TV Times

TV Times

Daya Rajapakse: Comic strip writer turned script writer
By Susitha R. Fernando
Daya Rajapakse, comic strip writer started his career drawing comic strips for newspapers in the 1960s. The film directors who were entranced by the character sketches wanted to give these characters life by making outstanding films which brought international recognition to them. Some others who realised the suitability of his catchy and remarkable dialogues which ideal for films, invited him to write film scripts. Later he was introduced to the stage and the miniscreen as well as a script writer.

Daya Rajapakse became a legend as he won awards for his skilful concept as a writer beginning his career as writer of comics. Born to a family of teachers, literature lovers, singers and artistes, drawing and painting was not something new to Mr. Rajapakse. Attracted to the cowboy stories of Roy Rogers, Rod Cameron and Errol Flynn in American comics books, Daya Rajapakse who was a skilled painter took up drawing comic strips. In 1950s then a young man in his twenties, Daya went to Lake House with a story he had drawn.

This was to get it published in Silumina newspaper but it was rejected. Undeterred, the young comic strip writer kept on drawing and the story that was rejected was later published in the same newspaper due to his great demand. And it was the beginning of a journey of the most successful comic strip story writer who is now in his sixties continuing with his non-stop career.

Working for nearly sixteen hours day Daya continues to draw. He writes a poetry column in the Sunday Lankadeepa newspaper, "Madissale", which has been published continuously for the last 18 years could be a world record. He also writes pocket cartoons to almost all the Sinhala publications of Wijeya Newspapers, which includes "Mr. Married" for Tharunaya the youth publication and "Mithuru" for the women's weekly "Sirikatha".

Daya Rajapakse was introduced to the cinema with his comic strip story "Hulawali" drawn for Sarasaviya newspaper in 1970s. The film made by W. B. de Silva under the same title was Gamini Fonseka's award winning film and he won an OCIC award and Critics award and the film was also the first Sri Lankan representation for the Tuscan international film festival.

Award winning film maker Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne's debut "Anupama" was based on Daya's comic strip story. By now about 15 of his stories were made into films, Maknithi Suwaya, Suboda, Raththa , Niwan Dakna Jathi Dakwa, Niliyakata Pemkala, Ahimi Dadayama and Malani Fonseka's Sasara Chethana to name a few.

Next Daya Rajapakse was invited to write scripts for a stage play and this was followed by a large number of invitations for teledramas. Up to date he had written over 40 scripts for teledramas and he continues to get more scripts assignments for dramas.

Meanwhile Daya Rajapakse is one of the few of the initial staff members of Wijaya Newspaper's Limited from its inception in 1979. Energetic Rajapakse said "the cover page of the first newspaper published by the company "Dasuna" Sinhala tabloid comic newspaper was drawn by me".

"I love what I do so I am dedicated to it. Even now I continue to draw and write for sixteen hours daily," said the energetic writer. "Thanks for the encouragement given by my close associates like Gamini Fonseka who among others insisted that I should do a film but due to my other engagement I missed it. But I have no regrets I am quite happy with what I have done and what I have achieved" said Daya Rajapakse satisfactorily.

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