From playing the drums at a club for six consecutive summers and donating blood to save a life to being a medical doctor and directing a film, this man has done it all.
Kapila Krishantha Sooriyaarachchi, Communication Specialist for the Health Education Bureau fulfils his duties as a medical doctor while pursuing his passion for the performing arts.
“When I was a small boy I wanted to be a pilot,” says Kapila adding with a grin “but that was just the phase where all boys wanted to be pilots.” He was into sports while studying at Ananda Central College Elpitiya but by the time he moved to D.S Senanayake College, Colombo Kapila had found his other passion-the arts.
“While still at school, I also used to work for the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC),” he says, mainly cultural programmes as a voice artist. He fondly remembers Karunaratne Abeysekera whom he considers his guru in radio broadcasting.
The experience he gained at SLBC was of much value to Kapila and his prowess in this field is proved by the numerous awards he won, for Best Singer National Competition (by the National Youth Council), Best Actor (at the National Youth Festival), Best Drama Producer (by the National Youth Festival) and Best Announcer National Competition (by the National Youth Council).
When a scholarship offered by the Government to pursue higher studies in India or Russia came his way, he headed for Russia. “My parents hoped that pursuing my higher education in the medical field I would forget my interest in the arts,” he laughs. He recalls his father’s words spoken so long ago, “You can be an actor anytime; you cannot be a doctor anytime.” Now, a doctor, he realizes the truth of these words and is deeply grateful for his parents’ advice.
Kapila entered the L’vov State Medical Faculty USSR and a short while later when a drama competition was organized within the city he could not resist the opportunity. Language proved to be a barrier so he opted to enact a mime. To his surprise, his mime was adjudged the best.
Following his success at the competition, he was summoned by the Dean of the Faculty. who wanted to know why Kapila was doing medicine adding that he was too good an actor to be a doctor! The Dean had then offered to put him in touch with the Drama and Theatre Faculty. Kapila continued with his medical course while simultaneously following a diploma in Drama and Theatre. However, he could not sit for the exam as he was allowed to graduate in only one course.
“My years in Russia were a truly great learning experience,” reminisces Kapila.
In addition to all of this Kapila would visit the UK during vacations and do odd jobs. He got a chance to play the drums at a club in UK for six years each summer. “As a result I earned some money which I spent having fun with my friends,” he laughs.
On his return he was posted to Polonnaruwa for his internship where he had many memorable experiences. He recalls a day during the war when there were around 100 injured persons admitted to the hospital. Surgeries were performed for two days running. He together with another assistant had to help the Cuban military surgeon. By the time they reached the last patient they were short of blood.
Though there was no lack of donors, the task of finding a suitable donor and performing the transfusion would take at least 25 minutes. Further, direct transfusion within the hospital was prohibited. However, Kapila was adamant that he could give a direct transfusion as the patient was dying right before their eyes and they were battling for time. The surgeon who had not been able commence the surgery due to the lack of blood was therefore able to start operating. Kapila watched as his blood was transferred. “I was able to save a life,” he says quietly adding that “I would have been guilty if I had not done that.”
When the newspapers carried the story General Denzil Kobbekaduwa visited the hospital.
The General’s words to Kapila ‘you are a son of the country’ were reward enough for him, he says.
Kapila’s one-episode drama Tharaniya staged in 2000 was adjudged the best health education programme in 2004 at the State Teledrama Awards at the Telefestival organized by the Cultural Ministry. He also produced a serial drama called Dollospaya which had 12 episodes. This was based on tuberculosis and won many awards
Currently working as a Communications Specialist for the Health Education Bureau he is involved in creating teledramas, leaflets, posters, banners and other awareness programmes on tuberculosis, malaria and Dengue.
Having studied music therapy in Australia, the ever-energetic Kapila has started a community based music therapy programme called Sala Nisala. He wrote the lyrics for 85 songs and has involved more than 35 composers in this project.
Kapila hopes to launch his new film in August/September 2011 called Prathiroo (Iconic inspiration) where he plays the role of his personal hero General Denzil Kobbekaduwa. Set in the final stages of the war and the post war period stressing on inter-racial harmony, the film also emphasizes the respect due to a mother and motherland and weaves in various real life incidents that had taken place during the war. |
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