Ruwini Jayawardana

Well loved hip-hop/R&B heartthrob of the Lankan music scene, Randhir, who made his foray into the field with singing duo Bathiya and Santhush in their number Siri Sangabodhi is now making international strides as he was chosen to represent Sri Lanka as the country’s Dance and Music Ambassador at the C/O POP Music Festival in Germany. Dubbed as the world’s biggest dance music festival, C/O POP attracts artistes and music industry experts from across the globe.

Held in Cologne, Germany, this year marks the fifth successful episode of the event which provides a showcase for talent, a network to exchange ideas and a link with diverse trends in the world of music. A series of knowledge workshops were also a part of C/O POP. Randhir’s tour was coordinated by the Goethe Institute, German Cultural Centre, Colombo.

Randhir’s appearance marked a milestone in Sri Lankan music history as it was the first time that a Sri Lankan musician had taken part in the event.

“The response was amazing. I was feeling very apprehensive about singing in Sinhalese as it is not a well known language worldwide. However the organisers requested me to sing in my native tongue since they thought the tracks sounded very exotic. I performed a couple of Sinhalese tracks from my album and the crowd went wild,” he recalled his experience on the international platform.

Performing Namal Mitak	With singing duo, Bathiya and Santhush	Randhir With Umara

Randir also released his debut album, Namal Mitak through Universal Music/M Entertainment recently. The album, named after his maiden Sinhala song, is made up of 14 songs: 12 in Sinhala and 2 in English.

Hits like Namal Mitak, Upuli, Ojaye (Remix) and Kelilola Balmen are also included to make the album a mixture of soulful ballads, heavy hip-hop club anthems, R&B and more. The album is produced by Bathiya and Santhush and co-produced by renowned musician Sri Shyamalangan.

Kelum Srimal, Nilar N Casim, Vasantha Dukgannarala and Upul Shantha Sannasgala penned the lyrics while veteran music composer Navarathna Gamage and Sachith Peiris also contributed to its music. Bathiya and Santhush, Umara, Tamil Hip Hop artiste Maheson and German based Sri Lankan musician Orry Athurugiriya are also featured in Namal Mitak Hewlett Packard, Ritzbury, Off Marks and Rexona sponsored the album while Rainco and Mortein supported the music video for Randhir’s song Ojayae.

Having toured Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Köln, Sydney (Opera House), Melbourne, Auckland, Wellington, Bangkok, New Delhi, Goa, Mumbai, Muscat and Doha. Randhir had also works as a music video director for Saregama Productions.

Ama Dam Rasa Vehena Vistharartha Dhamma Padaya to be launched

Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera’s latest book on Buddhism Ama Dam Rasa Vehena Vistharatha Dhamma Padaya (Bala Vargaya) will be launched at All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Hall, Colombo 7 on October 7 at 4 p.m.

The book carries background stories related to the 16 stanzas found in the Bala Vargaya. Participants to the event will also have the opportunity of listening to a Dhamma Deshana delivered by the author.

The book is a Dayawansa Jayakody Book Publication.

Nimnayaka Hudakalawa completes shooting

Vishwanath Buddhika Keerthisena (Boodie) has completed shooting his third Cinematic Creation Nimnayaka Hudakalawa (Solitude in a valley).

Saumya and Sangeetha in a scene from the movie

His previous two films Sihina Deshayen and Mille Soya won several awards including Best Film and Best Director at the Prestigious Sarasaviya, Presidential and Signis Film award ceremonies in addition to viewer accolades.

Nimnayaka Hudakalawa is expected to add another dimension to the local cinema. Boodie who paints a picture of several happenings and a chain of dreams within one nigh, tries several experiments regarding them in this film.

Boodie himself has created the story in this film and joined hands with Chinthana Dharmadasa of Guerilla Cinema Creations group to write its screenplay. Incidentally this is the first time that the Guerilla Creations group has pooled their talents with Boodie.

Nimnayaka Hudakalawa features Ravindra Randeniya, Sangeetha Weeraratne, Saumya Liyanage, Palitha Silva, Sachini Ayendra, Kenigsley Ratnayake, Lakshman Mendis, Wasnatha Monarawila, Samanmalee Fonseka and Several other new faces. Veteran Film Director and Script Writer Tissa Abeysekara plays a special role in the film while award winning Director Vimukthi Jayasundara also plays a character.

Lakshman Joseph de Saram who shot to prominence by having his debut film music direction in Mille Soya bagging the Presidential award for best music director, provides music for Nimnayaka Hudakalawa. Buddhi Keerthisena is the producer of the film.

Reddy to perform in Kandy
 

Renowned Kuchipudi exponent Deepika Reddy

Renowned Kuchipudi exponent Deepika Reddy will perform live in Kandy at the Dharmaraja College auditorium on October 8 at 6.30 p.m. The event is organised by the Bharatiya Kala Kendra of the Assistant High Commission of India, Kandy, in association with E-W Information Systems Ltd and her visit is sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi.

Reddy is acclaimed as a fine exponent, of Kuchipudi style of dance in the present times. She has secured a niche for herself in the world of performing arts.

Amongst other prestigious awards she is a recipient of Kala Ratna, the highest state award conferred by the Govt. of Andrha Pradesh in recognition of her achievements in the field of Kuchipudi. Deepika has performed extensively in prestigious dance festivals all over India. She has won laurels performing in Eastern Europe, when Indian Council for Cultural Relations sent her as a cultural ambassador., She was part of an official delegation to Japan, where she made presentations depicting India’s rich culture. She has recently returned from a successful and extensive month long tour of France and Germany where she gave over 20 performances.

Kuchipudi is a famous dance form originated in the Kuchipudi village located in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. It is yet another precious pearl in the majestic crown of India’s rich culture.

The Kuchipudi dance form is famous for its grace, elegance and charm. The Kuchipudi dance form uses a lot of fast rhythmic foot movements. Apart from this, the graceful sculpture like body movements are the highlights of this dance form, which also consists of mime, hand gestures and subtle facial expression.

Those who are interested may collect invitations from Assistant High Commissioner’s Office between 9 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.
 

A comic touch with the stroke of a brush

Ruwan Tharaswin was born to be a cartoonist. His maiden book just out explores an amazing world of cartoons and relates details on the painter-turned-cartoonist. Sachitra Mahendra visited the renowned artist to find out more about making merry through brush strokes.

Ruwan Tharaswin’s forte

Vismitha Cartoon Lokaya (Amazing World of Cartoons) 207 pages. Rs. 500. Fast Publishing (Private) Limited

In 1973 you were simply a Grade 10 Anandian, and yet you were freelancing at Lake House. How did this opportunity come your way?

Lake House launched a comical periodical titled Sathuta, and its editor was looking for young artists, especially schoolboys. By this time I was in a way well known in the school, because of the number of awards I have clinched for paintings. One of the teachers recommended me.

From then I visited the workplace every evening after school. They assigned me with the task of sketching a science fiction comic titled Renu Saha Ranji. I enjoyed sketching the series.

Lake House provided an opportunity to test the waters. Is that why you decided to stay on?

Exactly. I developed a passion for my work. I was absorbed into the permanent cadre in 1980, and from then I spared a good deal of time to study foreign paintings. Cartoons fascinated me.

So that is when you ventured to the cartoonist’s territory.

Sathuta editorial comprised about 30 artists and the paper had only 15 pages.

Everybody had to be given a chance, so we did the pages rotationally. However I was not pleased about this fact. I developed the idea of introducing a ‘pocket cartoon’ because it needs only a little room. I began my journey as a cartoonist and in 1983 I did cartoons on international politics for the Daily News Foreign section.

I have observed in your book that you have the talent to translate English idiomatic usage into Sinhala in a very witty manner. You have a knack for making out what foreign cartoonists had in mind.

I am a keen observer of foreign affairs as well as cartoons.

Foreign cartoonists use a lot of idiomatic phrases to express their messages in an indirect way.

Firstly I am familiar with the socio-politico backgrounds, which means I can get the meaning behind words easily.

Secondly I was quite immersed in foreign cartoons, as I myself was maintaining cartoons on international politics. I kept on pondering and philosophising foreign affairs, so naturally I was able to fathom the mindset of my foreign counterparts.

When a cartoonist or painter brings out a book it generally contains their own creations. Your book, Vismitha Cartoon Lokaya (The Amazing World of Cartoons) contains none of your creations, but you discuss about cartoons in the global context.

What made you publish a book of this type? How did your knowledge on foreign affairs help in compiling this book?

There are students, especially Mass Communication undergraduates from Kelaniya University who seek information on cartoons. I realised that a book focusing on cartoons in general has not been published in Sinhala. That’s how this book came

into existence. It contains 40 chapters explaining the nature of cartoons on major incidents such as the Watergate scandal, Palestine crisis and Britain’s Iron Lady.

It contains the cartoons I had been collecting since the 1980s.

Some are not even on the Internet. Some were faded, but we managed to scan and print them. I have explained the background to each and every cartoon. I have also included the original captions along with my translation.

Who is your favourite cartoonist?

I have a partly negative answer, because I admire all the cartoonists. I admire most cartoons of Herblock and Lurie.

Herblock won Pulitzer’s Prize for his cartoon titled ‘Death of Joseph Stalin’. This cartoon is a very symbolic one.

First ever cartoon in the world by Benjamin Franklin

I also respect Benjamin Franklin, because he drew the world’s first cartoon. I have even dedicated the book to his name!

How do you explain cartoons?

You can’t explain cartoons in one line. However it is not a gentlemanly occupation since it requires you to look at society in a satirical and a humorous manner. An obvious victim of a cartoonist is a politician.

The job requires a lot of creativity and at times their creations help society. Many cartoonists use symbols to represent countries.

They have Uncle Sam of eternal youth to represent America, and Taro San to symbolise Japan.

A cartoonist leaves something for you to think over. This is why cartoons are so amazing!

What were your achievements during schooldays?

I won the Sivagurunadan memorial award and award of Oriental Art in 1970 and 1971. I clinched many awards from primary onwards. I edited the school’s wall paper, Nirmana, and drew cartoons for the cricket magazines of Ananda and Nalanda colleges.

What is in store for the future?

I am compiling a book of cartoons on Sri Lankan politics.

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Ruwan’s achievements

 
1985: Award. International Cartoon Competition, West Germany
1986: First place. International Cartoon Competition, West Germany. Best illustrated Children’s Book of the year 1985
1991: Encouragement prize with a medal. The Noma Councours for Children’s Picture Book Illustration of 1990
1993: First place. German International Cartoon Competition
1996: Two consolation prizes. Swiss coalition of Development organisations
2004: Honourable Mention Award. International Cartoon Contest, Israel
2005: Honourable Mention Award. International Cartoon Contest, Israel.
1985: Two cartoons appeared in Daily News were reproduced in World Press Review, USA (August and November)
1987: A cartoon appeared in art book titled ‘Fifty-Fifty’ published by the Exile office, West Germany.
1990: Two cartoons were selected for a cartoon book called ‘Third world’. Two cartoons were selected for ‘Drittee Welt Information’ Magazine, West Germany.
1993: One cartoon was selected for book titled ‘Hoch - zeit fur die Eine welt’, Germany.
1993: One cartoon was selected for The Salman Rushdi and Satanic Verses International cartoon Competition held in Iran.
2000: One cartoon was selected for Entwicklungs Politik’ Magazine, Germany.
2002: Two cartoons were selected for Entwicklungs Politik Magazine.
2004: Three cartoons Entwicklungs Politik (May, June and October respectively)
2006: One cartoon was selected for International Cartoon contest, Israel.

Paolini on inheriting Rowling’s crown

Move over J.K. Rowling, a home-schooled boy genius is coming after your sales records.

In 1998 in the remote Montana Beartooth Mountains in the US, a 15-year-old, who’d never been to school, worked on an opus. It was a 500-page epic of dragons, elves, dwarfs and magic called ‘Eragon’ his parents had pledged to self-publish. Three years later Christopher Paolini, his sister Angela and their parents Kenneth and Talita, hit the road, their life savings and their house tied up in a stack of books. The family would contact bookstores and arrange an author signing session.

Paolini would don medieval costume, bring his own card table and set up near the shop’s door.

“I would talk to every single person who would come in the door of the bookstore for usually eight or nine hours straight and I would not leave the table the whole time. I would try to sell every single person a book,’’ Paolini said.

“One reason I worked so intensely at this was my family had put their personal finances into getting the book off the ground. My parents weren’t working at anything else at that time so books sold meant food on the table, so as a result I learned how to sell the book. I actually sold the book once to a man who didn’t even read English.’’

On a good day Paolini would persuade 30 to 40 customers to leave with a copy of ‘Eragon’, but it was not enough to pay for the travelling and printing costs eating away at the family’s finances.

School visits were more successful. By packing three or four talks daily in high and primary schools, Paolini was able to move up to 300 copies a day. The family’s house had become a book warehouse and the four did all the inventory, ordering and shipping.

“It was just way, way too much work for two adults and two teenagers,’’ he declared.

Enter crime author Carl Hiaasen’s stepson, who picked up ‘Eragon’ during a visit to Montana. Hiaasen recommended the book to his publisher, Random House, and an offer was soon on the Paolini table. It was an offer that was to propel Paolini into the league occupied by J.K. Rowling (the Harry Potter series) and Stephenie Meyer (Twilight series).

Like those authors, Paolini’s latest book, ‘Brisingr’, the third in the series, had a simultaneous worldwide release, with shops forbidden from opening boxes before midnight New York time.

Shops around the world held ‘Brisingr’ launch parties, with US events ticketed to prevent a repeat of the overwhelming numbers of fans who came last year for the release of the second book, ‘Eldest’ and like those authors, Paolini’s work has been put out with children’s and adult jackets.

The Inheritance cycle, as it is known, follows farmboy Eragon from his discovery of a dragon’s egg which was to become his soul mate and dragon Saphira to their battles with the evil King Galbatorix and his forbidden longing for the elf princess Arya.

Paolini likens his own journey from teenage scribbler to international best-selling author to that of ‘Eragon’.

“In some ways it was my own coming-of-age story, if you will,’’ the 24-year-old says. “It was my own epic quest.

That’s what it felt like at times. It’s a great story after the fact, but when you’re living it and you’re feeling it, it can be pretty dreadful because we had no guarantee any of this would work out properly, so I’m grateful every single day that it did turn out well.’’

He also invented languages for his characters to speak.

“Sometimes a fan will come up to me and say a word from one of the languages and it takes me a moment or two to remember what they’re saying,’’ he laughed recalling his past experience.

Christopher Paolini

“I spend all my time thinking and writing about this stuff. I don’t spend all my time actually speaking those words.’’

The Inheritance cycle was to have been the Inheritance trilogy. But Paolini realised about a third of the way through, with a “sinking feeling”, that to make it a trilogy the final book would have to be 2000 pages long.

“I like big books but both as an author and a reader I draw the line at 1000 pages, so it had to be split into two. It was a big change in everyone’s thinking that we had four books to think about instead of three, but everyone was very pleased with the decision.’’

He isn’t certain when the fourth, as yet untitled, book will be ready.

“As soon as I possibly can. I’m afraid I can’t be any more definite than that. I have started the fourth book and I will be returning to it as soon as I get back from the book tour,’’ he commented. The books’ sales (15.5 million worldwide) has seen a dramatic change in he and his family’s financial fortunes but they still live in the same area, Paradise Valley, albeit in a different house.

“For every book I buy myself a little treat and for ‘Brisingr’ I bought myself a handmade Damascus dagger here in New York. I collect knives and swords. That was my little treat.

My lifestyle has changed in some regard. I obviously travel now and go around the world and I spend more time writing than I used to. But for the most part our lives are still pretty sedate at home, which is nice.

I go back home and I write and I still have to wash the dishes and vacuum the carpet and scrub the floor.’’

Herald Sun

 Poetic Impressions 2008

Asoka Palliyaguruge

‘Poetic Impressions 2008’ an evening of poetry proposed by Asoka Palliyaguruge, Author of “The Bower Bird and other Poems” (An anthology), and her students of Gateway College, Kandy, will be held at the Alliance française de Kandy on October 10 at 6.30 pm.

Asoka has been working as an Administrative Officer in the River Valleys Development Board and Mahaweli Authority. She is presently serving in the tutorial staff of Gateway College, Kandy.

Alliance française de Kandy sponsored her maiden programme “Evening of Poetry” in 2006 followed by her second in 2007.

Asoka Herath, Headmaster of Gateway College will grace the occasion as the Chief-Guest.

‘Music and Lyrics’ at the Russian Centre

The Film “Music and Lyrics” (2007) will be screened at the Russian Centre on October 25 at 5 pm.

Cheery Alex Fletcher lives comfortably in Manhattan off the residuals from hi 80’s pop success and reprising his hits at school reunions, theme parks, and state fairs but those gigs are declining, so he jumps at the chance to write a song and record it with reigning teen idol Cora Corman.

Trouble is, he’s good at melodies but needs a lyricyst and has less than a week to finish . Enter Sophie Fisher, subbing for a friend who waters Alex’s plants; she ‘s a pretty good poet, quick witted, and could do it, if she’d agree. But there’s some sort of shadow over her head that Alex may not be able to charm his way past. And what if they do get a song written, what then?

Directed by Marc Lawrence, cast Hugh Grant, Scott Porter , Nick Bacon, Drew Barrymore.