• Bathiya & Santhush: Romancing with music
• Lanka's 'Tom and Jerry' at Universal Studios
• 'Club Palm Bay': An 'all inclusive' resort
• Digital Media World
• Prasanna's new film: a test case

Bathiya & Santhush: Romancing with music

By Ramesh Uvais

They're hot. They're cool. They're a sensation. They're on the most wanted list today - musically of course ! Bathiya (Jayakody) and Santhush (Weeraman) are fully charged and they need no batteries. The duo who virtually created a revolution in the music scene, had their songs zoomed ahead in the top charts.

Their latest album 'Life' will be launched next week. Their parting words were - ENJOY LIFE and I guess "LIFE" should have that extra something to leap straight into your hearts.

I managed to meet Bathiya recently and fired few questions.

Why do you go as 'Bathiya and Santhush' instead of a group name?

"We have seen many groups here that have dried up or split after they are formed, except for a handful. Some members crossover from one group to another, and it's not easy to identify individuals by their groups. That's why we decided to go by our own names".

Not many people are aware how Bathiya had met Santhush. Bathiya was an Anandian and Santhush a Royalist and both were scouts. Bathiya remembers first meeting Santhush during the Scout jamboree at the Viharamahadevi park in 1992.

'What or who influenced you to make some inventive rap and re-mix music creations?'

"In brief, it was due to the music background we were weaned on.I played the piano from the age of six and also studied Eastern and Western music in school. Santhush too had been influenced by music from his early days. The period of study at Maryanne's music school certainly influenced us tremendously."

"But it was Dilup Gabadamudalige who influenced me into this kind of novel experimental music. He said a lot that made sense and really motivated us."

Santhush joined our chat at this stage with an intimate "hi" and a 100 watt-smile.

'What would you call your kind of music? under what category does it fall?'

"Well, it is a combination of east and west", said Bathiya, while Santhush quipped, "A combination of east and west with a blend of Bathiya and Santhush."

They say the youth of the new mellinnium were starving for something they could be identified with and this was the ideal gift catered by Bathiya and Santhush. They initially did this for sheer fun and only with the Colombo market in mind, but today their songs have been instant hits in all four corners of the country.

"There had always been a visible gap between the English speaking and the Sinhala speaking youth in our country. This begins at education levels in schools. we are happy that our attempts of re-mixing and rapping in both languages have helped to bridge this gap to a certain extent", they claim.

'But you are accused of using songs like Siri Sangabodhi. What have you got to say?'

"It's no point talking against anyone. It's better just to prove facts. Siri Sangabodhi was the pop song of the thirties and forties. We know certain people make statements without knowing the history of songs. The best option is to keep quiet- music will speak, but statements don't."

When asked if they had no plans to inject new musical LIFE to the ailing Sinhala cinema, their eyes lit up immediately. "Why not, we would love to - but may be in the future"

The fan mail of Bathiya and Santhush tells another big story. They are virtually snowed under by an avalanche of letters. Their eyes danced when I asked what they felt about their fans. " Believe us, it's a great high and we love all our fans as much as they do.", they beamed.

Before I could wind up I got the addresses of the two guys along with their birthdays for their fans.

Bathiya Jayakody, 115/2, Officers Quarters, Army Headquarters, Colombo (Date of Birth: 22nd December 1976)- Santhush Weeraman, 38/1, Sri Rahula Mawatha, Katubedda, Moratuwa (D/B : 5th September 1977)

Oops!~ I almost forgot to slip in my final question.

"Bathiya and Santhush, can you tell us something about your Love and romance?"

"It's wonderful but we have no time for love and romance - perhaps we should find some time soon. At the moment of course, we are romancing with music," You should have seen the impish smiles on their faces when they said this !

Well, girls, here's something your hearts may please note!

Lanka's 'Tom and Jerry' at Universal Studios

For the first time in the Sinhala film industry, a film is now being shot at the Universal Studios in Hollywood

Roy de Silva, Tennyson Cooray, Sumana Amarasinghe, Jayantha Bopearachchi and Sunil Hettiarachchi left last week for USA for their latest film shooting in America's Universal studios.

This new films named "Tom and Jerry (Love 2001)' will be direct by Roy de Silva .

Some of the Sinhala film were shot in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, England etc. But this is the first time that Sinhala film goes to Universal Studios for its sequence shooting.

The cast includes Roy de Silva, Tennyson Cooray, Sumana Amarasinghe, Jayantha Bopearachchi and Sunil Hettiarachchi.

Tennyson Cooray will be back soon because of his commitment in "Captain Cool", comedy stage drama.

Tom and Jerry will be Produced by Chandran Ratnam

'Club Palm Bay': An 'all inclusive' resort

By Sanath Weerasuriya

Until 1997, nobody had ever heard about 'Thoduwawa', which is a small remote fishing village situated on the North-West costal belt. But Thoduwawa was no longer an unknown place with the star class touch.

The 'Club Palm Bay', the star class tourist resort with 104 spacious chalet type air conditioned rooms and two luxury suites, started its operation in 1997.

The 'Club Palm Bay' (CPB)is on a 22.5 acre land situated in between the lagoon and the sea in Thalawila Wella, Thoduwawa off Marawila.

The hotel is the first 'purpose built-all inclusive' holiday resort, in Sri Lanka.

"Basically the meaning of 'Purpose built all inclusive' is that guests from any part of the world can pay in advance from that end for their total vacation in Sri Lanka.

'They can pay for their food, drink and their stay at Club Palm Bay. The drinks-alcoholic and non-alcoholic are unlimited" Club Palm Bay is the only hotel in Sri Lanka per design for this concept' explained Nishada Periyapperuma, GM, Wornels Reef Hotel, who is running the business at CPB in the absence of General Manager Chang Cey Wen.

'Meals are inclusive of breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, evening tea and snack, dinner and midnight snack. All meals are buffet and spread in three restaurants he said.

Facilities provided to guests in the rooms include attached bath with hot and cold running water, telephones, with IDD facilities, personal safe, satellite TV and piped music.

"Kundira,the main open air restaurant, 'Cutty Sark' speciality restaurant, 'Ran Tambili' Poolside Bar are the three spots of attraction in the hotel. Guests have the privilege of enjoying indigenous Sri Lankan food or international cuisine at in house restaurants.

Kundira restaurant has all the comforts including fine dining buffet and snack type facilities around the clock.

The fresh water pool has a separate kiddies pool. A creche and a day care service is also provided.

Other than as the holiday and leisure outing place, the Club Palm Bay is now getting popular as a conference and workshop venue for local and as well as foreign companies and missions.

A conference room with banquet facilities fully-equipped providing seating accommodation for 350 people and round the clock laundry service is also available. There is also a doctor on call.

Sports and recreation is provided to guests as well as kiddies. A 9-hole pitch and a golf course, with separate putting green are added attractions.

Tennis and table tennis, volleyball, badminton, squash, snooker and billiards, pool, gym, archery, fishing, go-kart racing, canoeing, cycling, paddle, boating, waterwalking and other forms of excursions too have not been overlooked.

'The hotel is basically popular as a family outing place mainly because of the 'kid corner', which has all the facilities . It is the real action centre for kids' he said .

Club Palm Bay will enthrall the visitors with its beautifully laid out landscape and its mouth-watering dishes.

The other attraction of this hotel is the discotheque, where guests can dance to the latest CD songs from around the world. 'Club Palm Bay' is managed by York Hotel Management Services Ltd.

Digital Media World

Even though the latest Hollywood films have started to hit the Sri Lankan silver screens, the video or VCD on small screen would continue to be popular in Sri Lanka.

The latest addition to the movie world is 'Media World', which exclusively caters to the English audience.

Media World (Pvt) Limited started their business in June 2000.

The company has been equipped with more than 1000 VCD's and 500 VHS cassettes in English (action, thrilling horror, comedy) and Hindi.

'Also the company do have a wide range of cartoon movies for children', a spokesman said. The company membership is Rs. 650 annually and members are allowed to take 4 VCD at a time.

The company expects to use new technology to host a website, where members can see the new Hollywood releases and also hopes to send e-mail listing the latest movies to its members. The members who do not have e-mail address company will fax their latest movies to members on request.

Media World also undertakes to provide Satellite Television Channels to any part of the island which, will be divided into two segments, Digital and Analogue, providing some of the channels given below.

Analogue television channels are BBC, ZEE TV, CNN, Sony TV, MTV, ATN, Sun TV, Music Asia, Star Sports, Lakshara, Channel V and DD Sports.

Some of the Digital Television channels are NHK, TV 5, Arirange TV, MCM, DW TV, Raj Digital Plus, Rai TV and Sun Network.

Prasanna's new film: a test case

By Susitha R. Fernando

When the censorship was imposed on May 3, 2000 it was thought that only the print and electronic media would be restricted from publishing or transmitting information relating to national security but it has now been found that the competent authority has authority over the cinematograph films.

This situation has come about when a controversy a rose over talented film maker Prasanna Withanage's internationally acclaimed film "Purahanda Kaluwara" (Death on a full moon day).

With the Supreme Court ruling that the post of competent authority was illegal, the film which underwent many mishaps has finally been allowed to be released on fifth circuit from July 28.

The film, woven around "Wannihamy", acted by veteran actor Joe Abeywickrema who was given an award at the Singapore International Film Festival for his role as a blind father who refuses to accept the death of his son who had joined the army, started in December 1997 and has taken three years for its release due to many problems it had to face.

According to Film Corporation, Chairman Tissa Abeysekara, when the film "Purahanda Kaluwara" was honoured with several international awards it was thought fit that the film be released ahead of seven other films on the fifth circuit holding seven other films back.

But once it was pointed out that matters which may be prejudicial to the interest of national security and relating to the operation of the security forces, should not be screened the director of the film wanted to clear doubts as to whether the film should go under the censorship. And here the competent authority had decided that the film should not be released under the situation the country finds itself in.

The chairman said when inquiries were made from the competent authority after the supreme court ruling, he had said that the director of the film and the Corperation could take a decision over its release. But had added that "certain scenes of the film "Purahanda Kaluwara" portrays the conduct of the soldiers that could affect the morale of the security forces who are engaged in the war at the moment,".

Prasanna Withanage who is determined to share his cinematic experience with his audience despite all these unfortunate incidents said he had to overcome many barriers from the start of the film which was sponsored by the Japanese Broadcasting Coporation (NHK).

In fact he had to change the whole script to keep it in live with what he saw in the areas he went.

Speaking on the theme of war the director said, "Any war is immoral and it affects human dignity and what I have tried to do was to portray a man who keeps his dignity in the midst of a war,"

Describing his pictorial expression he said that, "the story of the film is about the youths I met in Madawachchiya who had become victims of both economy and nature without having jobs and water for cultivation. Their only option was to join the army knowing at least they would get compensation after their deaths and this would help their families",.

"This heart rending story made an impact on me and the biggest honour I could pay to these people was to share this experience with others", he said.

"When I was offered the sponsorship I was determined to make the best film I could direct, but there were many obstacles against it but these obstacles did not discourage me but gave me extra courage and the result was the film," he added.

When a question was raised as to what steps he would take if any problem cropped up to stop the film after it was released, the young director confidently said "this is a rare opportunity where an artist gets a chance to put himself into a testing situation and I am ready to face it,".

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