Shanthi Lekha:

Sinhala cinema's matriarch

CINEMA: She was a loving mother to her own children as well as for many young stars on the Silver Screen.

If a contest is held to select the most popular "mother" in the Sinhala cinema there is no doubt that Shanthi Lekha will come out triumph given her unbroken record of being cast in the most number of films as a loving, caring mother down the years.

She has a another proud achievement that of being cast in the highest number of films from 1952 and the tally stands at over 350 films.

At present she lives in Paris with her youngest son. Sadly she has had her left foot amputated due to a health condition from which she was suffering for many years.

She made a recent visit to Sri Lanka and at the age of 75 she still wishes to be with her film fans who encouraged her on her long journey in the cinema world .

Born Rita Irene Quyn in July 1929 in Kalutara she was later christened Shanthi Lekha by her first husband Shanthi Viraj. Both played the lead roles in "Shantha Prabha", the first stage play of Shanthi Lekha directed by popular composer D.T. Fernando in 1942.

Her parents were reluctant to allow their daughter to take part in stage plays. That was a time when people looked down on actors and actresses as "nadagamkarayo".

However, Shanthi Lekha managed to obtain permission from her parents to act in "Shantha Prabha" while she was still a student at Holy Family Convent in Kalutara.

Although Shanthi started as an actress, it was as an oriental dancer that she made the grade. She was the dancing girl in stage plays in which Dommie Jayawardena and Nona Subeda played the leading roles.

Shanthi recalls with gratitude the late Dommie Jayawardena who introduced her into films. Her debut was in Cinema's maiden venture "Sujatha" produced by K. Gunaratnam in 1952.

The scene that both Dommie and Shanthi wearing a titillating bathing suit played to the popular song in the film "Pem rella negi, gal thalle wadi me sundara sandyawe", will forever remain in the minds of local film fans.

For her role in "Sujatha" she was only paid Rs. 500 and was made to sign a contract prohibiting her from acting in films produced by other companies.

Shanthi followed up her role in "Sujatha", with assignments in almost all subsequent productions of producer Gunaratnam like "Varada Kageda", "Radala Piliruwa", "Dostara" and "Sandeshaya" to name a few.

At the time she entered the Sinhala cinema, it was entirely patterned on the South Indian format. Even the mannerisms of the South Indian stars were aped. The films of the day according to Shanthi Lekha only differed in language. In all other respects the films looked identical.

It was in "Sandeshaya" that she portrayed for the first time a mother's role. She has since then appeared in the role of either mother or aunt in almost every other film, counting among her "children" popular stars like Gamini Fonseka, Punya Heendeniya and Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya. No other actress has played the role of so many "mothers" as Shanthi Lekha.

Shanthi went on to make more than 350 films thereafter and won several awards for her roles in some. Among the roles she likes best are those in "Uthumaneni", "Eya Den Loku Lamayek", "Amal Biso", "Parithyagaya", "Hithawathiya", "Sasara Chethana" and "Sakvithi Suwaya".

Among the awards she received were Best Supporting Actress awards for her roles in Gamini Fonseka's "Parasathumal" (Eksath Lanka Rasika Sanvidanaya in 1969), and Mudalinayaka Somaratne's "Binaramali" (Sarasaviya Film Awards in 1969). She also won Presidential Awards in 1979 for her roles in "Mayurige Kathawa" and "Ridi Nimnaya".

Somasiri Medagedera: 25 melodious years

Uditha KUMARASINGHE

MUSIC: Somasiri Medagedera, one of the pioneering artistes produced by the Belwood Institute of Aesthetic Studies of the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) has reached a significant milestone completing 25 years in his music career.

To commemorate this landmark, Somasiri will stage a musical concert titled "Sandai Thuri Nisansale" at the National Youth Centre, Maharagama on April 5 at 7.00 p.m.

Hailing from the hamlet of Theripehe in Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district, Somasiri entered the music field in 1980 through the "Yovun Gee band" of the NYSC. He was one of the pioneering artistes of the Yovun Gee band.

Under the guidance of his gurus Visharadha Shirley Vaijayanth and Visharadha Nihal Gamhewa, Somasiri was able to improve his music talents. In 1984, he joined the NYSC as an Assistant Youth Services officer which post he still holds at the Institute.

Somasiri will sing 25 popular songs which had won the acclaim of fans during his quarter century musical career. He will be backed by the SLBC and the Rupavahini orchestra led by Susil Amarasinghe.

The concert will be broadcast live over Lakhanda Radio. The show will be held under the patronage of Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga. A large number of popular artistes and Somasiri's fans are scheduled to participate.

Several big names in the music scene today such as Chandrasena Hettiarachchi, Chandralekha Perera, Theja Damayanthi Amarasinghe, Dhammika Karunaratne and Marshall Janatha also entered the music field along with Somasiri through the Yovun Gee Band of the NYSC. Some of these artistes too will join Somasiri on stage at the concert.

During his 25 years music career, Somasiri came up with several popular hits. Among them Sandai tharui nisansale, ridhawannepa metharam, obe adhare maha sagare, ahinsakaviya, obage dothin pidu adare, pipenawalu mal, sithak bindunu pasu, asa imu api sumudu wellata, muthu muthu vesse, mangala yahane, suwadha haduwak, ramalan sanda, bulath atha aran and senehasa devolaki are very popular among Sinhala music fans.

Somasiri has lent his voice to several cassettes and CDs.

"Mangala Yahana" was the maiden cassette released by Somasiri in 1986. Since then he has released a series of cassettes which were well received by his music fans.

Among them are Ahinsakaviya and Sithak Bindunu pasu.

"Suvadha haduwak" was the last cassette released by him in 2003 which includes 16 songs. In addition, he has done two cassettes with the popular band Sunflowers.