  by Jatila Karawita
Popular actress Anarkali Akarsha, urged filmmakers and tele-drama
directors, to make creations to suit all the segments of the society if
the industry is to thrive countrywide.
In an interview with ‘Panorama’, the 22-year-old starry-eyed lass who
emerged as one-of-the most-sought-after actresses in domestic cinema and
tele-drama fields, said the inability of most directors and producers to
make creations targetting the Tamil and English-speaking people in the
country had been a stumbling block in uniting all communities in the
past.
“Most of the directors and script writers do not do proper market
surveys to ascertain the tastes and preferences of different communities
here”.However in the aftermath of the ‘tremendous victory’ gained by the
Security Forces in the North after their humanitarian operations,
Anarkali is optimistic that both cinema and tele-dramas will have a rosy
future if movies and tele-series are made to suit all communities in the
country.
Akarsha who has been in the field of showbiz for the past eight years
having made her debut in a tele-drama titled ‘Iti Pahan’, directed by
Somaratna Dissanayake is keen starring in any English or Tamil
productions if invited.
But, she noted that having already acted in an English-speaking film
titled “It’s a matter of love” would pave the way for her to appear in
many such productions in time to come.
“I feel this will be my beginning to venture into more English and
Tamil-speaking films because I have a lot of fans among all communities
in this wonderful country, and I consider it my duty to serve them all.”
The actress educated in an international school, who counts over 22
films and eight tele-dramas to her credit had struggled to grasp her
mother-tongue initially. But, with sheer hardwork and through
perseverance she has been able to master the language to the amazement
of most of her colleagues in the arena currently.
The actress with a charming personality chose ‘Iti Pahan’ by
Somaratna Dissanayaka, ‘Arunoda Kalapaya’ by Senesh Bandara Dissanayake
and Bermin Fernando’s ‘Kulakumari’ (playing her favourite Jane Eyre) as
tele-dramas which made an impact among her fans.
Focussing on films Anarkali singled out Udayakantha Warnasuriya’s
‘Hiripoda Wessa’ and Giriraj Kaushalya’s ‘Sikuru Hathe’, as her most
favourite movies, which had gained her rave reviews from both fans and
critics alike.
 Anarkali was of the view that despite the country having an
artsloving President and an equally supportive Government, people within
the industry have not done enough to take Sinhala cinema to the outside
world.
She maintained that it was time for artistes and moviemakers to
expand the horizons of the local cinema in the wake of the liberation of
the North by the Security Forces from the terrorists.
Asked if she would give her consent to budding actresses to take up
acting as a full-time venture. She is of the opinion that only the one’s
with inborn talents and skills will survive in the sphere. “Acting is
not something which anyone can teach”, she emphasised.
“You need to have an in-born talent for it, and most of all you need
to figure out whether you love to be in it.
“I say this because you need to deal with controversies,
expectations, pressure etc, and if you think you cannot handle any of
those aspects, then think twice before taking the plunge”.
Anarkali who has won awards at the prestigious Presidential film
awards and the popular Sarasaviya Film Festival in the past, also spoke
of her burning desire to write her own scripts for movies, but such
plans had been kept on the backburner due to being currently involved
with her Mother’s business commitments.
A self-made actress who has faced umpteen pitfalls both in her
personal and acting career, and who has overcome them all through her
courage and conviction added that devoting time to love and marriage
would be impossible at this juncture and insisted that time would decide
those for her.
Akarsha also hailed the contribution made by the media (electronic
and print) to further her own career and last but not least thanked her
beloved fans without whose support and help she would not have come this
far.
Pix: Saman Sri Wedage
|
