Dr Lester James Peries celebrates 92 birthday

CSN/Prime TV's Celeb Chat pays tribute to the Doyen of Sinhala Cinema Dr Lester James Peries on his 92 birthday which falls on Tuesday April 5.

Join LJP's long-standing colleagues in the film industry - legendary Iranganie Serasinghe, Ravindra Randeniya and well known music composer Nimal Mendis (of Master Sir fame), as they recall working with the maestro...with an array of anecdotes, unforgettable incidents and fond memories.

Breaking away from the typical South Indian formula, Ceylonese audiences were accustomed to, Lester James Peries changed the course of Sinhala cinema in December 1956 with Rekawa (The Line of Destiny) which proved to be a "total commercial failure".

Dr Peries recalls, "The biggest sociological study was why the audience couldn't understand the film...I remember going to the Elphinstone Theatre incognito. Fortunately nobody knew me. I saw people were coming out saying, why the hell did we come to see this film. It would have been better if we had bought bread for the crows (kaakkanta paang gaththanang). That's what they were mumbling. Had I been recognized they would have even lynched me. They were really furious".

Despite negative audience reactions, Rekawa however, DID, meet with great critical acclaim. It even went to the Cannes Film Festival in 1957 where there were eight masterpieces in competition. "I think it was one of the greatest years in the history of Cannes. It was the tenth anniversary. There was Robert Bressons - A Condemned Man Escapes, Andrzej Wajdas - Kanal, Kozinsevs - Don Quixote, Ingmar Bergmans - The Seventh Seal, William Wylers - The Friendly Persuasion and Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria, all films of 1956," Dr Peries says.

Lester James Peries now enjoys a quiet retirement at his residence at the former Dickmans Road, now Dr Lester James Peries Mawatha in Colombo 5. Making a brief appearance on this special program, he looks back on 92 years and modestly sums it up as a life well lived.

Join host Kumar de Silva on this special tribute to Lester James Peries at 9.30 pm on Monday April 4. Catch the repeats on Tuesday April 5 at 8 am on CSN on UHF 22, Channel 75 on Dialog TV and on PEO TV.