• Blue Leopard is the same By Sanath Weerasuriya
• Fatal Knights at Little Hut
• Filling a much needed void in script writing 
• RK banner unfurls golden jubilee
• An amateur becomes professional director
• India's Nightingale vows to carry on after the honour 

Blue Leopard is the same By Sanath Weerasuriya

The most unique thing is the 'Leopard' back on its feet with the Valentine celebration. Sunday 14 is the cupid day, specially designed for lovers. 

Blue Leopard was the best night spot during the seventies and was the first ever venue of this nature. 

According to the General Manager of the GOH, Lanil Jayawardena, the revamped Leopard was a big project and it was a challenge for him. 

'When I started this project last October people laughed at me. But today 'Blue Leopard' has become the best night club in town. The highest quality sound and light equipment was flown down from Singapore. The latest technology is used without killing the traditional value of this place', he explained. 

The popular band Dream Team will be in action at the Leopard on Fridays, Saturdays and on Wednesdays too. 

The Food and Beverage Manager, Keerthi Pelpola, who is also in charge of the entertainment said Dream Team will dish out their very best as they are the band set to continue the music, where the 'Grace' stopped some twenty years ago. 

The Blue Leopard consists of a bar with local and foreign beverages at prices you wouldn't believe and has a variety of snack menus. Special lobby area next to the bar allows easy access, with a spacious dance floor all to boogie woogie, Keerthi said. 

The special Valentine' s Day bash is on with the Dream Team, backed by footwork DJs. 

Every gent gets a gift and every lady gets a Valentine's Souvenir at the entrance. 

What's more there will be special competitions throughout the night. The longest kiss, spot dancing, Blue Leopard Valentine's Queen, most romantic couple, ticket draw, are some of them. 

First five couples who dine at the Harbour Room are entitled to free entrance to the night club. 

The Blue Leopard was the most popular night club then. Moreover its opening at the same place, with an equally good menu and music that could rank with the best band in town said Malcom Perera of Dream Team. 

Future plans for Blue Leopard are many. Foreign guests DJ's theme nights, are some. 'The Dream Girls' the female version of Dream Team' will continue on Fridays and Saturdays at the Harbour Room while the 'Dream Team' will rock the 'Leopard'. 

Fatal Knights at Little Hut

They perform every Friday and Saturday at the Hut. The boys, completing a successful stint at "Why Not" in Hikkaduwa, are now doing their way of rock and reggae sounds at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. 

They also performed at the Rock Blast 98" concert last December, with 'Rattle Snake'. 

'We hope to release a couple of our originals soon on audios said their leader Ranga Handunetti. 

'Fatal Knights' consists of Ranga Handunetti ( Band Leader/ Vocals) Chaminda Dantila Amarasiri ( Guitar/ Vocals) Nishantha Abrew (Keyboards/ Vocals) Sunimal Alles (Lead) Sameera Weerasinghe (Bass) and Chaminda Karunaratne (Drums). 

Filling a much needed void in script writing 

By Kumaradasa Wagista.

A good script could help the film at the box office.So,realising the need for this the National Film Corporation (NFC) has decided to conduct a course on script writing in films theatre, radio and television,NFC Research, Planning and Development Department sources said.Although the date of commencement of this course is not yet decided arrangements have been made to conduct it from March in Colombo." There is a dearth of creative film and television screen writers today. Excellent scripts are essential to produce healthy meaningful films. Therefore the NFC decided to program this course as the first step for 1999"NFC sources said.The media of instruction will be Sinhala.

Those who possess an aptitude for writing in the creative side, like story telling and performing arts such as cinema,theatre,tele -plays,tele films,tele serials, radioplays are eligible to apply to follow this course."However depending upon the availability of placements, interested persons from other disciplines of learning also would be considered,"NFC sources said.

The proposed course will be conducted during weekends commencing from March.However Sinhala and Hindu New Year,Easter,Vesak ,May Day will be excluded.

As NFC expects many applicants the closing date of applications giving full bio data etc. has been fixed for February 19.A fee of Rs 500/- will be charged from each applicant.Such applications should be forwarded to NFC Chairman by registered post. 

RK banner unfurls golden jubilee

Twenty six years later Rishi Kapoor makes his debut as a film director with 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen' to mark fifty years of unfurling R.K.Banner.Following the traditional style of his late father 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen' is also a love story twisted into a family drama with music and filmed capturing beautiful locations. 

It was Raj Kapoor's desire that his sons ( Randir Kapoor,Rishi Kapoor and Rajeev Kapoor) would take over the banner after him.

Randir Kapoor made his debut as a director with 'Dharam Karam'(1975) 'Henna' was his second film which was acclaimed as a remarkable film..It is very unfortunate that Raj did not live to see 'Henna'which was another Raj's favourite film.In fact Raj Kapoor was present in the studio when the songs were recorded for 'Henna'.As anticipated by their father his three sons will work as a team keeping the RK banner flying.

An amateur becomes professional director

Filmmaker Hemasiri Sellaperuma is one who joined this scheme by making 'Sara Polowa Jayabimai' and entered the film industry. He claims to have directed 40 feature films since then." Jeevanthi' was his debut film." As a schoolboy I saw Gamini Fonseka's performance in 'Ranmuthu Duwa' and was so taken up that my interest in films has brought me to the present position. He recalled how he worked undergoing difficulties like breaking rest and stress as a clapper boy under veterans like K.A.W.Perera and Tissa Liyanasuriya.

His second film was 'Sath Veni Dawasa' (1981). 'No 17' another feature film made by him ran for over 200 days. Hemasiri laments the current crisis befallen on the local film industry." High costs in producing, closure of many cinemas plus sky rocketing cost of living have made the filmgoer desert cinema houses "he said. He adds that hold over figures are seldom met as cricket matches are given prominence.

Local films that are taken out from the first run theatres suffer as many theatres in the remote areas are not functioning.

"Another drawback in our film production is the lack of latest equipment to produce quality films. Although we talk of high technology some equipment we use are outdated." Special awards should be presented to our directors and technicians for making films using these equipment. Director Prasanna Vithanage is a great man in this respect and deserves more encouragement to do films" he added.

Hemasiri has had the privilege of shooting our films in Bangkok, India and London.He is glad that Directors of Photography M.A. Gaffoor and G.Nandasena enjoyed this facility at the producers expense. He has also introduced several new faces to the film industry. Maureen Charuni,Tennyson Cooray, Vincent Karu,music director Mohan Raj are a few to mention" he said.

Four films directed by Hemasiri Sellapperuma are to be released. Sanath Gunatileka-Sabita Perera starrer 'Obe Kauda Priye' with Ranjan Ramanayake and Sangeetha Weeraratna,' Inspector Champa' starring Jeevan Kumaratunga and Champa Dilrangi, and 'Weera Puthek' again with Ranjan and Dilani Abeywardena. As the films are produced by different producers he is not in a position to state when these are to be released.

Sri Lankan film producers are not in a position to work on multi million budget films like Hindi and Tamil films.Therefore Hemasiri intends to do a co production with a foreign film producer. We have to make films for the people.It is the filmgoer that passes judgment on any film.If they like the film it will click if not it will be a failure"is his opinion as a film maker for the past three decades.

He regrets that those who represented the cinema in political circles could not do much to boost our industry.

He is also the President of the FilmTechnicians Association where technicians of all segments of film production are members and hopes to revive the organisation shortly.

India's Nightingale vows to carry on after the honour 

In 1967 the Maharashta government celebrated her silver jubilee in singing and she was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan award in 1990.She has also been honoured by the Dadasahed Phalke award,the lifetime achievement award in films.The song queen who has vowed,like a few other music maestros to see that classical Indian music once again hits the silver screen has already reduced the number of her film songs. 

Reportedly Lata Mangeshkar has told the Indian media that there was no compulsion to sing for the present day music directors."I yet enjoy the freedom of 'pick and choose' the numbers I really want to sing".The reason why she does not like to sing under present day music directors in Bollywood is that present day melody makers are failing to create worthwhile tunes."I will not render cheap and vulgar songs.I find myself incapable of doing such numbers.

Lata Mangeshkar yet recalls the melodies created by music directors like Anil Biswas in 'Tarana',Naushad Ali'in An-daz',C.Ramachander in ''Anarkali', S.D.Bur-man'Bandini',Roshan 'Taj Mahal'Madan Mohan'Das-tak',and many more.These music directors have contributed much to the growth of film music."

"Various ethnic groups abroad are still hungry to hear vintage songs of mine from these films." She is confident that there is no demand from her fans living out of India to render any of the present day songs."I always end up with numbers composed for me by music directors like Khemchand Prakash creator of'Aayega Aayega from'Mahal',Anil Biswas,Nau-shad Ali,Shanker Jaikik-ishan,Salil Chowdhury and the like.I now enjoy singing from my film repertoire,only these and other yesteryear composers." However she confirmed that she will not stop singing.Her point is that a true singer will not totally retire.She only becomes more and more choosy and selective.

Outside films her contributions include bhajans,'Lata Mange-shkar Sings Ghalib',Her Bhagavad Gita recitals,and millions of CD's are in circulation all over the world.

Lata Mangeshkar will be 70 on September 28."Lata's voice is an unique favour of Mother Saraswati",says Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.South India's Shivaji Ganeshan compliments were'Her voice is like nectar"Tabbla virtuoso Zakir Hus-sain says,to hear Lata sing is to know that God exists." Her first music directorial venture was for a Marathi film'Ram Ram Pahu-ne'(1950)Later she composed music for 'Mohityanchi Manjula' (1963),'Maratha Tikuka Mela-wewe'(1964),'Sadhi Manesen' (1965 and 'Tambudi Mati' (1969) 

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