by D.B.S. Jeyaraj (P. Leela was the uncrowned queen of song in the realm of Tamil films during the fifties and sixties of the last century.Born in 1934, Leela passed away in 2005.This Article written in 2015 is re-posted here without any changes to denote Leela’s 90th Birthdy on May 19) I was pleasantly surprised …
Continue reading ‘♬ P. Leela, ‘Forgotten’ Singer Who Sang Unforgettable Songs In Tamil Cinema ♥’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article was written in 2018 after the demise of Maestro Lester James Peries on 29 April 2018. It is being reposted here without any changes to commemorate the ace filmmaker’s fifth death anniversary) It is with great sorrow that I write of the death of Sri Lanka’s greatest film director Lester James …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article published in May 2022 is re-posted here without any changes to denote the 104th Birth anniversary of my favourite Sinhala film Director Lester James Peries on 5 April 2023.) This column focuses this month on my favourite Sinhala film director Lester James Peries and his award winning film “Gamperaliya” . Lester’s …
Continue reading ‘Lester James Peries and the Double Gold Winning “Gamperaliya”’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Popular Tamil film actor M. N. Nambiar who excelled in playing “villain”roles on screen was born on March 7th 1919. This article appearing in the “Spotlight” cinema Column of the “Daily FT” on November 28th 2015 is being re-posted here with minor changes in the first paragraph to denote the 103rd birth anniversary …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Ms.Jayalalithaa Jayaram was born on February 24th 1948. This article originally written in 2016 for the “Spotlight”film affairs column in the “Daily Financial Times” is being re-posted here with slight changes to denote “Amma”s 75th Birth anniversary on 24 Feb 2023) The demise in 2016 of alluring actress turned powerful politico Jayalalithaa Jayaram …
Continue reading ‘When actress Jayalalithaa reigned as uncrowned Queen of Tamil cinema’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Tamil Nadu in South India is geographically the closest Indian state to Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu meaning Tamil country has a population of 72,147,030 according to the 2011 Census. The state has spawned many colourful political personalities. Standing out among these figures is actress -politico Jayalalithaa Jayaram who was elected as Tamil Nadu …
By Harrish Thirukumaran Auteur theory is considered a school of thought in filmmaking that considers the director as the major creative force behind a motion picture or film. This is something that immediately pops into the mind based on the feel and commentary on the film, Gaadi: Children of the Sun. Released in 2023 and …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This article was first written in 2018 for the “Spotlight” column in the “Daily Financial Times” to commemorate the 30th death anniversary of popular actor-politician Vijaya Kumaratunga. It was subsequently posted on my blog. The article is being re-posted without any changes to denote the 35th death anniversary of Vijaya on Feb 16th …
Continue reading ‘Evergreen Memories of Actor-Politician Vijaya Kumaratunga’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs – 8 “Neeyay Unakku endrum Nigaraanaavan” is a sparkling song from the old Tamil film “Baley Pandia” produced and directed by B.R.Panthulu in 1962.Sung by maestro TM Soundararajan(TMS) and “Konnakol”expert M.S.Raju(not to be confused with the Telugu film producer) the song was picturised in the film on actors Sivaji Ganesan …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs – 7 Sishtla Sreeramamurthy Janaki popularly known as S. Janaki is widely praised as the “Nightingale of the South” .In a splendid career spanning over fifty years Janaki has sung over 20,000 songs for films made in 16 different languages.The Southern nightingale has won four national awards and 31 …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj (Popular Tamil Nadu Film Actor cum Political Leader M.G.Ramachandran known as “MGR” passed away in Chennai on December 24th 1987.. This article written earlier for the “Spotlight” Column of “Daily Financial Times” is reproduced here to denote MGR’s 35th Death anniversary) There was a time when the magical initials MGR were a …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs – 5 I love rain! One of the things I loved to do as a boy and even as a young adult was to get soaking wet in the rain. If it started raining while I was on my way home from school I simply got wet instead of …
Continue reading ‘‘Kaanaa Inbam Kaninthathaeno’ – Splendid “Singing in the Rain” Song ♫’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -4 “Ruritanian Romance” is a genre consisting of stories, novels, dramas and films set in a fictional country. Anthony Hope’s novel “Prisoner of Zenda” based in the imaginary state of Ruritania was the pioneering novel that spawned this popular genre. Literature, theatre and films of this genre are generally about …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -3 “Senthamizh Thaen Mozhiyaal”is perhaps the most popular song sung on screen by the magnificient singer and actor of Tamil cinema – Thenkarai Ramakrishnan Mahalingam generally known as T.R.Mahalingam. He sings this number in the film “Maalayitta Mangai”produced in 1958 by poet and film lyricist “Kavignar” Kannadasan who also penned …
Continue reading ‘“Senthamizh Thaen Mozhiyaal”-Magnificient Singing by T.R.Mahalingam ♫♥’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -2 “ Dingiri Dingaale Meenatchi Dingiri Dingaale, Ulagam Poara Poakkaip Paaru Thangamay Chiillaaley” was a song that rocked Sri Lanka then known as Ceylon in 1958-59 and the years after. The rhapsodic song from a Tamil film “Anbu Engey?”was widely popular during my childhood days. It was released in Sri …
Continue reading ‘“Dingiri Dingaaley Meenatchi, Dingiri Dingaaley”- Rocking “Baila”-Type Song ♫♥’ »
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -1 This article is the first in an on going series about film songs I have come to love over the years.Watching Tamil movies on screen and listening to Tamil film songs over radio was an integral part of life for me as a child growing up in Colombo. The …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Popular Tamil cinema actor Gemini Ganesan whose 102nd birth anniversary was on November 17th , is regarded widely as the greatest romantic lover in Tamil cinema . In a career spanning more than five decades Gemini Ganesan made his mark in Tamil films as the romantic hero par excellence. In fact he was …
Continue reading ‘“Kaadhal Mannan” Gemini Ganesan: On- screen Romancer and Off-screen Casanova.’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Well-known Hindi film actor Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his eightieth birthday on October 11th. The veteran thespian continues to be active , playing a variety of roles in films. As a “rasika” who relishes his performances, it is with great pleasure that I write about him this week. It has been the practice of …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Blessed are those Sri Lankans who have lived in different parts of the country, travelled widely within its borders and interacted with all people cutting across ethnic and religious barriers during times of peace and tranquillity in the past. Those who have had such broad experiences unsullied by narrow sectarianism know that …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Vikram,Vikram” is the Mantra being chanted by many a film fan these days. The Tamil action thriller “Vikram” along with its dubbed versions in Hindi,Telugu,Malayalam and Kannada was released worldwide in over 5000 Screens on June 3. It has proved to be a box office blockbuster since then. Vikram is having a successful …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (June 24th is the 94th birth anniversary of popular music composer Manayangath Subramanian Viswanathan (MSV) who along with Tiruchirappalli Krishnaswamypillai Ramamurthy (TKR) blazed a musical trail together in Tamil films for a period of 13 years. MS Viswanathan and TK Rammmurthy were known popularly as the “Mellisai Mannargal” (Monarchs of light music).This Article …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The first part of my article on Ranil’s return was published in the “Daily Mirror”of May 21st 2022. In that I made a brief reference to the song “Que Sera Sera” sung by the American singer com actress Doris Day. This was in the context of speculation about Ranil Wickremesinghe’s political future. This …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Actress turned politician Geetha Kumarasinghe grabbed media attention a few weeks ago when she spoke out strongly in support of President Gotabaya Rajapksa. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna(SLPP) Galle district MP who enjoyed much popularity as a successful actress for many years had been appointed State minister of Culture and Performing Arts by …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj ( Versatile South Indian Playback singer S.Janaki Celebrates her 84th Birth Anniversary on April 23rd 2922. This article written six Years ago is re-posted here without changes to commemorate the popular artiste on this joyful day) Sishtla Sreeramamurthy Janaki popularly known as S. Janaki celebrates her 80th birthday on April 23rd 2018. …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj I begin this column this week with an apology to readers. I had written a two part article titled “Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N.Q. Dias was Feared as the “Tsar” in the “Daily Mirror” last week(Feb 19). Unfortunately I am unable to write the second part this week as planned because I am yet …
Continue reading ‘H.R. Jothipala: Sinhala Cinema’s Most Popular Playback Singer’ »
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Sinhala Cinema celebrates its 75th anniversary this January. The first Sinhala Talkie “Kadavunu Poronduwa”(Broken Promise) was released on Jan 21 1947.It was produced by a Tamil S. Maruthanayagam known as SM Nayagam. This article published last year is being re-posted without any changes to denote the milepost anniversary) “It is with pride and …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (The fourth death aniversary of Renowned Film Maker Dharmasena Pathiraja falls on January 28th 2022. This article about “Pathi” was written last year.It is being re-posted here without any changes to commemorate the Maestro) January 28th 2021 was the third death anniversary of famous film maker Dharmasena Pathiraja. The renowned academic cum film …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Gamini Fonseka was the uncrowned king of Sinhala cinema for nearly three decades. He was the first and arguably the sole super star of Sinhala cinema.Notwithstanding the brilliant creators of our times who have raised the standards of Sinhala cinema, one is unable to imagine or visualise Sinhala cinema without thinking of Gamini …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lanka’s Jacqueline Fernandez who has made a name for herself in India as a successful film actress was very much in the news last week for reasons unconnected to her cinematic career. The luminous star of Sri Lanka who has been illuminating the Hindi cinematic firmament for several years was summoned by …
Continue reading ‘Jacqueline Fernandez; Sri Lankan Jewel in Indian Hindi Filmdom Crown’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Srinivasan Kamal Haasan known populrly as Kamal Haasan and Kamal is arguably the finest actor in Tamil cinema today. He is also acknowledged as being one of India’s foremost thespians.The multi-faceted artiste is a film director, producer, screenwriter, film lyricist, poet, dancer, choreographer and playback singer. The 66 year old actor whose …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj ( The great Tamil film actor Sivaji Ganesan was born on October 1st 1928. This article written in 2014 is re-posted here without any changes to commemorate the “Nadighar Thilagham”s Birth anniversary) The first Tamil film which impacted on me greatly during childhood was ‘Veera Pandiya Kattabomman’. It was a kind of …
Continue reading ‘Sivaji Ganesan: Tamil cinema’s versatile actor par excellence’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sinhala cinema’s super star Gamini Fonseka once described H.R. Jothipala as a playback singer “who sang to joy, emotion and grief, the three essential areas in film songs”. In an excerpted interview published in these columns a fortnight ago, Gamini stated forthrightly: “Of all singers, H.R. Jothipala is exclusive. He has come to …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Poruthukeesi Karaya, Ratawal Allanna Sooraya,” the lilting Baila song from ‘Sandesaya’ was the first Sinhala film song that I became immensely fond of as a little boy. I did not see the film ‘Sandesaya’ when it was first released in 1960 but I memorised the words by listening to the song and sang …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Cinematic history was made on 9 February at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles where the 92nd awards ceremony of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) was held. For the first time in its ‘nonagenarian’ lifetime, the Academy award known as Oscar was presented to a non-English film in the …
Continue reading ‘Korean Film Maker Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite” Makes Oscar History 🇰🇷🎬🌏’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The titles of two popular films figured prominently in the English language mainstream and social media during the course of Sri Lanka’s 2019 Presidential Election campaign. One was the English science fiction film ‘Terminator’ made in the USA while the other was the Hindi semi-biographical film ‘Pad Man’ made in India. Both film …
Continue reading ‘Sajith’s Sanitary Pad Pledge and the Popular Hindi Film “Pad Man”’ »
By Anuja Prakash It’s hard to believe that I was only 8 years old at the time. But a child is observant. Children are also curious. That’s what makes parents nervous. My uncle was visiting with his family from the UK. In those days, families couldn’t fly back home every year. So every visit was …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Legendary Hindi film actor Amitabh Bachchan will be the latest recipient of India’s celebrated Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year. The annual award honours a distinguished person in the field of cinema for his or her “outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema” each year. India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj When Professor Sunil Ariyaratne was studying for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level in 1963 at St. John’s College, Nugegoda, one of his favourite textbooks was W.A. Silva’s novel ‘Vijayaba Kollaya’. Fifty-six years later in 2019, the eminent academic-writer-lyricist-director has made a film out of the novel he relished reading as …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj When I was just a little kid enrolled at the Santa Maria Montessori school in Wattala, a song we sang without knowing its meaning then was ‘Que Sera Sera’; when I was a boy studying at S. Thomas’ Preparatory School in Kollupitiya, a song we were taught the meaning of and sang loudly …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Lester James Peries is regarded by many including this writer as Sri Lanka’s greatest film director. The birth centenary of the master film maker born on April 5th 1919 will be commemorated this week. Lester as he was generally known passed away last year just 24 days after his ninety-ninth birthday .His first …
Continue reading ‘Rekava, Gamperaliya and Nidhanaya: Cinematic Triple Gems Of Lester James Peries’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Thursday 7 March 2019 was the birth centenary of Indian film actor Manjeri Narayanan Nambiar known to the world at large as M.N. Nambiar. The great Thespian who made a name for himself by acting in negative roles was hailed by many as the greatest screen villain of Tamil cinema. In a stage …
Continue reading ‘M.N. Nambiar: Birth Centenary of Tamil Cinema’s Greatest Screen Villain’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Anthonypillai Emmanuel Manoharan known to the world at large as A. E. Manoharan was a multi-faceted personality possessing many talents. He was a singer, musician, broadcaster and stage and screen actor but it was his singing that brought him great honour. Manoharan, who passed away on 23 January this year at the age …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj ‘Indian Film,’ first published in 1963 and co-authored by former Columbia University Professor Erik Barnouw and his student Dr. Subrahmanyam Krishnaswamy, is considered a seminal study of the evolution and growth of Indian cinema. The book is cited even now as a standard reference by those teaching, studying or writing about the film …
Continue reading ‘Actor Sivaji Ganesan Was An Oasis In The Desert Of Tamil Films.’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Ranasinghe Hettiarachchilage Ignatius Anthony de Silva, known to the world at large by his stage cum screen name Tony Ranasinghe, was one of Sri Lankan cinema’s handsomest and most lovable actors. He excelled in playing both lead and character roles. This column focused last week on Tony Ranasinge’s dynamic duality as a lead …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Several dashing and debonair actors have graced the Sinhala silver screenover the years. Arguably the most lovable among these cinematic heroes wasthe dynamic Tony Ranasinghe who acted in both lead as well as character roles. Tony Ranasinghe who was born on 31 July 1937 entered the film world in the early sixties of …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Muttuvel Karunanidhi, known to the Tamil-speaking world as “Kalaignar” (artiste),passed away at the age of 94 in Chennai on 7 August. Karunanidhi had been Chief Minister of India’s Tamil Nadu state for a total of 19 years. Hewas Chief Minister of Tamil Nadufive times from 1969-71, 1971-76, 1989-91,1996-2001 and 2006-11. No other Tamil …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj The recent release and box-office success of the Telugu biographical movie‘Mahanati’ (Great Actress) has created a great deal of interest inthe famous South Indian actress Savitri. The bio-pic simultaneously released in Tamil as ‘Nadigaiyar Thilagham’ (Doyenne of Actresses) is about yesteryear actress K.Savitri who was known as Savitri Ganesh after she married Tamil …
Continue reading ‘The Sweet and Sour Real Life Romance of Reel Actors Savitri and Gemini’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Filmmaker Sanjeewa Pushpakumara is a bright star in the cinematic firmament of Sri Lanka. His second feature film ‘Davena Vihagun’ (Burning Birds) is currently being screened in Sri Lanka. The film completed in 2016 has been shown at several international film festivals over the past two years. Just like Pushpakumara’s first film ‘Igillenna …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Cinematic journey of maestro Lester James Peries – Part 2 ‘Gamperaliya’ (Changes in the Village/Changement au Village) was the third feature film made by ace director Lester James Peries. It was released on 20 December 1963.The film was based on the famous novel of the same name written by the doyen of Sinhala …
Continue reading ‘Great ‘Gamperaliya’: A Great Novel Made Into a Great Film By a Great Director’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Filmstars often act in the roles of real persons in what are known as “Biopics” or biographical movies. Biopics are usually about illustrious and interesting historical figures. Actors and actresses enacting such roles get praised if their performances are brilliant enough to project those historical figures in a realistic manner on screen. While …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Rekava” (Line of Destiny) in 1956 Revolutionized Sinhala Cinema The doyen of Sri Lankan cinema, Lester James Peries, has breathed his last. It has been my firm opinion that the master movie maker was Sri Lanka’s greatest film director. When I began the ‘Spotlight’ column focusing on films, film personalities and film-related matters, …
Continue reading ‘“Rekava”: Cinematic Journey Of Maestro Lester James Peries – 1.’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Tamil film music has been enriched over the years by the immense contribution of non-Tamil music composers and playback singers of South Indian origin. Some of the notable non-Tamil music composers are M.S. Viswanathan, S.M. Subbiah Nayudu, T.G. Lingappa, S. Dakshinamurthi, S. Rajeswara Rao, T. Chalapathy Rao, P. Adinarayana Rao, V. Kumar, R. …
Continue reading ‘P.B.Sreenivas-S.Janaki: Evergreen Film Songs Of An Endearing Singer Duo’ »
By David Jeyaselvan King Ratnam’s ‘Komaali Kings’ is a recently released Sri Lankan Tamil movie filled with humour. The movie pleasantly surprised many, as 50 days later, it continues to be screened in theatres. A man’s mundane life in Sri Lanka, takes a bizarre turn when a distant relative and his family decide to stay …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Lester James Peries the doyen of Sinhala cinema celebrated his 99th birthday on 5 April 2018. This article published on April 8th 2017 in the Spotlight Column of “Daily Financial Times” is Being re-posted here with a slight update to commemorate the master filmmaker’s birthday) IF I were to pose the question “Mirror, …
Continue reading ‘Lester James Peries, The Legendary Pioneer Of Authentic Sri Lankan Cinema’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Well-known Sri Lankan Filmmaker Dharmasena Pathiraja born in 1943 would have celebrated his 75th Birthday on March 28th were he alive today. This article was fist published on Feb 10th 2018 following Pathi’s passing away on Jan 28th 2018.It is being re-posted here to denote Pathi’s 75th Birthday) Renowned Sri Lankan film maker …
Continue reading ‘Dharmasena Pathiraja The Master Movie Maker’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Srinivasan Kamal Haasan is one of India’s foremost film actors. Known popularly as Kamal, the talented and versatile thespian has not only excelled as an actor on screen, but has successfully engaged in other cinematic spheres too. The multi-faceted artiste is a film director,producer, screenplay – film script, writer, film song lyricist,poet,dancer, choreographer …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj After days of protests, demonstrations, threats and violence against its release, India’s ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s classical magnum opus ‘Padmaavat’ hit the screens on 25 January. Despite the controversy and in spite of being banned in several populous states in North India,the film about the legendary “Rani”(Queen) Padmavati has clicked at the …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Ithaya Oasai”(Sound of the Heart”) was a drama put on the boards by the students of St.John’s College,Jaffna in 1963/64. The play proved so popular that it was staged to members of the public in Jaffna,Kandy,Trincomalee,Batticaloa and Colombo. The chief actor in the play was a handsome curly-haired student in the then Higher …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj In the May 2014 Indian General elections the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) led by Narendra Modi swept the poll in many states to form a government with a stable majority in New Delhi. However Tamil Nadu was one of the few Indian states to resist “Modimania” with the Jayalalithaa Jayaram led All India Anna …
Continue reading ‘Will Tamil Film Hero Rajinikanth Become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister?’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj ‘We Three Kings of Orient Are’ is a popular Christmas carol written and set to music by Rev. John Henry Hopkins Jnr in 1857. This is about the wise men mentioned in the Bible who came to Bethlehem with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to pay homage to the newborn infant …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj ‘Spotlight’ shines again after many weeks to focus on a luminous Sri Lankan star of Sri Lanka who has been illuminating the Hindi cinematic firmament for several years. A beauty queen turned film actress who possesses a flair for promoting culinary commerce as well as retaining a penchant for espousing social and humanitarian …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Versatile Film Director and Script Writer Vasantha Obeysekere breathed his last on 8 April. Vasantha, born on 29 December 1937, was 79 years of age when he passed away peacefully in Colombo. In a creative career that spanned nearly five decades, Vasantha made 13 feature films and several documentaries. He won many accolades …
Continue reading ‘Vasantha Obeysekere, his House on Lauries Road and the Film “Dadayama”’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj History was made 70 years ago when the film ‘Kadawunu Poronduwa’ (Broken Promise) premiered at the Kingsley Theatre in Colombo on 21 January 1947. The Chief Guest was D.S. Senanayake, Minister of Agriculture and Lands under the State Council system of governance during the penultimate stages of British rule. Senanayake went on to …
Continue reading ‘First Sinhala Talkie “Broken Promise” was Released 70 Years Ago on Jan 21 1947’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj January 17th 2017 was declared a holiday in the southern Tamil Nadu state of India. This was to acknowledge and celebrate the birth centenary of Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran or MG Ramachandran who served as chief miister of Tamil Nadu for 10 years from 1977 to 1987. It is the political party he founded …
Continue reading ‘Magical “MGR” Charisma of Kandy- Born Actor-Politico M.G.Ramachandran.’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sinhala Cinema’s Line of Destiny Re-drawn By ‘Rekava’ 60 Years Ago – 2 “Rekava”(line of Destiny)directed by Lester James Peries premiered 60 years ago at the Regal theatre in Colombo on December 28th 1956. It was a path breaking venture in Sinhala cinema that notched many “firsts”. Among these was the singular honour …
Continue reading ‘Lester’s “Rekava” Was First Sinhala Film To Compete At The Cannes Film Festival’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj December 28th 1956 remains a red letter day in the cinematic history of Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon. The maiden feature film of a 37 year old director called Lester James Peries premiered at the upmarket “Regal”theatre in Colombo on that day.It was a black and white Sinhala film named “Rekava”. Though …
Continue reading ‘Sinhala Cinema’s Line of Destiny was Re-drawn By “Rekava” 60 Years Ago’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Spotlight” beams this week on Gamini Fonseka the first super star of Sinhala cinema. I had begun preparing this article many months ago to mark the 80th birth anniversary of Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka who was born on March 21st 1936. My old schoolmate and journalistic colleague Prasad Gunewardene had been extremely keen …
Continue reading ‘Action Hero Gamini Fonseka Was The First Super Star Of Sinhala Cinema’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Marikkar” Ramdas has passed away! Sadness spread among numerous fans of Sri Lankan origin scattered widely in different parts of the globe as news of the demise of the popular artiste reached them. S. Ramdas, known as “Marikkar” Ramdas was a radio, stage and screen actor cum writer who was a household name …
Continue reading ‘“Marikkar” Ramdas: The Brahmin Artiste who Transformed Into a Muslim Character’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj “Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass… how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?” – Percy Bysshe Shelley, ‘Ode to a Skylark’ An indispensable feature of Indian language films are the song sequences. The songs are usually picturised on actors or actresses who lip-synch them on screen. …
Continue reading ‘Southern Skylark Susheela Soars To ‘Record’ Heights In Singing Film Songs ♫♥’ »
By D.B. S. Jeyaraj Asoka Handagama’s latest film ‘Let Her Cry’ is currently being shown in theatres on a limited run from 13 May to 10 June. The director apparently preferred to utilise the gap in between already-scheduled releases and screen his film rather than wait for 16 more months in the queue to get …
Continue reading ‘An ‘affair’ of the mind between a nubile undergrad and her ageing professor’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj ( Dan Brown’s best selling novel “The Da Vinci Code”published in 2003 created much controversy. Ron Howard’s block buster film based on the novel with the same name was also equally controversial. “The Da Vinci Code” starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou was banned in Sri Lanka in May 2006 by then …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “If we adopt the Auteur theory to look at the body of work of Lester what stands out is his humanism, we are here concerned mostly about humanism as it developed in western society after the Renaissance and became a strong influence on Lester James Peries” – Dr.Sarath Amunugama (2012 Lester James Peries …
Continue reading ‘“Maestro” Lester James Peries: Doyen Among Sinhala Film Directors .’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj An adorable actress with lovely looks being swept off her feet into a grand wedding by an efficacious entrepreneur with dashing features is the romantic stuff modern fairy tales are made of. No wonder then that Indian newspapers were full of news stories last week about the wedding between the Punjabi Hindu …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj An intergral part of the Tamil Film tradition has been humour. While a few films have been devoted to comedy alone the bulk of Tamil movies have had actors playing out amusing roles evoking mirth and laughter. These roles are generally supplementary to the main roles of the hero and heroine. The actors …
Continue reading ‘“Nagaichuvai Mannan” Nagesh: Monarch of Humorous Actors in Tamil Movies’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Yaarlpaanam” (Jaffna/Yapanaya) regarded by many as the cultural capital of the “Ilangai Thamizhar” of Sri Lanka hosted an international film festival from 15 to 21 September. Jaffna, the capital city of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, is probably the only city in the world named after a musical instrument. The Tamil name ‘Yarlpanam’ is …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka, known generally as Gamini Fonseka – the uncrowned monarch of Sinhala cinema – passed away at the age of 68 on 30 September 2004. Gamini was one of my favourite actors since the age of eight when I first saw ‘Ranmuthuduwa,’ a film starring him at the Gamini …
Continue reading ‘Gamini Fonseka, Lester James Peries and the Milestone Movie ‘Nidhanaya’’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Elections are over and a new Parliament has been elected. The political excitement however is yet to subside. ‘Spotlight’ returns after a brief interval to focus on films, film personalities and film-related matters. The focus this time would be on an alluring beauty who made a successful name for herself on the cinema …
Continue reading ‘Gorgeous Actress Geetha Kumarasinghe Stars in New Role as Galle District MP’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Cannes is a city on the picturesque French Riviera-Mediterranean coast in South-Eastern France. It is classified as a French commune which is an administrative division roughly equivalent to a municipality. The pride of Cannes in contemporary times has been the annual international film festival held in the city. Known as the Cannes …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj In writing last week about legendary film actor Tony Ranasinghe, I referred to the comment by Malani Fonseka about Tony being the greatest romantic lover in Sinhala films. The queen of Sinhala cinema who has acted in about 40 films with him said of Tony Ranasinghe “I find him the most romantic …
Continue reading ‘♫ Kaadhal Mannan ♫ Gemini Ganesan, Romantic Actor King of Tamil Cinema ♥’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj “Tony as an actor is the best character-based actor not even witnessed in the Indian screen. He has an actor within himself who emerges at the correct moment. Tony Ranasinghe is the best character actor in Asia” – Gamini Fonseka. “Tony Aiya was a well-read man of wisdom. Not only as his …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj There was a time when I was afflicted by the supernatural in the form of ghost stories and horror movies. Being terrified by terrible tales of ghosts, devils, vampires and monsters was an enjoyable type of agony then.It was a self-inflicted period of craze for the macabre. This phase in my life began …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj A perennial classic in the sphere of Tamil film songs is ‘Kaatriniley Varum Geetham’ based on the Sindhubhairavi raga.It is sung by the nightingale of India MS Subbulakshmi in the film ‘Meera’ where she plays the title role.This song was a favourite of one of my aunts who would be singing snatches from …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj 12 May was the birthday of an actress who was described by the American Film Institute as the “greatest American screen legend” among female stars. Katharine Hepburn, known popularly as Kate Hepburn, with her regal appearance and distinctive patrician-sounding accent, strode majestically across stage and screen in an acting career spanning more than …
Continue reading ‘Katharine “Kate” Hepburn holds Oscar record for most wins in acting category’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The ‘Spotlight’ column returns after a lengthy interval. The focus this time is on American actor Gregory Peck. There is no particular reason other than nostalgia for writing about this former Hollywood idol at this time. Born in 1916, Peck passed away in 2003. So this year 2015 does not mark any …
Continue reading ‘Gregory Peck’s flu cured by ginger-coriander tea when filming in Ceylon’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The traditional April new year dawned on a sad note for me last year.I woke up to the news that well –known singer of film songs Prathivadi Bayankara Sreenivas (P.B.S) had passed away in India. He was one of my favourite filmsong singers.I grew up with the Tamil film songs of people …
Continue reading ‘♥ Remembering PB Sreenivas and His Enchanting Duets With S. Janaki ♫’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Ten years ago on 30 September the brightest light of Sri Lankan cinema went out. Gamini Fonseka, the monarch of Sinhala moviedom, passed away peacefully on that day. Gamini Fonseka was my favourite actor on the Sinhala silver screen and became an important part of my childhood. This week’s ‘Spotlight’ focuses on him …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Ex-Film actress Ms.jayalalithaa Jayaram who was convicted over charges of acquiring disproportionate wealth has now been acquitted of all charges by the Karnataka High Court which heard her appeal.This article written for “Spotlight” Column in the “Daily Financial Times” of October 11th 2014 is re-posted here without …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article is a condensed version of an article written on the occasion of Ms. Jayalalithaa Jayaram’s 60th birthday in 2008.It was reproduced here on the occasion of the Tamil Nadu Chief minister’s 66th birthday early this year on February 24th. Now it is posted here again without any changes at a time …
Continue reading ‘Jayalalithaa Jayaram: From Alluring Actress to Powerful Politician’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj In my earlier writings on the film scene in Sri Lanka before launching the ‘Spotlight’ column, there were two things I emphasised as being necessary for the upliftment of serious cinema in the island – one was the need to establish a fully-fledged Film Institute; the other was about holding an international …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj ♫ “Neeyay Unakku Endrum Nigaraanavan”♫ The fourth season of Vijay TV Airtel Supersinger Competition has concluded with a fairy tale ending. The winner Diwakar is from a humble social background and without any formal training in singing. Diwakar was not only the choice of the Judges, but also of the people who endorsed …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj ‘Rekava’ or the line of destiny was the path-breaking film by Lester James Peries which altered the destiny of Sinhala cinema. (Though Rekava is spelled with both a ‘v’ as well as a ‘w’ in English, I am sticking to v because the original titles shown in the film spelled it with …
Continue reading ‘Lester James Peries and the Making of his Path-breaking Sinhala film “Rekava”’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The demise of renowned Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao has revived memories of his many films.Although most of his films are in Telugu, the great thespian has acted in several Tamil films too. “Devadas”, “Anarkali”, “Manithan Maaravillai”, “Manjal Mahimai”, “Engal Veetu Mahalakshmi”, “Kalyanapparisu” are but some of the films featuring Nageswara Rao who …
Continue reading ‘The Unforgettably Popular Film Songs of Tamil Cinema Classic “Devadas” ♫’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Among those receiving the Tamil Nadu state governments “Kalaimaamani” award this year will be the singer TK Kalaa of “Thayit Sirandha Kovilum Illai” fame.Kalaa who displayed great promise when she burst on the Tamil film scene in the early seventies faded away gradually. It is to the credit of Chief minister Jayalalitha …