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A pioneer writer of teledramas…
Teledramas, the most popular programme ever
since the advent of TV 15 years ago, have virtually become synonymous with
one name, that of Somawira Senanayake.
 Meeting
him recently, I found that inspite of his resounding success as a script
writer of teledramas for over a decade, he has hardly changed - either
in his simplicity or the mild mannered ways, from the early sixties when
we were colleagues at Lake House. Even his physique is what it was three
decades ago.
Somawira is one of those rare journalists who was keen on an academic
career.
From his first degree from Sri Jayawardenapura (then Vidyodaya) University,
he moved on to do a diploma in creative writing and thereafter obtained
his Master's degree. In the meantime, he gained recognition as a fiction
writer when he was chosen the Best Novelist of the Year thrice. No sooner
television came in, he was quick to grab the opportunity to write teledrama
scripts. The success of his maiden attempt - Palingu Menike (directed
by Dhamma Jagoda) - made him continue. He wrote scripts based on the three
award winning novels written by him - Yashoravaya (directed by Parakrama
Niriella), Mawakage Geetaya (Sugath Senaratne) and Menik Nadiya
Gala Basi (Ananda Abeynayake). Somawira's record of teledramas todate
is quite an achievement. He has 20 full length and 40 single episode teledramas
to his credit. He was also responsible for the longest teledrama to date
- the popular Doo Daruwo, which had 230 episodes. Nedeyo,
the successor to Doo Daruwo (currently being screened) has 100 episodes.
And he is right now writing a 52 episode teledrama. He has also done around
20 documentaries.
He is also the first script writer to write a Sinhala teledrama based
on an English novel. He took up this challenge when Lester James Peries
invited him to work on Punyakante Wijenaike's Giraya. Somawira's skill
in building unforgettable characters makes him stand out among other script
writers. Who will ever forget Weerasekera, the government pensioner (G
W Surendra) and his wife Sudu Hamine (Iranganie Serasinghe) or their dutiful
son Baladeva (Lucky Dias) in "Yashoravaya?" He is also
clever in developing different types of characters. Surasena, the showman
(Sriyantha Mendis), Paul Mahattaya ("I know the law"),- Hemasiri
Liyanage), Kandegedera Bala Mahattaya (Rohana Beddage) and George, the
stubborn proprietary planter (Henry Jayasena) are just a few examples.
His description of how he finds the material to develop the varying types
of characters is fascinating. But that's another story.
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