairs of Bank of Ceylon were present at the occasion.

Bank of Ceylon was the main sponsor of this 'Bak Maha Festival' 1999. There were several other Sri Lankan oriented Companies' rendered their assistance to make the event a success.

"Trico International (Ford) Limited, Alghanim Freight, Falcon Cargo, Ceylon Shipping Lines, Kuwait Catering Company, Suhada Express Mail Centre, West Asia Cargo were some of the leading firms that came forward to sponsor this event,' said Wijeratne.

The celebration was capped with the crowning of the 'Bak Maha Queen' and the raffle draw for a brand new car and other prizes.

The Association said proceeds of this year's festival will be channelled to renovate and equip a ward at Colombo National Hospital for heart patients.

'This project is estimated to cost about Rs. four million and we hope to meet at least half the requirement', said Mrs Thomas, a vice patron of the Association.

The association has been of great assistance to the Sri Lanka Army by way of various donations during the past years, gifts and housing assistance being generously granted for the use of valiant soldiers.

"Golu Hadawatha" portrays teenage love

This picture was taken on the Golu Hadawatha premiere show at Regal Cinema, Colombo.Clad in white is Anula Karunatileka (second from left) and on the extreme right is Wickrema Bogoda.Malkanthi Peiris is also in the picture.

'Golu Hadawatha' (The Silent Heart) the 174th Sinhala film was released on April 24, 1968. The film was based on a popular novel written by journalist film critic and screen writer Karunasena Jayalath. It was directed by Lester James Peries. Ceylon Studios produced it and it won several main awards. The film was so popular that made Karunasena Jayalath to compose a song 'Adarai mamma adarai-Dhammi thavamath adarai' which was rendered by Sisira Senaratna and Indrani Wijebandara.

The main theme of the novel was the broken teenage school love between Damayanthi (Anula Karunatileka) and Sugath (Wickrema Bogoda). The film created a sensation among filmgoers of the time. Teenagers as well as adults flocked to theatres to see the Dhammi - Sugath love affair on screen.

Anula Karunatileka, music director Premasiri Khemadasa, editor Sumitra Peries cinematographer M. S. Ananda and director Lester James Peries were praised by critics in the newspaper columns

Film critic Jayawilal Wilegoda in a review in 'Dinamina' said "the greatest asset in 'Golu Hadawatha' is its director Lester James Peries extracting the best from Anula Karunatileka for the portrayal as the mischievous school girl. In the same review he states that Anula Karunatileka has given a performance that no actress has done so far in a Sinhala film. Music director Premasiri Khemadasa is the next best he stated.

This above picture was taken three decades ago at a party held to felicitate and celebrate the director, artistes and technicians who contributed for the success of the film and winning awards. Anula Karunatileka (now Anula Ranaweera) seen attired in her traditional white costume is on the left and Wickrema Bogoda is on the right. Malkanthi Peiris. is in the centre.

Later Anula Karunatileka married photographer Daya Ranaweera. Even after marriage she continued to act in films. Recently she appeared in T. B. Ilangaratna's 'Amba Yahaluwo'.

A film off the beaten track

By Kumaradasa Wagista.

'Sanda Yahanaya' is the title of the latest film to be made by writer-director Mohan Niyaz. The 'muhurath' ceremony of 'Sanda Yahana' was held recently at 80 Club Colombo with the participation of artistes and technicians. 'Sanda Yahana' is this young filmmaker's sixth feature. He has also directed several tele serials.

The script has already been accepted by the National Film Corporation (NFC) Evaluation Committee, Mohan Niyaz said.

He has deviated from his earlier film themes in'Sanda Yahana', as this film discusses a new theme. It's about land distribution among farmers, mainly in the up-country area. Reactions and changes in social structure because of the land distribution system that came into existence during the pre independence era among farmers is the theme of this feature film.

This film maker is a graduate of the Peradeniya University where he offered Sociology as a subject for the degree. After graduation he passed out as a lawyer and he is expected to take oaths shortly. "My studies in these two fields of of learning, Sociology and Law , is the outcome of this script. I feel that there should be variations in film themes if we are to attract new audiences to enter our cinema houses. " he said. As films made by young filmmakers are coming out attitudes among filmgoers are now gradually changing with the release of films made by the younger group of filmmakers. It is time that we attract youth by making meaningful films".

The story is centered on a farmer (G. R. Perera) with three sons. The eldest son is married. The conflict arises when the second son wants to marry and settle down. The father objects to his marriage because the new daughter-in-law would also be liable to share a portion of the land.

Therefore the father proposes and encourages the practice of polygamy. The second son rejects his father's proposal. "The main reason to the practice of polygamy in these areas was due to the faulty methods adopted in land distribution because the main source of income among the villagers in these areas was farming"he said.

The entire film is scheduled to be filmed by cinematographer Lal Wickremaarachchi, in Udispattuwa where farming is the main occupation of the villagers. He has planned to complete the shooting of the entire film at a stretch but with short gaps.

Sanath Gunatilaka, Mahendra Perera, Ninja Sanath, and Gita Kanthi Jayakody are among those in the cast. The music director is not yet selected.

His last film under production is 'Kalu Sudu Mal'.

It is based on the terrorist movement and is now almost complete. "There is only one scene to be filmed. The filming schedule was postponed due to the unfavourable climatic conditions that prevailed sometime back. I am hoping to start work in it as soon as the weather conditions are normal'he added.

Vasantha's next ready to roll

Filmmaker Vasantha Obeysekare made the final selection for his next film' Perasmudde Mayawa' last week.

It was the selection of the main actor to play opposite Sangeetha Weeraratna.

"After much thought and consideration we decided to assign Kamal Addaraarachchi to play the main actor's role"he said. 'Dorakada Marawa' producer M. K. Sarath Abeysena is the producer of this film also.

Kamal has worked opposite Sangeetha in many successful films earler. This film will only add to the number of films done by her with Kamal Addaraarachchi. Newcomer Pradeep Senanayake will play the next main role. All others who are to star in the film are also selected.

A number of extra artistes will be selected to play in this film which is a tragedy.

Director Obeysekere's latest film is a love triangle where these three artistes will have to play equally well from start to the end of the film. However the title of the film is likelyto be changed before the shooting commences. As usual the script of the film is written by the director himself. A 'mahurat' ceremony will be held before the shooting starts shortly and he is planning to complete work in the entire film before the end of this year.

Ray's long road to fame began with 'Little Road'

The seventh death anniversary of Satyajith Ray fell on April 23. The Calcutta born film maker directed 36 films, both features and documentaries. His first film was 'Pather Panchali', (Song of the Little Road) 1955. 'Pather Panchali' has been voted by over 200 cities as one of the ten best films of all time which is a great achievement for an Asian film maker.

'Pather Panchali' became a trilogy as it was later followed by 'Aparajitho' and 'Apur Sansar'. It was based on a novel written by Bibhutibhushan Banerjee.

However two films intervened before he started the two films to complete the trilogy. His last film was 'Agantuk' (The Stranger) 1991.

He received national and international awards for most of his creations.

Mr Ray enjoyed the rare privilege of visiting Nobel prize winner, painter, philosopher, composer and poet Rabindranath Tagore's university, when he was seven years old. His mother accompanied him to the university. It was this visit that inspired Satyajit Ray to build up a career in the field of arts.

Apart from being a renowned film maker, Satyajit Ray was a short story and science fiction writer. He also edited a monthly magazine popularly circulated among youth. Titled 'Sandesh', (the name of a famous sweet meat of Calcutta), was founded and edited by his uncle Upendra Kishore. After Upendra Kishore's demise the publication too came to an end. Satyajith Ray took over and illustrated it.

He was a teetotaller. His favourite game was chess. It is also stated that he invented a game. His interest in chess was so great that it led to the making of 'Satranj Ke Khilari'(The Chess Player)

He made films mostly with new faces, low budgeted and glamourless. Up to 'Teen Kanya' he assigned professional musicians to compose the musical scores. Later he composed and directed his own music for films. Pundit Ravi Shanker (four films), Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Vilayet Khan are the other music directors who have provided music to his films.

The climax of his career was the rare honour, the Oscar awarded for Lifetime Achievement conferred by the American Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Science. It was to be awarded to Satyajit Ray at the Oscar Awards ceremony held at Los Angeles in 1992.

As Satyajith Ray was too feeble to travel all the way from Calcutta to Los Angeles, the Award was presented by a delegate specially appointed by the Academy to him at an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a Calcutta hospital on March 16, 1992.

Actress Audrey Hepburn presented the citation at the festival amidst thunderous applause. Satyajit Ray's acceptance speech was filmed and screened at the festival. He was born in 1921. He died in 1992.

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