Tissa Abeysekera,

intellectual par excellence

Kalakeerthi EDWIN ARIYADASA

Tissa Abeysekera's demise at the age of 69, diminishes us all. He has been an integral and highly functional facet of the intellectual and cultural life of this land in a tumultuous era, when the spasms and tremors of a new age being born, were keenly felt on a sensitive elite. Tissa Abeysekera was foremost among those, who reflected this emerging social change and the restlessness that was symptomatic of this upheaval. His lifestyle was that of an "engaged" intellectual, who ceaselessly explored ways and means of coming to terms with this new world in turmoil. His passage occurred, while his work was still unfinished. This is deeply saddening, to say the least.

It is generally dichotic to keep on saying, that a person's death leaves a history that cannot be filled.

In the instance of Tissa Abeysekera, this is starkly true.

A short break while filming Viragaya

His mind was intellectually stirred, almost from his childhood. Even in his early formative years, he had, at least vaguely, a vision of how culture should evolve. He records the profound delight he felt when he viewed Lester James Peries' "Rekawa". "I felt like going on my knees and worshipping Lester," Tissa says. And, this from a youth who was merely 17.

Throughout his life he pursued a variegated avenues of art and culture as if his life depended on this quest.

His creation pilgrimage, made him a close associate, intimate friend and a dedicated collaboration of great Lester James Peries. Tissa's early idolization of Lester, enabled him to carve out his own niche in the world of art and culture.

His association with Lester, yielded an early harvest of distinguished successes. He scripted Lester James Peries' `Nidhanaya' (The Treasure), which is rated by some among the best works of Director Lester James Peries.

He became a much sought after script-writer, entirely because of his unswearing commitment to quality. His scripts for such works in 'Weera Puran Appu', 'Uthpalavanna' etc. bear his individual imprint of thoroughness. When he started directing his own film, he infused to Sri Lankan cinema, an unmistakable "Tissa Abeysekera" flavour to it. His 'Viragaya' (Detachment) deriving from Martin Wickremasinghe's, renowned work of fiction of that title, could have been handled for cinema only by a genius. A director would be quite hesitant about approaching such subject-matter, unless he was fully confident about his own cinematic prowess.

In an unusual move, Tissa invited monks to view this film, as it had to with a central concern of the Buddha's Dispensation. His 'Mahagedara' is gothic and baroque in its cinematic presence.

Tissa Abeysekera, plunged into the teledrama mode, with a highly creative vigour. He selected his themes, which squared with his relentless pursuit of perfection. He takes an immense, creative delight in researching the background of his film-and TV-creations. This made him a film-scholar-in yet another sense. When he sculpted Director Bertram Nihal's `Gamperaliya'. Tissa along with the directed initiated a thorough process of research, to ensure the authenticity of the serialized teledrama. Tissa took part in camera rolls of character portrayal, displaying adeptness in identifying the telling detail. In recent years, he asserted his stature as a noteworthy critic. In his critical writings he addressed an extensive series of social and cultural issues. His presentations whether spoken and written had an appealing aggressive edge to them. He belonged vehemently to the fast disappearing tribe of scholars, who could display a bilingual dexterity. His writings in English, won his awards.

Tissa Abeysekera's career as "Intellectual', is particularly intriguing, mainly because he played a featured role in activist politics as well. He was a member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party.

His socialist politics, could be a logical culmination of his youthful urge to usher in changes in cultural and social fields. Tissa Abeysekera was well-read and meticulously informed. He did not claim a distinguished academic career. To me, Tissa Abeysekera is an autodidact polymath.

Tissa Abeysekera, displayed a remarkable intrepidity in expressing views, however controversial, they would have seemed. When he headed the National Film Corporation, he launched a project to spread cinematic literacy in remote areas of our country.

He arranged film shows both for adults and children to open a wide vista on world cinema for these underprivileged masses.

We are deeply moved that the curtain came down on the drama of his unusual career, before a logical "End" could register its close.

His intended work is left mostly undone. But, he leaves behind the memories of a remarkable intellectual, whose mind was perpetually agitated and ignited, by thoughts and concepts that enriched the art and culture of this land.