The Nihalsinghe reminiscence

Last Tuesday, February 12, happened to be a memorable day to most of us. It was the day when Nuwan Nayanajith launched his book titled Nihalsinghe Purogami Theveni Esa at a committee room of the BMICH.

I had the chance of going down the memory lane when my good friend J B Disanayaka delivered his fact-filled talk on things concerned most of us. He reminded the audience about the influence Nihalsinghe’s father, the veteran journalist and scholar D B Dhanapala, may have had on him. Dhanapala, as JB remembered and pinpointed, had been influenced by Anagarika Dharmapala and many other Buddhist reformers and scholars during his formative stages in life.

He had also been tutored in an Indian university and had the audacity to compile a book on the great scholars of India. Dhanapala had been a pioneer in several media turning points. Taking one or two into consideration, the audience was reminded of how he had helped S W R D Bandaranayaka to usher in a new political sphere.

Dhanapala was not only a journalist but also a trendsetter in several ways that had main crosscurrents in media handling of the day. This may have been the most sensitive influence the son, Nihalsinghe, may have achieved.

As I knew him as a schoolmate at Ananda college, he had the main attention fo rediscovering some folkways of our culture. As a strating point, he wanted to make a short film on the theme of ‘generation gap’ as it was seen during that period. Nihal had quite a number of discussions with me and he entrusted me to write a sort of an experimental screenplay. But as a youngster, I never had the chance of gauging the impact it may have had. I am not sure whether we managed finish the project.

I remember that several film sessions took place with Nihal manipulating the camera and at the same time directing them. One location was in Moratuwa. We spent half a day involved in the project. Then another project was in process. That was about a village of folk dancers.

Nihalsinghe’s major contribution triggered off from Sath Samudura as the creative photographer. This film, if not a turning point in the local cine scene, was at least the most discussed visual work that won the mass acclaim from the audience point of view. The next stop, as pointed out in the launching event too, was reorganisation for the then known Government Film Unit (GFU). As our friend Tissa Liyanasuriya pointed out, it was the lethargy on the part of the employees that mattered and brought about a hindrance to its development. D B Nihalsinghe had the organization power and creativity in the work process to overcome these barriers.

Thus he had ushered in a new era in reporting and informing matter to kindle an active interest in state development projects. Though he was an administrator, he too had a hand in creative matters. This is one factor that one should take note of in culture and communication.

D B Nihalsinghe had an active part to play in the moulding of the primary stages of the State Film Corporation (SFC). From a small unit of organization, he gradually built it up to the present stage of development.

He was the first General Manager who was overall in charge o the role that could be termed as ‘towards a national cinema’. The Sarasavi studio in Dalugama is a laboratory he had built.

Unlike other administrators of a corporation, Nihal was clad in simple working kind attire. If I remember correct, he used a Vespa scooter to shuttle from his Bauddhaloka Mawatha office to Dalguama Sarasavi studio. When the renovation was over, he had other involvements to usher in a new kind of film, where his emphasis was based on creative scriptwriting and direction.

To meet the challenge, he devised two units with his crew: one, training in film work and two, activation of a good script bank. Those who knew the art of creative writing were requested to submit scripts of varying types. Once selected, the scripts were given grades like distinction (A), credit (B) and good (C). A plan to obtain bank loans was also worked out. The renovation of the cinema halls took place simultaneously. Those who owned cinema halls were disciplined to see that there is no discrimination for a particular type.

Thus existed the Nihalsinghe era in National Film Corporation.

I do not know what him leave the place. Perhaps the advent of television was too attractive and lucrative for him. He had his own visual unit known as Tele Cine, where supposedly creative advertising flourished. In anticipation of being the GM of National Film Corporation, Nihal spent a few months or one year in the UK, where his wife Kalyani was attached to the medical profession in a London Hospital. This was a time when I had a better chance of knowing what Nihalsinghe wants: to bring about a change in the film industry.

He could observe various facets of the British film industry. He knew how the studios are managed, how filmmakers are trained and how the advent of new challenges have to be faced. At times I had the chance of seeing some good films that were shown in London cinema halls. He kindled an interest on cinematography in me, which I suppose, is oe factor that I have failed to fulfill.

All in all, the launch fulfills a need of the time. The cinema industry, as a whole, is in a crisis. Who does that in the local cine scene, I do not know. Then take the challenges faced by the television as a whole. It is full of teleplay muck, most of which are mundane and tasteless – some state openly. But there comes once in a way a series like the Korean dubbed tele series Sujatha Diyanaya loved by masses.

Time is ripe for interested parties to discuss these matters.

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