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Man of many roles

by Prasad Gunewardene

He was a complete man in the medium of Art. Very few knew about the enormous talents he inherited. Be it sketching, painting, sculpture, music, melody, lyrics, designing or decorating, everything was in him. The talents of this great personality were less known.

The country popularly knew him as the most outstanding actor of the silver screen in addition to directing films. He was also a pioneer behind the camera in his cinema life. Gamini Fonseka was this man of many talents. He dominated the silver screen for five decades . He was also a popular politician for nearly a decade within this time.

News broke out that...

In the month of September, memories of Gamini Fonseka linger more as September 30 marks his first death anniversary. On that day last year, as the then News Editor, I was editing a news report on the Sunday Observer News Desk when the news broke out that Gamini Fonseka had passed away that afternoon.

The news reached the editorial around 2.00 pm. My Associate Editor, Lalith Edirisinghe seated opposite who knew that Gamini was my uncle, requested me to check the news. Initially I could not believe as I had a luncheon meeting with Gamini just two week before. I telephoned Gamini's eldest daughter Chamila and she confirmed that he had died.

The legend of the Sri Lankan cinema, Gamini Fonseka climbed the stairway at his Ja-ela residence after breakfast on that morning unaware that it was his final climb in the pathway of his life. Having failed to contact me over the telephone before breakfast, he had told his personal aide, Jayalath to remind him to call me when he came down to lunch.

But, it was never to be. Gamini, the man admired by millions who relaxed for his usual short nap after breakfast was gone in his sleep. He never woke up to read the newspapers that were laid on the stool near his bed by Jayalath though he wanted them there. Gamini Fonseka always read the editorials of all newspapers first, before reading the news.

That was his style. It was a peaceful death but a great loss to the cinema.Gamini always dreamed to be reborn in Sri Lanka to complete his mission in the cinema, his first love."I want to start from where I leave", he once quipped during a discussion with me on the cinema and its future.

Sembuge Shelton Gamini Fonseka was affectionately addressed by me as "Shelton mama". Gamini and my father were first cousins, sons of the brother and sister of the nine member Fonseka family from the Dehiwala Junction. Gamini was a man by himself. Yes... he was tough and stubborn but understanding.

For some, it was difficult to understand him. He was very humane. Gamini associated with hand picked relatives and friends. The three nephews who had access to him with me were my cousins Samitha Hevawasam and Nihal Canagasabey. Of his friends, Squadron Leader (Rtd), Wimal Karunaratne, now a Consultant at Sri Lanka Insurance was the only friend near and dear to him till the time of his death, after the demise of Gamini's best friend Dharmasiri Gamage who predeceased him by eleven days.

Doyen of the cinema

Apart from this hand picked team, Gamini, a nature lover was close to his two pet dogs, Lassie and Blackie.These two pets were well trained. Blackie alerted him whenever the telephone rang while Lassie kept vigil for strangers at the gate. "In my retirement, Blackie is my Private Secretary and Lassie is the Security Officer", he once cracked.

I will not dwell much into his cinema life as volumes had been written while he was alive and immediately after his death. I met him two weeks prior to his sudden death to discuss certain personal and legal matters he had to execute. Gamini never put off matters that needed urgent attention.

Accordingly, those issues were set for speedy execution. Our final meeting spread beyond six hours was quite interesting. He was well read and knowledgeable and it was educative to have a one to one talk with him as a relative and friend. We spoke about life, the country, people and society. Gamini's comments and observations were quite interesting and it was more entertaining than talking about the history of the cinema and politics he embraced in life.

As he was rated the doyen of the cinema, considering his knowledge and talent, I told him that Sri Lanka was too small for a man like him. Placing one leg over the other, Gamini shot back, "You are wrong my dear man...it is not the country that is small, the rulers of this country think I am too small for it". Gamini was forthright and outspoken. This was to his disadvantage at times when he dealt with people who hid behind the truth.

This compelled him to retire from politics and distance himself from the cinema in the last few years of his life . At this interesting discussion, I asked him whether the Sinhala film industry had a future. He paused for a moment placing his hands on the sides of his forehead, and asked as to who destroyed the film industry.

He knew I did not have the reply. Came in Gamini pointing a finger at me looking sharply to say, "When the South Indian cinema was invading Sri Lanka, it was people like Anthony Page, Selvaratnam, Gunaratnam and Nayagam who forced me to intervene to prevent it.They built the Sinhala film industry.

In the 1983 communal riots, the Sinhala extremists burnt 200 films preserved at the Vijaya studio". In his own inimitable style he questioned as to how could there be a future for the Sinhala film industry considering such anti-social acts.

Elaborating further in a lighter vein,Gamini said," Look here, these are facts.The Tamil man offers his expertise and knowledge. The Muslims have the wealth. What does the Sinhala man contribute and do?When one climbs the ladder the other pulls him down by the leg,so how could one expect a future for the Sinhala film industry", asked Gamini Fonseka.

I turned the topic to the talents of actors and actresses of yester year and inquired about the character of the late H. D. Kulatunga, known as the villain of the cinema. Gamini described him as the most sober and quiet man he had met in life.

I asked him who was best actor next to him. The reply was sincere but shocking."Who says I am the best actor", Gamini shot back in a firm tone. "The people agree to that view", I replied. "That's what the people and you say.

I say it is Joe Abeywickreme and no one else", was Gamini's sincere expression. "Is Malini Fonseka the most beautiful actress of your era", I asked. "No", was the firm answer of Gamini adding that Sandya Kumari was the most beautiful actress. "You take Sandya's view from any angle...she's very beautiful", he explained.Gamini described Malini as the most intelligent actress.

Where beauty of the opposite sex was concerned, Gamini was a character attracted by the opposite sex from his childhood.

When he was aged four , his mother took him to the village temple monk to have his horoscope read. The monk warned his mother to keep him away from the fairer sex as too much of attraction could destroy the boy's life who was destined to be one of the country's most popular men.

When Gamini attended the Kindergarten at the Dehiwala Presbyterian Girls' school in the company of his elder sisters, Vilma and Viola, his sisters' friends used to hug and kiss little Gamini. He used to complain to his mother after school and wash his face screaming that all the 'dirty' girls kissed him in school.

As Parliament Lobby Correspondent of a national newspaper few years ago, I happened to direct a young female journalist, a new comer to parliamentary reporting to her office vehicle parked in the precincts of parliament.

Man of many roles

Gamini, the North East Governor was standing at the Public Entrance in the company of other Governors after a meeting. Having noticed me, he called and asked," You think you are still young to hold hands with attractive little things". "Age is no barrier to attract beauty", I cracked.

In a lighter vein Gamini quipped - "A wife, many or more is man's strongest choice. But the women should think twice". As he boarded his official car he said, "Remember that you can really love only one all the time wherever you may be". That was Gamini Fonseka's truthful thought.

Gamini's happiest moment in life was the ceremony at the BMICH in March last year where he was felicitated for his five decades of contribution to the cinema in a grand manner.

His wife Sumithra and the family were present to witness that landmark ceremony of his life. His mentor, Dr. Lester James Peiris issued a very special message to mark the occasion. It was titled, "Will we ever see his like again?". When I met Dr.Peiris at his Dickman's Road residence three months after Gamini's demise, Lester expressed regret that he had inadvertently based the entire message in the past tense when Gamini was alive. He had realised it only after Gamini's death.

Gamini liked to live outside the busy cities. That was why he chose the Ja-ela residence. He was in constant contact with his wife and children.

They visited him often to see his welfare. He paid less attention to his health. His wife Sumithra was often annoyed as Gamini never took his medicine as prescribed.

On the day he died, his quota of drugs was lying on the table despite being asked to take it. When doctors recommended a by-pass surgery after the second heart attack, Gamini said, "I don't want to live on borrowed time. When the call comes I must go". That was Gamini's way of life. But he never wanted to leave his family so early.

On the penultimate night of his life, he telephoned his eldest daughter Chamila several times in a manner he never did before. Over the ninth and final call Gamini said the most difficult thing for him in life was to leave his wife and children.

The final words Gamini told Chamila was, - "Very soon I'll be going to a place far, far away and I will not meet you all again". Gamini was never ever emotional in that manner in life.

"Gamini lived like a king and died like a king", in this words of popular film and Television actor Jackson Anthony's condolence message issued on the demise of this great actor. I was privileged to have a great uncle and a friend like Gamini Fonseka.

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