Kumar's karmic tryst with France!

Ruwini Jayawardana

Kumar de Silva has been a name that has been synonymous with Bonsoir, a French cultural television magazine, and the local art scene for many years. A former newspaper journalist, he had his training in television production and presentation in Paris before venturing onto Public Relations and Media Consultancy.

Kumar de Silva

Though the years have flown by since he set foot in French paradise, Kumar's 'affaire d'amour' with France continues. He recently held 'Nostalgie 02', the second chapter of a series of black and white photographic exhibitions showcasing France.

This and many more work done to promote French culture in Sri Lanka for more than quarter of a century won Kumar the title of 'Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres' (Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters). Kumar will be bestowed with the medal of knighthood in this order today (October 31). French Ambassador in Sri Lanka Christine Robichon will confer the title on Kumar at the event.

Asked if he sees himself as a 'personification' of a link between the two nations Kumar notes that 'personification' would be too subjective a word to use.

"That is not for me to say, BUT, in my own little way I believe I have been successful in forging and strengthening Franco-Sri Lankan cultural ties for more than a quarter of a century. It all began with the 'Bonsoir' French Television Programme which incidentally shot me to the limelight and which I still hold close to my heart.

At that time there were only Rupavahini and ITN. Internet, DVDs, live streaming, mobile phones, cable TV etc were unheard of. The good old VHS cassettes ruled Sri Lanka's audio visual landscape. It was at that time, in July 1985, that 'Bonsoir' was born.

Monday evening was a 'French Evening on ITN' (Une Soiree Francaise) - with the half hour 'Bonsoir' programme followed by ITN's English News Bulletin and then the French feature film with English subtitles.

My co-host Yasmin Rajapakse and I had a captive audience at that time. A few years later when Chintananada Abeysekera launched the 'Sinhala Bonsoir' with Sulani Indraguptha, Krishantha Dayananda and Gayan Abeysinghe, our viewer base increased dramatically," he recalled.

He notes that television penetration in rural Sri Lanka was not as deep as it is today. People wrote to 'Bonsoir', to the French Embassy, from unheard of villages saying that the entire village had only one television set which was in the Community Hall, and that how they all gathered to watch 'Bonsoir' on Monday nights.

"I do admit that there was a totally unexpected reverse action which even surprised the French Embassy - the launch of the 'Sinhala Bonsoir' brought in thousands more new viewers for the 'English Bonsoir'. So yes, getting back to your initial question, 'Bonsoir' at that time was a massive cultural link between the two nations. I still have people coming up to me (25 years later mind you) and saying how very much 'Bonsoir' had touched and coloured their lives. At that time not only did we feature the French language, culture, science and technology but also Franco-Sri Lankan ties and heaps of people and events with Franco- Sri Lankan associations. 'Bonsoir' gradually lost its relevance with the universal revolution in interactive communication and social media. The world has become even closer and so has France to Sri Lankans.

Today, unlike in the past, you don't quite need a 'Bonsoir' of any kind, or in any form, to visit France.

The internet in all its forms and manifestations does it for you in an instant. And so after a full quarter century 'Bonsoir' finally closed down in December 2010.

The epitaph is that it is STILL a beautiful memory. Vive Bonsoir !!!" he enthused.

Mention France to him the change in his features in inevitable. It is evident of his great passion for the country.

"I'm still trying to identify the root of my passion for France. My initial romance with France goes back 35 years ago to 1977 when I first began learning French at Wesley College for my As.

Then the French Diploma at the Alliance Française and French (with English) for an Honours Degree at the University of Kelaniya. This was a romance that was sadly confined to text books, dictation, home work and examination papers.

It was just like writing love letters to a far away pen-pal.

And then as karma would have it, I found myself at the six-month old 'Bonsoir' in January 1986. There was no one to take charge and continue 'Bonsoir' into the future. I landed with the job much to my anxious trepidation and absolute delight.

The romance then blossomed and became closer. It was now more intense, tangible and very palpable. I loved the job. I loved sharing all that France was, with my fellow Sri Lankans.

"My 'left hand and right hand' at Bonsoir - that's Yasmin Rajapakse and Chintananda Abeysekera facilitated this seamlessly. To them I owe a great deal of this success," he recalled.

"'Nostalgie' is an extension of this passion. Yes the 'affaire d'amour' with France continues. You ask me why? Now in retrospect I think it's one hell of a karmic tryst ! Nothing short of that," he quipped.

Queried about who else holds honourary titles of this caliber Kumar notes, "To my knowledge there's the great Dr. Lester James Peries on whom in 1997 France bestowed its highest ever title of 'Commandeur'. He is the only Sri Lankan to hold this title to date.

There's also the late architect Minnette de Silva who had worked alongside the legendary French architect Le Corbusier during the last century. There's also the late maestro Chitrasena, Prof. Ashley Halpe etc among several others."

Kumar is one of the founder members of the Alliance Francaise de Kotte at Coniston Place, off Bauddhaloka Mawatha in Colombo 7. This is the ONLY such organisation of its kind in the Colombo and Greater Colombo areas which is fully recognized by the parent body, the Fondation Alliance Francaise de Paris, the Government of France and the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka.

Speaking about his future plans Kumar expressed, "We just welcomed our new Director Claude-Alexandre Martinez who is also the General Delegate of the Foundation Alliance Francaise in Sri Lanka. With many years in the Alliance Francaise network and coming from the Alliance Francaise de Calcutta, he is armed with a wealth of experience. Tourism in Sri Lanka is on an all-time high and with positive figures of French tourist arrivals, there is a continuous need for good proficiency in the French language.

Together with the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka, the new Director and our energetic executive committee headed by well-known entrepreneur Chandra Wickremasinghe, I will concentrate my efforts to further promote and popularize the French language and culture through the Alliance Francaise de Kotte a Colombo." Parallel to this is 'Nostalgie' that will premiere in Alliance Francaise de Kandy on November 16.

"I'm currently writing the 'Bonsoir Diaries'. This is a book which will take readers behind the scenes in the making of those hundreds of Bonsoirs. All you have seen was what you saw on your television screens .... But there's loads more that happened during the making of those programmes and that's a totally different story altogether," he concluded.