Venting his feelings on the establishment

A veteran film-maker and cinema personality Vasantha Obeysekere speaks candidly on his views on the impact of television on the public, particularly on children. He stresses the need to have a regulatory body to over see programmes telecast over television channels.

Comparing Sri Lankan situation with developed countries, Obeysekere stated that, for instance, United States has a regulatory body to over see programmes aired on television channels, radio and satellite TV.

Although the Public Performance Board viewed and graded 250 odd films a year, television channels telecast 400-500 films for a month. He pointed out when the Film Corporation Act was enacted in 1974, there were no television channels in Sri Lanka.

So the TV has not been incorporated into the Act. Except in Sri Lanka, almost all other countries have regulatory bodies such as those in UK, USA. He is of the view that Sri Lanka either should set up a regulatory body or set up a Code of Ethics as in Malaysia.

However, this regulatory body should not, under any circumstances, interfere into the areas of news and current affairs.

It is also advisable that the Government should formulate a Code of Ethics in consultation with the stake holders in the industry. For instance, the American regulatory body maintains that films with sex and violence should not be telecast from 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. in order to protect children from the harmful impact programmes may have on them.

Since the TV has now become the most powerful audiovisual medium with a widest reach, films with violence and sex should not be telecast from morning till 10.00 p.m. Vasantha Obeysekere pointed out the fact that such films are being liberally telecast over different TV channels during the day; some of the Tamil films are full of violent scenes while some Hindi films surpass blue films in terms of their appeal to the senses.

Another disturbing trend that Obeysekere pointed out was the use of children for advertisements which is banned even in USA unless children are used for advisement on children. Children are used in advertisements to promote goods containing preservatives harmful to children.

Vasantha Obeysekere stated that the Minister of Health Nimal Siripala de Silva had mentioned the fact that a large number of children below 12 in Sri Lanka suffer from diabetes. It is a brazen violation of Women and Children Protection Act enacted in 1957 by T.B. Illangaratne.

According to the Act, it has been stated that children (0-18 years) should not be used for commercial purposes. However, children (4-6 years) are used for dancing and singing competitions for commercial purposes.

Children can be used for school dramas and charitable purposes but not for commercial purposes. On inquiring, Obeysekere found out that there is no national policy on children.

For instance, children aged 4-6 years old sing Ameradeva's songs. So the children sing without any hint as to what the lyric means. Street children are also being used for begging.

Commenting on the deteriorating standards of Sinhala, Obeysekere queried as to why the young announcers could not use proper Sinhala. For instance, it has become a fashion to use English words in Sinhala programmes.

Referring to the films full of violence and sex, Vasantha Obeysekere stated that even the national TV channels have become victims of the trend and such films are shown during the day. He categorically stated that tele-dramas have never been a form of art. They were originally designed to market items of merchandise.

So they are full of violence and sub-plot to keep the viewers in suspense. He is of the opinion that these tele-dramas are harmful to children calibre danger of forming opinion on arts on the basis of thrash in the tele-drama.

However, in USA and UK, TV channels have to telecast certain number of children's programmes. In order to induce audiences to watch these cheap tele-dramas, they even offer various rewards ranging from TV-sets to houses.

A tele-drama is meant for marketing goods and viewers cannot not focus their attention on the tele-drama while engaging in other tasks. In any art form that concentration is a must and this is lacking in tele-dramas. For instance, Pablo Picasso though he had palaces, did not exhibit his creations at his own house.

Reminiscent of his visits to George Keyt's, Obeysekere stated that he had never held his exhibition of paintings at his house. When people visit an art gallery, they have conditioned their minds to appreciate the artifacts. However, this is not the case with regard to tele-dramas.

For this reason, tele-dramas have a lot of sub-plots and violence to keep the audience's attention. However, TV is an effective medium to air documentaries and educative programmes. He emphasised the fact that tele-dramas containing violence or sex should not be telecast from 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.

For instance, in the Indian province of Karnataka, even Hindi films are not allowed to be dubbed in Kanada in order to protect local film industry.

Earlier foreign films were dubbed in Sinhala. However, it was banned realizing that it would destroy the local film industry. The decision to ban was taken in the 1950s following the stiff protest from the industry. According to latest regulations, the TV channels that telecast dubbed tele-dramas have to pay 90,000 per every half an hour.

Vasantha Obeysekere is of the view that funds thus raised from the levy on foreign tele-dramas should either be channelled for the benefit of the Sri Lankan film industry or to improve the quality of tele-dramas. However, at present, as a tele-drama is bought at a very low price by the TV channels, the producers have to sacrifice the quality owing to financial constraints.

As film makers of international repute who produced seminal productions such as Palangatiyo, Dadayama, Theerta Yathra, Dorakada Marava, Vasantha Obeysekere opined that politicizing has contributed to the sorry state of Art in Sri Lanka.

For instance Aksharaya (Letter of fire) was approved by the Public Performances Board and then it was not allowed to be shown. Obeysekere stated though he may not like the film, the film maker has every right to screen it.

He stated it is a pity that politicians decide what is good for the country. Though he may have views on the film he stands by the fact, that artist's have the right to screen the film.

Referring to Sulanga Enu Pinisa (The Forsaken Land) by Vimukthi Jayasundara, Obeysekere stated that if the Public Performance Board's classification of Sulaga Enu Pinissa as an adults' only film cannot be upheld, it is better to do away with it, instead of running on tax-payers money.

He stated that in Salelu Varama, he dealt with war and that no one can justifies war as the Buddha said 'There is no just war'. For instance, he is against war as well as terrorism.

An Artist has a right to express his feeling in his or her chosen field. Obeysekere quoting Picasso who described Art as 'what you see in the society; the suffering, the joy, laughter and tears of people, stated that artist's re-produced them.' Artist could not separate themselves from society.

He refuted the idea that Sulaga Enu Pinissa had any derogatory scenes that ridiculed the armed forces. Besides, the film has a very limited impact on society and it cannot change a society overnight.

One basic factor that hampers the emergence of an informed audience is that majority of the audience have no access to any other language other than their mother tongue.

Obeysekere pointed out, quoting Prof. Sucharitha Gamlath that 'One who knows one language, knows no language'. He is of the view that at least, Sri Lankans should be able to speak English as a second language. The status is so worse; majority of graduates cannot read books in English.