A talent search with a difference

Ceylonta Prabodhaya, a talent search with a difference will offer Sri Lanka’s multifaceted men and women a unique opportunity to showcase their special talents both on and off the stage. The contest will feature both performing and non-performing categories.

The performing category of the show will include competitive singing, traditional dancing and playing a musical instrument while the non-performing aspect of the show will feature dress design, painting, decorative pottery and handicraft contests.

The primary goal of the Ceylonta Prabodhaya is to provide Sri Lankan men and women the opportunity to take a life-altering, defining step to share their innate talents with the community. Interestingly, Ceylonta Prabodhaya will be open only to contestants over the age of 18 to encourage busy individuals whose time may have been occupied with careers, marriage and raising children and so neglected or sidelined their talents. The show hopes to give such participants a boost and awaken them to the possibilities of a bright future in which their talent and skills are recognised and rewarded.

The preliminary rounds of the competition will be held at five main cities that includes all the major zones of a specific region, Ceylonta Brand Manager, Azam Hamdoon said.

Although there are numerous talent contests being held constantly very few offer winners and participants the guidance and direction necessary to navigate the future, once their talents and skills have been recognised.

Ceylonta Prabodhaya hopes to fill this void by offering participants advice and career guidance that will assist them to brighten up their lives by using their inherent abilities.

Unilever Sri Lanka’s Ceylonta brand is considered the company’s flagship tea brand and the brand has decided to champion this project by being a refreshing catalyst to help Sri Lankans to awaken to their true and untapped potential.

Ceylonta Prabodhaya aims to be a different kind of talent search. Instead of making the panel a composition of person skilled in a particular area, the panel will comprise university professors specialising in each field.

The organisers hope that this panel will not only make accurate judgements on the most skilled participants, but will also give all contestants a unique opportunity to obtain actual academic advice and guidance regarding their specific skills, Kalasuri Rajini Sellwanayagam, Ariyaratne Kaluarachchi (Dean - Dance and Drama Faculty, University of Visual and Performing Arts) and Mahanama Wickramasinghe (Senior Lecturer - University of Visual and Performing Arts) will be members of the judging panel.

“At the moment there are more than enough talent searches being screened on television. However, Ceylonta has stepped forward to present the Sri Lankan public with a show that is unique in many ways. Although most existing talent shows provide ample opportunities for the youth of Sri Lanka to showcase their skills, Ceylonta Prabodhaya is aiming to reach those extremely busy and distracted people and re-energise them into rediscover their innate talents,” said Ariyaratne Kaluarachchi.

Ceylonta Prabodhaya has already started the application process and once it is completed the competition will commence at divisional, provincial and islandwide leading up to the grand finale. Ceylonta has made arrangements to present winners with prizes amounting to hundreds of thousands of rupees.

This show is not aiming merely to create stars. Ceylonta Prabodhaya hopes to give participants and winners a new lease of life by helping them to use their talents to enhance and revitalise their lives.