|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 18 January 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Magazine |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Jayanthi Liyanage tries to elicit a response from Dinindu Jagoda, to the question hovering in the minds of many who saw his film debut in Sumithra Peries' Sakman Maluwa. For those who think that the young today are the symbol of giddy and light-headed frivolity, 24 year old Dinindu Jagoda comes across like a smart retort. "Ranjan, the character I play in my debut movie, Sumithra Peries', Sakman Maluwa could fit me to the hilt," says Dinindu. "Like Ranjan, the jeans, the dark T-shirts and the deck shoes I am so addicted to wearing give the impression that I have no sense of responsibility. Ranjan is light-hearted on the surface and looks as if he does not care a damn about anything, but he has a lot of depth within him. The same goes for me !" The fact that Sumithra picked the image of Dinindu could have helped her to build the characteristics of Ranjan around it, feels Dinindu.
When Rodrigo had asked him whether he could do justice to a similar role, Dinindu had been doubtful. "But my mother shouted," He can ! "And I was persuaded into it and I felt at the audition that Mrs. Peries liked my appearance." "I did not believe I could act but the responses I get from movie-goers after Sakman Maluwa push me to try my potential further," says a somewhat satisfied Dinindu. This young man, who at first, was rather unwilling to take his time off his computer studies to explore his talents in the entertaining arts, has now been convinced to take the plunge. For two more offers have come his way to show his mettle on the mini-screen. One is a still untitled tele-drama to be produced by G. Nandasena in which Dinindu will be thrown in with currently raging tele-stars such as Chaturika Peiris and Nayana Kumari. The other is Mohan Niyaz's Pata Pata Heenyak (A many coloured dream), based on a cartoon story by artist Janaka Ratnayake which was a hit among the young of the seventies and the eighties, and was published in Sathuta, a cartoon periodical very popular then. Dinindu is now busy facing the tele-camera in the picturesque setting of the University of Peradeniya. "In Pata Pata Heenayaka, I play Sumedha, a campus student from a poor family, who meets a posh girl and a village girl during ragging and is torn between the two," says Dinindu. "Actually, Sumedha is a very humble character although the tele-drama has a colourful look as it is geared for the young generation.' New comers play the roles of Sumedha's flames, Anarkali as the sophisticated city girl, and Manjula Kumari as the girl from country. Dinindu was just over eight when famed theatre veteran father, Dhamma Jagoda died. "I was too young then to be influenced by him although I went with him to see productions of his theatre group, Ranga Shilpa Shalika, like his last stage-play Sakala Jana, and Rupavahini tele-dramas such as Palingu Menike. But as I go through his works now, I realize what pains he had taken with his techniques for perfection. I have learnt a great deal from my mother, Manel Jagoda, who ran Maya Shakthi Theatre Group later." Through Maya Shakthi, Dinindu earned the chance to be among twelve local students who participated in workshops at Sheffried Crucible Theatre in England, in a student exchange programme between Sri Lanka and the UK. "There I realized that people are the same everywhere and differ only in culture," says Dinindu. "Even their theatre techniques are somewhat similar to ours." After finishing studies at Ashoka Vidyalaya, Dinindu had worked for a while as the section head of a computer firm. A lover of sports, he says, "I was into gymnastics when I was young and later played cricket at the NCC That's my favourite game." He loves music which has a melody. "Karnataka music is one or of music I enjoy," he explains. He also enjoys the rhythms of Jewel, Sarah Mc Lauchlin and Tracy Chapman. "The song "Foolish Games" by Jewel is among the many favourites of mine." In fact, he seems to be a budding singer and has secret plans to form a group someday. "I'll tell you more when I am actually into it." promises Dinindu. Where dancing is concerned, "I have no rhythm in my body. To be a successful actor, one does not have to be a singer, dancer and entertainer all rolled into one as in the Hindi cinema," he points out. "What is important is the perspective one has of one's role. That's what makes one turn out a role well!". He loves the gentle voice of John Travolta, a movie giant whom Dinindu adores greatly. Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise come a close second. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
Even the opportunity to get into the film came his way after film
personality Asoka Rodrigo saw this paradox in him, after seeing him
singing at a going-away dinner of a friend. "The audience there had
thought from my outer garb that I would sing an English song. They were
totally flummoxed when I sang Pandit Amaradeva's Sasara Wasana Thuru."
