Lucky streak - two decades of success

LAKMINI Rodrigo

A man loved and embraced by the Sri Lankan fans for nearly two decades - Lucky Dias, or rather Baladeva of Yashorawaya is now playing two very different roles on TV. He's the rich, decent father in Senda Sakmana on Monday night. He plays the villain in 'Gauthami' every weekday. The Daily News met him recently.

PERSONALITY: A very casually attired 'Lucky' greeted us with a modest smile. Though a couple years mature, and his beard cut in a more up to date manner, it definitely was the beloved Baladeva in front of us.

Lucky was first a musician, then an advertiser and then an actor - and a very popular and talented one at that. He started his acting career through the TV series 'Nirupamala', but it was his role in 'Yashorawaya' that brought him to the limelight.

Although 15 years have passed since the family series was screened, the role he played in it as the down to earth English teacher attired in the national costume, is still alive in the hearts of people.

"People started using Baladeva as a yardstick. Youngsters would go to salons and ask for the 'Lucky cut'. In an era when all the stars had clean-shaven faces Baladeva's beard introduced a whole new trend to the local fans," says Lucky recalling those good old days.

After playing such an eminent role and winning such fame, the difficult part is to maintain the popularity, which Lucky managed so well. His popularity was unwavering, and up to today his mere presence in a film or TV series makes it accepted by the public as a first-class creation. How did he achieve this ?

Lucky's answer was simple. "I guess I'm blessed by those who are above, which is something you get for just being good at heart," he says. Lucky doesn't accept every single character that comes his way either.

Since his very first day in the industry, he had been very choosy about the characters he accepted, and has restricted himself to only one film and one tele drama per year. Due to this, the number of his films and dramas are still only a handful, after 20 years of acting.

"This made people anxious to see me on screen. I did not tire them like some actors today who wear out the viewers by appearing in every channel at the same time," Lucky says.

Today Lucky is seen as a family man. He brings to life the father or husband that he acts so wholly that, seeing him play the bad guy in the popular TV series 'Gauthami' on Swarnavahini just doesn't feel right.

He plays the role of Gauthami's uncle, who desperately tries to get his hands on Gauthami's property. Why did Lucky risk his image by playing a dark character in Gauthami ?

According to Lucky, it was the risk and challenge of the character that had made him take it up. "After 18 years of acting, producing and directing I was getting bored. I always try to do something different.

After the respectable Baladeva, the character I did was a funny one in 'Newa Gilunath Band Chun', because I didn't want to imprison myself in a narrow frame. Even with all the restrictions I had put upon myself I was still bored with the same types of characters when 'Gauthami' came up. It was different and I liked it."

Lucky says that he had always dared to take chances and never wanted to stereotype himself as good or bad. "I think actors should not be typecast, a good actor should be able to do diverse roles equally well."

His fans and even colleagues had been surprised when he accepted the role, he said. But now they realise it is just another role and that 'Lucky Dias' is nothing like that character in real life, he added.

Then what is Lucky Dias like in real life ? "I don't know how acceptable it will be coming from myself, but I'm a simple man. I'm not a fancy guy who needs a lot to be happy. I don't think too far. Tomorrow is not my challenge, but the next moment is," he says.

While Lucky is the ruthless, money-hungry scoundrel in Gauthami, he's also the rich businessman, sandwiched between his responsibilities to his daughters and passion to the woman he loves, in 'Sende Sakmana' at 8.30 p.m. on Rupavahini.

He plays the role of 'Jayampathi Wijeybandara' in Bennett Ratnayake's family TV series in a manner that truly touches the viewer's heart. "It is a typical 'Lucky Dias' character. And Bennett is such a wonderful director, who makes stories that people from every age group can enjoy alike," says the versatile actor speaking about 'Sende Sakmana'.

Though Lucky said that he acted in one film per year we haven't seen him in a film for nearly five years. His last film was Lester James Pieris's 'Wekanda Walawwa' in which he played a short role of a lawyer. Lucky says that the small role was one that he had enjoyed most. "After all, working with the majestic director of the Sinhala cinema is incomparable."

Lucky's views of the Sinhala Cinema today, are not so positive though. The country's film industry will breathe its last within another couple years, he warns.

"Even today, there's no film in which we can proudly take part. There's no film industry in Sri Lanka anymore. Besides a very few films like Somaratne Dissanayake's 'Suriya Arana' or Bennet Ratnayake's 'Sulanaga', recent Sinhala films have been utter failures," Lucky says explaining why he hadn't accepted any films recently.

He added that in the 70's there had been film directors like Wasantha Obeysekara, Dharmasena Pathiraja and H.D. Premaratne who had possessed the power and talent to change the course of the cinema, which today's directors severely lack.

"Take the films that depict the war of the country. What do they show? The desperate soldiers and prostitutes. Is this what we need to show the world about our country? Shouldn't the noble role of the soldier be expressed?" Lucky questions patriotically.

According to the veteran actor, award winning films today do not attract the public. "They are made only to win awards. Not to entertain the public. I don't want to drift away from my loving fans by acting in films like that, so I prefer to keep away," he says.

Lucky believes that the era of Sinhala film stars has ended with Sabeetha and Sanath, and that no more stars can be seen beyond the horizon.

He recalls how he, as an amateur, had respected his seniors in the industry. "Even today I respect and admire Vijaya Kumaratunga. I consider Lester James Peries and Gamini Fonseka as my gurus in the industry. The education I got from them is beyond comparison."

Lucky mentions with pain how the newcomers emerging today, severely lack this discipline and respect for seniors. "How they dig their own graves by believing that they are the greatest performers, only after acting in one or two creations is sad to see" he says.

The beloved actor had won many awards throughout his career. He treasures these awards more than anything else. "Not because they give me recognition or express my achievements, but because they are the true warmth of the fans who love me," 'Baladeva' said.

25th anniversary celebrations of the Lanka Children's and Youth Theatre Organisation

Two-day Theatre Festival at Lumbini Theatre

DRAMA: Lanka Children's and Youth Theatre Organisation (LCYTO) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. LCYTO or Play House - Kotte was established as a voluntary organisation in 1981 by Mrs. Somalatha Subasinghe, the veteran playwright and theatre director, with a view to promote in particular children's and youth theatre and mainstream theatre in Sri Lanka.

Over the years LCYTO has produced a repertoire of internationally acclaimed mainly musical theatre for children and youth and award winning mainstream theatre productions.

Today LCYTO is the leading producer of theatre for children and youth, and one of the major training and skill development centres for actors and other creative professionals in Sri Lanka.

With its theatre productions over the years, LCYTO has also been able to set new standards for the Sri Lankan theatre.

Plans are under way to celebrate the anniversary of LCYTO throughout the year 2006. The first event is the two-day Theatre Festival in April which will showcase plays directed by young theatre directors. Accordingly, on 1st April Kaushalya Fernando's Sanda Langa Maranaya (the Sinhala version of Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding) is scheduled to go on boards.

This play won eight national awards including the Best Play of the Year at the State Drama Festival 2005. On 2nd April, three short plays, 'Mata Den Pissu' (I am mad now) by Jehan Sri Kantha, 'Pissanta Mama Aadarai' (I love the mad) by Thusitha Laknatha, and 'Oyai Maai Thaniyama' (You and I alone) by Chamila Priyanka will be staged.

These three plays were selected to the final round of the National Short Drama Festival 2006. 'Oyai Maai Thaniyama' (You and me alone) by Chamila Priyanka is an outcome of the script writing workshop conducted by LCYTO and all artists involved in the production are trained and groomed at the LCYTO.

The second event which is the main event in the anniversary celebration is scheduled to be held in August 2006 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. At this festival four different theatre productions for children and youth directed by Somalatha Subasinghe, Kaushalya Fernando and Dr. Chandana Aluthge will be staged giving the audience a variety in entertainment. Kaushalya Fernando and Dr. Chandana Aluthge are new generation artistes groomed at the Play House - Kotte. Most of the plays in the August Festival are semi-musical plays.

They are Walas Pawula (The Three Bears and Goldilocks) by Dr. Chandana Aluthge, Himakumariya (Snow White and Seven Dwarfs) and Vikurthi (Distortion) by Somalatha Subasinghe and 'Sanda Langa Maranaya' (Blood Wedding) by Kaushalya Fernando.

The felicitation of Somalatha Subasinghe, the founder of LCYTO, which concludes the anniversary celebrations, is scheduled in December 2006.

Sanda Langa Maranaya by Kaushalya Fernando on April 1 at 3.30 and 7 p.m. at Lumbini Theatre

Kaushalya Fernando's 'Sanda Langa Maranaya' is the Sinhala version of Blood Wedding. Blood Wedding is, one of the famous trilogy based upon Spanish society, written by Federico Garcia Lorca in response to a newspaper article concerning a local murder in rural Spain.

Garcia Lorca is probably the most celebrated dramatist in Spain and, according to theatre critiques and academics, one of the most poetic playwrights of the 20th century. The story of the play is a triangle of passionate love among a bridegroom, a married man, and a young bride.

The play basically is a tragedy of missed love, focusing certain universal themes such as extremism, intolerance, and inflexibility in society which makes it relevant for all times. For its high drama, freedom of thought and relentless tension, Sanda Langa Maranaya, has been dazzling and entrancing the Sri Lankan audiences, say theatre critics.

According to Kaushalya, the original play has been adapted into a semi-musical-surrealistic-type in order to make the play a familiar theatrical experience to the local audiences. The choreographed movements, music and rhythm, and vivid lighting and colours in addition to very intense acting on stage impart an entertaining yet intense theatre encounter to the audience. She believes the fact that primarily theatre should be appealing to the viewers.

Sanda Langa Maranaya won the highest number of awards at the National Drama Festival 2005 Awards Night organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage. Sanda Langa Maranaya bagged eight awards, including the most valuable award 'The Best Play of the Year'.

Following is the list of awards won by the play. The Best Play of the Year, The Best Direction, The Best Adapted Script, The Best Original Musical Score, The Best Choreography, The Best Supporting Actress, The Best Costume Design, Special Award for Debut Direction.

Sanda Langa Maranaya cast includes Somalatha Subasinghe, Lucian Bulathsinghala, Chamila Peries, Wishvajith Gunasekera, Prasanna Mahagamage, Mayura Kanchana, Nadee Kammallaweera, Suresh Fernando, Nayumi Gunasiri, Lakmini Seneviratne, Sharmaine Gunaratne, Sanjaya Hettiarachchi, Champika Kannangara, Ishara Wickramasinghe, Hiran Abeysekera and a number of new comers to the national theatre groomed at Play House-Kotte.

The following Short Plays will go on the boards on April 2, at 3.30 and 7.00 p.m. at Lumbini Theatre

Pissanta Mama Adarei

(I love the Mad) by Thusitha Laknath Galindawatta

Thusitha is an old boy of Koswatta Jayawardena Vidyalaya and Ananda College, Colombo. After school education, Thusitha started his theatre education first at Tower Hall Theatre Foundation. Then he has been trained at different theatre workshops in Sri Lanka. Some of them are conducted by foreign nationals.

Thusitha has started his professional theatre career as a stage manager. Some of the well known productions he has stage managed are Miss Julee, Dolls House, Me Heeneta Namak Denna, Master Builder. In addition, he has taken part as an actor in children's plays such as, Bansi Ransi, Suba Upan Dinayak, etc.

"Pissanta Mama Adarei" is Thusitha's debut theatre direction and the play has been one of the ten plays selected for the final round of the National Short Drama Festival 2006 organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage.

In "Pissanta Mama Adarei" Thushitha experiments to bring forth the characters like the Beast, the Beauty and the Prince to the modern stage. His production style is based on the conventional theatre structure yet he tries to move beyond that, using theatre games as a medium of acting on a timeless space. To him the existing complicated human relationships will ultimately lead to lonesomeness.

Mata Den Pissu (I am Mad Now) by Jehan Sri Kantha

Jehan is an old boy of St. Mary's Boys School in Chilaw. Jehan started his theatre career as an actor. He has played many roles in different theatre productions such as Mekka, Addadaya, Samuganna Hitha Ne, Dhawala Karattaya, Kalu Samanallu, Thunveni Senuwa, Ketima Keti Nattya, etc. In addition, he has contributed his talents as a sound controller in Master Builder and Leisistrata.

"Mata Den Pissu" is Jehan's debut theatre direction and the play has been one of the ten plays selected for the final round of the National Short Drama Festival 2006 organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage.

In "Mata Den Pissu" there are "He" and "She". She is an object which dangles between His dream and reality. She too tries to dangle between His dream and reality. "I am unable to express my feelings into words. Therefore what I can only say is that I am mad now. Am I the one who is really mad?"

Oyai Mai Thaniyama (You and I Alone) by Chamila Priyanka

Chamila is a second year Arts undergraduate at the University of Colombo. He joined Somalatha Subasinghe's Play House_Kotte in 2000 and followed a one year training programme in Theatre studies.

Chamila takes part as an actor in a number of theatre productions of the Play House_Kotte. Oyai Mai Thaniyama is Chamila's debut theatre direction.

The script of the play is a result of a script development workshop conducted by the Play House-Kotte under the supervision of Kaushalya Fernando and Namal Jaysinghe in 2004. Oyai Mai Thaniyama has been one of the ten plays selected for the final round of the National Short Drama Festival 2006 organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage.

It won merit awards for direction and acting.

The play is about the unbreakable relation between individual and affluence. Due to the permanent relation between them, the wealth ownership recurrently challenges the individual.

When it comes to love, this challenge becomes a struggle and at youth it becomes very active. Then, is love fascinating?