He came the hardway

by Lakmal Welabada

"Sir, somebody who came for the interview is crying. Somebody has mocked at him and he was so upset over that." Donald Jayantha, Assistant Director, who was on the interview bench, jumped out of his seat when he heard this. A young well-dressed man with his folded coat on his arm going towards the gate. Donald clapped and called him back.

Donald: Why Malli, what's the problem? Aren't you staying for the interview?

Young man: Sir, I came from Horowpathana. I am a poor farmer (he showed his rough palms with corns). We grow chilies. But I always had a dream to become an actor. My mother knew my desire and pawned her gold earings to find me bus fare. She asked me to dress like this.

She thought I would look smarter, and might get a chance in this film. I got this stitched for my uncle's wedding. Sir, today I set off at 3.00 am from Horowpathana. Somebody here mocked at me saying that I have come for a wedding and not for an interview and he began to sob.

Donald's heart melted. He remembered how he faced difficulties when he was new to the field. He knew, though he could take them as challenges. So. "Don't worry I will give you a small part in the film.

You come to the Anuradhapura location when we start shooting." The 22-year-old dark ruffian had no appearance of an actor at all. But he got the opportunity to take part in 'one' shot in the film 'One-Shot'.

"That was more than enough for that man throughout his life. If I let him go in that state, he would have been very upset, and might have committed suicide," points out Donald who has been an Assistant Director in the Sinhala filmdom for the past 26 years.

"I was born in Matara, and studied at Kotapola Maha Vidyalaya. My father was a station master and my mother too worked in colombo while my brothers and I stayed with my grand parents in Matara.

This was how my mother got to know the late Mr.Dharmasiri Gamage, a famous film director and media personality," he reminisces.

Donald was overwhelmed when his mother phoned him and said that Mr.Gamage was willing to see him. Donald got 'film crazy' after seeing Gamini Fonseka's films and had been writing film scripts since the age of twelve. He had been sending them to many directors and script banks, but so far hadn't had any response from anybody. 'Karumaya Pasupasa' and 'Walawwaka Palahilawwa' were the two school stage dramas he took part as a teen which won him the best actor's awards.

"I somehow met Mr.Dharmasiri Gamage. My aim was to be an actor. But Gamage Sir asked me to try the technical side of the screen. He was the Editor of 'Yovun Janatha' at that time. So he even gave a lot of space in his paper for my short stories and poems. It was a great opportunity. I'm really grateful to him," he says.

Donald had just passed sixteen when all these were happening. Gamage sent him to see the location of 'Podi Malli' directed by Dr.Sunil Ariyaratne. And then he was taken to the location of the teledrama, 'Eka Mawakage Daruwo' of Lucien Bulathsinghala and screen play was by Gamage.

These two experiences seemed enough for him to take part as the second Assistant Director under I.N.Hewawasam at Gamage's 'Yasa Isuru' in 1982. "I.N.Hewawasam taught me everything. He is my guru. I've never failed to give him a ring at least once a month even now, as I have a deep appreciation towards him," he says.

Question: What is the duty of an Assistant Director?

Donald: He helps the Director directly and indirectly in everything connected with the film. From the time of selecting an appropriate screenplay, to getting dates from actors and actresses, to follow the screenplay at the shooting level, editing time until the film is being screened. It's an overall task. An Assistant Director cannot have a proper sleep until the film releases.

Question: What is your future aims?

Donald: I want to be an Assistant Director for fifty films and the 51st film will be my own direction. And that will be the first film that I will be directing. I have an idea of a beautiful screenplay.

Donald prefers commercial films to 'Sambhavya' (classical) films. "Our film goers do not like to watch films with tears. Also I have noticed that films with stories that torment women with the scenes of torture and rape are popular. However, we still have a culture that respects the woman and family life.

Donald has won ten Sarasavi Film Awards and twelve President's Films Awards for Assistant Directing so far.

"Cinema is a very practical field, I do not believe in following courses nor in conducting courses. This field has less theory. I believe in devotion and talent. I have helped many village youth to come up in the film field, especially assisting the Director of films," he says.

Donald says he likes to take up challenges. "My wife is Mangalika. When I get a screenplay, she reads it first and shows the shortcoming. We have a good understanding between us, and are proud parents of a five-year-old daughter," he concludes.

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