Interview with budding writer Sandali Ash whose novella ‘Rao’s Guide to Lime-Pickling’ has been shortlisted for the big awardThe youngest among the 2014 Gratiaen Prize shortlisted writers Sandali Ash believes that literature is a representation of life; hopes, dreams, sorrows, trials and politics of our times. “It is all-encompassing and limitless. Whether it is fantasy, fiction, poetry or biography, what ...
Renowned artiste Dharmapriya Dias talks us through his acting career which is dotted with many accolades, including the award for the Best Actor for his role in Hyena at the State Drama Award in 2003Award winning actor Dharmapriya Dias believes that a fine comedy play is not merely an act which makes people laugh at low grade jokes and impersonation ...
Our society is too focused on arguing whether LGBT people belongs with others, whether their behavior is legal or not or finding ways to convert them to be ‘straight’ rather than seeking a way to minimize consequent mental and physical health issues.We make it a taboo in discussions and deprive the younger generation of education. Entangled in all these negative ...
“There are dramatists who preserve their individual work. Yet, what we want is a collective system where all theater work will be preserved for the use of next generations,” Rodney Warnakula, one of the most celebrated Sinahala artistes who conquered the stage, television as well as the silver screen as an actor, producer and also as a singer said ...
2014 Gratiaen shortlisted writer Vihanga Perera talks about his works and the opportunities for writers in Sri LankaHe loves to call himself a writer; someone who writes and rewrites, working with manuscripts all year round. “I have been experimenting with my writing within and between genres for over ten years now since first being published – being lucky and generally, ...
2014 Gratiaen shortlisted writer Vihanga Perera talks about his works and the opportunities for writers in Sri LankaHe loves to call himself a writer; someone who writes and rewrites, working with manuscripts all year round. “I have been experimenting with my writing within and between genres for over ten years now since first being published – being lucky and generally, ...
Gammiris Kurulla, Pepper-bird in direct translation is a regular visitor to Kanchana Amilani’s home garden. In Kanchana’s words the behavior of Gammiris Kurulla, also known as Polos Kottoruwa (Brown-headed Barbet) reminds her of a terrorist. It would come every day to her garden, to eat from the plate put out in the garden for birds and squirrels. “If there is ...
Deepani Silva, who is committed to promoting street dramas, talks about the interesting times, experiences and lessons learnt while working with a legendary father figure in the field of acting (Pics by Ravindra Dharmathilake)Award winning actress Deepani Silva celebrates four decades in her acting career in March 2015.The late Gamini Hattottuwagama, through street dramas in Sri Lanka, offered citizens an ...
BåliphonicsSri Lankan born Dr. Sumudi Suraweera, from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand talks to The Nation about his research on Sri Lankan Low-Country traditional drummingBaliphonics at JMF Pic by Sakuna M Gamage Sri Lanka is one of the few countries with a very vast and rich cultural diversity. The culture is itself very unique and thereby contributes to the ...
Panchamoorthy Kumaran on the NadaswaramPic by Rahal WimalasiriIn Kumaran’s hands the Nadaswaram, a South Indian music instrument, looked grand. Looks matched the music he produced with the Nadaswaram that everyone gathered at the Jaffna Municipal Ground were impressed. It wasYaalKiramiyaSangamam’s(Jaffna Village Committee) Carnatic music which marked the inauguration of the Jaffna Music Festival held two weeks ago.“For more than 30 ...
Interview with artiste Parakrama PereraNot many will recognize Parakrama Perera by his name. Not many will recognize him from his picture on this page. Yet, for someone who has watched early Rupavahini cartoons dubbed in Sinhala, his voice will not be unfamiliar. ‘Puru puru, Maalu katta dan api wada pataaan gannayi yanne’ , ‘Bibili nagina belikatu...’ – these phrases, with ...
Veteran teledrama director Ananda Abeynayake believes children are reluctant to listen to Dharma while being seated in one position for an hour, but they can be influenced to watch a teledrama on religion Sansare Piyasatahan,popular Poya Day single episode Buddhist teledrama series directed by veteran teledrama director Ananda Abeynayaka celebrates 21 years In an era where teledrama directors constantly get ...
Interview with veteran cartoonist Bandula HarischandraThe main reason Sri Lankan artists, painters or cartoonists don’t get their due place in society is because they don’t stand together, opined veteran artist Bandula Harischandra, one of the pioneer cartoon storytellers in the country, in an interview with The Nation. “It’s a shame as well as a great disadvantage that artistes of our ...
“A psych evaluation must be made mandatory in recruiting new teachers,” said educationist Miranda Hemalatha who is also an award winning dancer, actress, choreographer as well as a director of drama, in an interview with The Nation. “I recently read that about 70 percent of school children have some type of a mental disorder. If this is true, it is ...
Literary giant and award winning author Dr. Liyanage Amarakeerthi warns that it is not technology which has changed media; it is the grip of capitalismSwarna Pusthaka Award Winner of 2014, Dr. Liyanage Amarakeerthi suggests that the Book Publisher’s Association should focus on Short Stories and poetry in a similar manner to show they appreciate the Sinhala novel, so it ...
Pic by Sakuna M Gamage“Sinhala ithihasa pothe ran akurin liyawuna, Lassana podi punchi puthek lak manita nathiwuna…” He was a Muslim singing in Sinhala. He was from the Eastern part of the country came to sing in the north. Bawa Nasrudeen Kaleefa was one of the performers who grabbed attention at the Jaffna Music Festival. Nasrudeen came all the way ...
A chat with tele-drama director Roshan Ahangama There is a divorce lawyer who has many years of practice in helping married people separate from each other and sometimes helps them reunite. He always succeeds in getting what his clients desire. This is what he has been doing half of his life. This is what he knows best. But when it ...
Veteran dramatist Rajitha Dissanayaka says that the name of a play makes a huge impact Pic by Chandana WijesingheWitnessing a stage drama is different from all other aesthetic experiences. It’s live and a fine theater production is capable of speaking to the heart as well as the brain of the audience. “Once a person experiences this wonderful feeling he or ...
Cartoonist Thalangama Jayasinghage says cartoonists must use satire to drive home the message that politicians are being watched and an artist has a responsibility to guard the Wellbeing of the society Thalangama Jayasinghage’s characters Palamalla and A-Thuma are no strangers to the contemporary Sinhala newspaper readership. Jayasinghe, who is attuned to what’s happening in the country, even after his ...
When you play for children you have to give them knowledge while shaping the child’s personality. Our folklore has a lot of wisdom which is capable of doing just thisWhat we usually take notice about Somalatha Subasinghe is that she is a veteran theater artiste, an educationist, an actress and also a scriptwriter. She is also the pioneering personality ...
