Humanist and actor par excellence

The 20th death anniversary of Vijaya Kumaratunga:

by Ranga Chandrarathne

[email protected]

Ganga Addara Ma sihil senehi ... The immortal lines of the theme song of the film Ganga Addara by Sumithra Peries, will linger in the hearts and minds of thousands of Sri Lankan filmgoers with the young and iconic image of Vijaya Kumaratunga, aptly dubbed as the heart throb of Sri Lankan cinema.

Those immortal lines also remind us of the grime reality that the singer cum actor of the scene is no more with us and 20 years have passed since his life was snuffed off by hitherto unidentified the assassins 'bullets, thus cruelly marking the end of icon, humanist and a visionary in the down' to-earth man of Vijaya Kumaratunga.

At the time Vijaya Kumaratunga was born in 1945, he would not have been thought to be the most sought after actor in Sri Lankan cinema. If Gamini Fonseka was famous for his rather forced-upon-himself acting, Vijaya was known for the opposite. For him, acting was natural and in totally conformity with his outstanding personality in life.

He was not only the most popular and best actor at his time , though the awards for the most popular actor were denied to him, but also a singer with a deep voice and a public speaker with a universal appeal. Perhaps, he was most remembered for his nature as a concerned human being who felt the pulse of the masses.

This would have been the most compelling reason for him to enter into the rather stinking puddle of politics where amphibian political frogs made a heaven out of suffering masses.

Man of vision and fortitude, Vijaya Kumaratunga was one of the first Sinhalese politicians to visit Jaffna along with his wife Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and tried to find a negotiated solution for the national question. He firmly believed that national question could be solved through a substantial devolution of power.

He commenced his trail brazing career in acting with Hanthane Kathawa with Swarna Mallawarachchi in 1969.

Apart from score of commercially successful films, Vijaya played diverse roles in Classic Sinhalese films such as Bambaru Evith, Eya Den Loku Lamayek, Christhu Charithaya, Ganga Addara and Baddegama and also a Tamil film Ponmani.

Vijaya with Chandrika formed the SLMP (Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya) after he severed his links with the SLFP in 1984.

However, his political career which would have been a brilliant one as his career in acting came to a tragic end when unidentified gun-men assassinated him at his Polhengoda residence on February 16, 1988. He was 42 years of age at the time.

Vijaya Kumaranatunga will be remembered as a man of many talents and actor in the heart and minds of Sri Lankan and above all as a humanist.

***

Veteran film-maker Sumithra Peries on Vijaya Kumaratunga

Vijaya is somebody I came to know, first as an active actor for Lester Peiris's Ahasin Polavata and then when I was setting up Ganga Addara. I think he was an obvious choice because Sumathipala (Producer) had close ties with him.

I found that he would fit into the kind of role imagined in the film. At that time, he was involved in politics. I remember he was joking each time I had to shoot and I had a close up of the hand. Especially I remember in the song where he has his bow in his hand.

I said 'I have given a close up of the hand.' It should be an added bonus because at that time, he was contesting for the SLFP with the symbol of hand.

To him acting came easy and naturally. He was not one of those actors who used to get into the right moment, mood and space. That kind of demand was not there. He was a born actor. He managed to fit in both his public life with the cinema.

He used to come after election meetings and he really organised the shooting of the film around that. He had a very easy feel for the cinema medium and I think that carried him even to politics.

People had easy access to him and he had that rapport with people not only within the frame but also outside the frame. He was concerned about the people. Later on, he took very bold decisions, I think, for the right causes. I think he was politically very mature.

I remember I went for the funeral of Mr. Sumathipala, the producer of the film Ganga Addara. There all heavy-weights gave speeches including Bernard Zoysa and all the Left established people were making their contribution in public speaking because Mudalali was LSSP. But Lester could not come as he was in Humbantota shooting Baddegama.

Here, he made one of the stirring and moving speeches. That was the first time I heard him making a public speech.

So then I felt here was somebody who was not only an actor but who has the capacity and who when given the opportunity and occasion could speak. I thought he came off extremely well and I rang Lester and told that I was very pleased with the speech that Vijaya made.

He was also acting in Bedde Gama and he played the final scene movingly and well.I thought him to be an extremely concerned person, an icon at the time and was a player he did it in the most natural way possible.

He had this indefinable thing between himself and the audience and through the medium of cinema he could get through it. I think he used that also to establish rapport with persons. He could have used that to much more meaningful end. But unfortunately, life was short to him. I think he is one of those people who etched out in our minds we find it very difficult to forget and to replace.

Referring to the theme song in Ganga Addara, Sumithra mentioned that it was almost stumbled upon by accident because Nimal Mendis who did music for the film said "shall we try Vijaya because he has a lovely voice", I remember I went to Rosmead Place.

Vijaya already married Chandrika. He sang it and it was really moving. When I heard it recently I think that good part of the success of the film was due to this particular song. I think that song was almost tailor made for Vijaya.

Song had an indefinable kind of a quality of a person and that person came through that song. It is a very very distinctly Vijaya Kumaratunga voice. I think this was the first time he sang for himself in a song with his own voice.