‘Kithsirimevan’ : A bundle of many talents

By Susitha R. Fernando

Kithsirimevan Jayasena who entered cinema with his debut role as 'Suppuwa', the villain in Titus Totawtte's international award winning film ‘Handaya’ is multi-talent in the world of art, music and cinema. Graduating as a painter from Kelaniya University, Kithsirimevan's hidden talent as an actor was first discovered by the late playwright, Simon Navagaththegama. He then directed this young actor to filmmaker Titus Totwatte who was casting for 'Handaya' by then.

Reminiscing how he was chosen to play in 'Handaya' Kithsiri says "One day Simon Navagaththegama in whose plays I have acted asked me to meet Mr. Totawatta at Hendala Studio,". "Until I went there I didn't know about 'Handaya' or the role I was going to be given". Having done a successful role in his maiden film, Kithsirimevan was not to be in silver screen thereafter. "I got many offers but I did not want to be a joker," he reasoned.

Kithsirimevan Jayasena

Yet he had many more talents yet to be uncovered. Kithsirimevan made his own play titled 'Sagini Uyana' in 1987 and it was chosen for the final round of the State Drama Festival. Inspired by the manner in which maestro Premasiri Khemadasa (who music directed his play) set music to words, Kithsirimevan wanted to try his hands on composing music. And his way of learning composing was interesting. "I first learned to strum the guitar and set the music to the headlines of newspapers," Kithsirimevan said with a grin on his face. And he continued to learn the guitar more and then the keyboard.

Following this he switched over to journalism and worked for nearly a decade as a freelance writer for leading Sinhala newspapers Lankadeepa and a Silumina and number of tabloids and magazines including "Adha', "Heta", "Desa" and 'Kalpana". While working as a journalist, a poem written by him for a competition organised by the National Society of Poets in Washington DC was selected as one of the ten best poems. On invitation Kithsirimevan visited the States.

This journey gave him a fine opportunity to study computer animation and graphic designing. "At the end of my first year, my friends there forced me to go to Los Angeles and continue my studies,". His selection was Computer Animation and Graphic Designing for which he received his degree from the Art Institute of Los Angeles in 2002.

It was during this time that Kithsirimevan who had mastered several medium of arts got the idea fusing them using computer technology. "Today, art has become a multi media transformation of creativity. As an artiste of the21st century, I cannot isolate myself one medium to express myself," Kithsirimevan described.

"I believe that the total out put of my creativity should emerge through the harmony of multi medium technology. If not, I would be trapped in the limited parameters of "Tradition" and fail to drive towards futuristic art,". The result of these ideas were "Rupasuwara Rupanthara Sankramanaya' a compact disc on art and music. The music in this collection of songs was composed by Kithsirimevan with the use of computer. "Why cannot we use the computer to convey deep human emotions? Usually the pictures that we create in computers remain in our mind but not with the music. If we are creative we also can create music that would remain in our hearts forever," Kithsirimevan continues to share his experience.

The art exhibition at 3 pm and the launch of the CD at 6 pm will be held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute lobby and the auditorium. Except one, all the songs are sung by amateurs. Sangeeth Nipun Thanuja Edirisinghe the other songs are sung by first timers including Sandamali Gamage, Victor Ramanayake Upali Herath, Himath Weerasinghe, Madugalla Danusha Arnarasinghe, Menaka Dilrukshi Vithanage and Chamila Kahandakorala.