‘I appreciate him as a politician but prefer the journalist in him’

Pradeepa Dharmadasa speaks of life with Minister Dullas Alahapperuma:

By Lakmal WELABADA

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“I’ve never cursed anybody in my life, let my sprained voice be normal soon. That was the `Sathyakriya’ I did when I was in trouble a few days before the musical show I was to sing in Sydney, Australia on August 16. I was sick, and my voice was gone. I was at the rehearsal.

The desperate look of the organisers of the show gave me a heart ache. They got me down to sing, and not to have mercy on my sickness. The responsibility I had to bear was too heavy. I `sounded’ that bad. I was becoming depressed, but my inner strength was high. I cannot let things fall like that. I have to fight against the situation.

The only thing I could do was to meditate on the eyes of the Buddha statue at my home which I worship twice a day. I prayed for the Noble Truth of Dhamma. Soon everything was clear. It was unbelievable. I got my voice back,” recalls Pradeepa Dharmadasa, famous singer, teledrama actress and wife of the Minister of Transport, Dullas Alahapperuma.

“He was a journalist,” she diverts the discussion. After spending nearly an hour at the Gym in the morning, and zipping a glass of `Gotukola Kola Kenda’ (herbal drink) Pradeepa begins to unfold her love story.

“He had begun his journalism while he was at school. First he was at `Lakmina’, a weekly tabloid. When I first met him, he was working for `Lakdiva’, another radical tabloid Sinhala weekly. My first CD `Doovillen Saduna Liye’ (a woman who emerged from the dust of the earth) got banned due to the rebellious lyrics that discussed the contemporary social issues of Sri Lanka in 1992.

Unlike at present, when we were to release a CD, we had to get approval from a Board at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC).

They censored a few of my songs which later became hits in the private FM Radio and private TV Channels. The private electronics media and tabloid papers went out of the way to help me. I’m still grateful for the backing I got from them,” she explains.

Q: Was it a love at first sight?

Pradeepa: Mmmm! (laughs)... I really don’t know (thinks). Actually, for me he was a `giant’, and I was really enticed to his rebellious writing. Dullas was a man who used his pen against social injustices, even by risking his own life. I too had the similar vision, I suppose. Our first meeting was at `Lakdiva’ to give my `censor’ story. That was all! It was Sudath Mahadivulweva who also worked with him, who came out with Dullas’ proposal. I was surprised!

Pothupitiya Kankanamge Pradeepa Nirmali Hemamali Dharmadasa was born at Rawatawatta, Moratuwa on January 26. “My sister and I’ve had the longest name at school! When we were to fill the forms for O/Ls and A/Ls, we were always in trouble due to lack of space,” smiles Pradeepa who was a `shining star’ as a school girl.

Late P.K.Dharmadasa of Galle who worked at Agriculture and Govi Jana Seva Department, and Meda Gamage Hema Dharmadasa were her parents. Pradeepa was the second in four of her family.

“My youngest brother is nine years younger to me. My older sister, the brother next to me (Loku Malli) and I were close to each other. Hence, Loku Malli’s death when he drowned in the sea, was a great shock to all of us. After that incident we became really depressed and lost,” she reminisces.

Pradeepa who studied first at Princess of Wales, Moratuwa, entered Sujatha Vidyalaya, Nugegoda for her A/Ls as her dream was to become a lawyer. Since Logic was not taught at Princess of Wales, Pradeepa chose Sujatha Vidyalaya as her new school. But, things changed even without her knowledge. Veteran dramatist Somalatha Subasinghe was launching a new venture in drama enroling students at Sujatha Vidyalaya and Ananda Vidyalaya.

“It was `Sandakinduru’ (mermaids) depicting a Buddhist Jathaka story. Many A/L students came for the rehearsals which was held at the school premises. Generally I was known as a mischievous, sporty and an extremely forward student who was ever ready to sing at any school event when at Princess of Wales.

But at Sujatha, since it was a new place for me, I was too shy to come forward. But, I was surprised. Mrs. Somalatha’s choice was me for the main role. And it was this that changed my destiny from a prospective lawyer to a performing artiste at the age of 18 years,” she recalls.

Pradeepa was studying dancing at Vajira-Chitrasena Academy, and later started learning music at `Kala Bhoomi’, Nugegoda. Still she had no intention of being a performing artiste. In a few months `Sandakinduru’ was a success.

After the A/L exam Pradeepa followed a drama course at Somalatha Subasinghe’s Sri Lanka Youth Theatre Foundation, which enhanced her horizons in the performing arts. Meanwhile, Somalatha who has had the instinct for picking one young talent introduced Pradeepa to the popular stage through her dramas, `Vikurthi’ (abnormal) and `Moodu Puththu’ (sons of the sea) earlier directed by Gunasena Galappaththi).

Q: What kind of backing did you get from your home front?

Pradeepa: Very supportive. My father was a very silent character, and it was my mother who ran the show. She knew my talent and always encouraged me to go forward.

From that point onward, many offers for stage dramas flooded. But she picked and chose a few; `Subhasaranagatha’ (Athula Peiris), `Sathyanganavi’ (Vijitha Guneratne), `Nelum Pokuna’ (Kapila Kumara Kalinga), `Sakvithi Nikmana’ (Dr. Salaman Fonseka), `Moonu Dekak’ (Susil Guneratne), `Sinhabahu’ (as Sinha Sivali - Ediriweera Sarathchandra), `Naaga Gurula’ (K.B. Herath), `Doovili’ (R.R. Samarakoon) and `Ukdandu Ginna’ (Nimal Ekanayaka).

“Of them `Sathyanganavi’ came to the limelight among Sri Lankan drama enthusiasts during 1988-1989. It was in the style of an Opera, and we were given an eight-month training under maestro Pemasiri Khemadasa. I got the Best Stage Actress Award for `Ukdandu Ginna’ in 1993,” she recalls.

Q: Your singing career?

Pradeepa: It was a blessing that maestro Khemadasa recognised my talent. Jayantha Chandrasiri was to introduce a new face, Rebeka Nirmali for the main role in the tele `Veda Hamine’. It was the maestro’s suggestion to introduce a new voice as well to the new character. That was how I got the chance to sing its theme song, `Doovili’ which was a hit.

Unlike today, a decade back people rarely view the singers on the TV. So, when `Veda Hamine’ was on telecast, everybody began to look for the gifted nightingale. It rarely that an artiste has both talent for singing and for acting. Rukmani Devi, H.R. Jothypala and Mukesh were a few to name. And it was Pradeepa who grabbed the limelight after them.

From the stage to the small screen; Pradeepa took part in `Samuganime Navathena’ (Kapila Kumara Kalinga), `Yashodara nam Eya’ (Thusitha Jayawardane), `Ava Sanda’ (Somaratne Dissanayaka), `Pin Mada Puthuni’ (Malini Fonseka) and `Dhavala Raathriya’ (Sudath Mahadivulveva).

Many theme songs of the teledramas of that era were sung by her. She sang her first film theme song for Mario Jayathunga’s `Nidi Yahana Kalabuni’, but unfortunately it was never screened due to the political censorship. Mario’s `Savithrige Raathriya’ won her the Best Female Singer Award at both film festivals at Sarasaviya and the President’s in 1996.

`Pradeepa’ which means `light’, had so far been radiating light like a star twinkling in the sky. However, on November 23 in 1993, she decided to give light to the life of only one soul; Dullas Alahapperuma. After two years of being in love she tied the nuptial knot on this day.

Dullas Daham Kumara Alahapperuma was born on May 14 in 1959 at Dikwella, Matara to School Principal parents, Karolis Alahapperuma and Aslin Alahapperuma. Like Pradeepa, Dullas too was the second `commander’ in his family. His older sister, Sujatha Alahapperuma is the Magistrate, Wattala, two brothers are a Custom Officer and an Engineer respectively, and the youngest sister is a school teacher.

Dullas who was a Cricket fanatic studied firstly at St. Servetius College, Matara and then at Ananda College, Colombo. “He still loves Cricket. His pastime is to play Cricket with his sons,” butts in Pradeepa.

Like his beloved wife, Dullas’ intention too was to become a lawyer. Unlike her he climbed the academic ladder until he was dragged to politics. “He was a writer; a journalist who tried to raise a voice against the misrule and injustices in the society. He was doing his finals at the Law College when he entered politics by winning the Provincial Election at Matara in 1993. He was the Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs as well,” recalls Pradeepa.

For a year I didn’t do anything. But I did a bit of charity work at Elders’ Homes to keep myself occupied once my children went to school. Later, I managed to follow a Diploma in Liberal Arts which included subjects such as American History and Culture, English Literature and Mass Communication,” she says. “I had no voice training at all. There was a Unity Church nearby. I once walked in and

asked the Pastor whether I could join the choir just to keep my voice trained. He was very co-operative, and allowed me to do so.

In the year 2005, President Mahinda Rajapaksa got down Dullas, the long time lost gentleman-politician back on the political stage, and Dullas was appointed to the Parliament through the National List. Dullas came back to Sri Lanka while Pradeepa continued to stay there with the kids.

“I think every woman should go through a tough period like that managing everything of her own as it gives you an enormous strength and confidence to lead a perfect life later on. During Dullas’ absence, I had to manage with our two sons alone in the States for two years. I took every problem as a challenge and successfully faced them with courage.

There was a time I really went down, but my inner spirit never let me off. It was the period when I really experienced the strength of a woman, and the amount of burden she could bear in life,” she recalls. “We too returned to Sri Lanka in 2007, the year Dullas got the appointment as Minister of Transport,” says Pradeepa.

Q: How old are your sons?

Pradeepa: Mahima Induwara was born in 1995 and Kaushika Nalanda was born in 1996. Mahima first went to Royal College and Kaushika at Ananda College. At present both are studying at Lyceum International. Why we’ve named our second son `Nalanda’ is a story. It was the late young Ratnapura MP Nalanda Ellawala who drove us from the hospital to home when he was born. Nalanda was a person with incompatible virtuous humane qualities.

Q: We all see Dullas as a straight forward politician. How do you see him?

Pradeepa: Strong and frank who lives with an extreme self pride. I appreciate him as a politician, but prefer the `journalist’ in him.

To tell the truth I never liked him entering politics. My blessings are with him, but my involvements in his party politics is very low. He is a pure vegetarian and a teetotaller. A loving husband, and a father who adores his two kids like precious jewels in this world (laughs). What else can a wife expect from life? We still have no permanent residence of our own. Once he quits politics we might be in trouble. But, I never think about the future that far, and live only for the present.