Boniface The evergreen yesteryear hero
Yesteryear heroes had challenging roles to play largely because they had to fall in line with Indian producers and directors who shot their films in Indian studios in the 50s and 60s.
Boniface Fernando is also one such hero who accidentally entered the film scene and later rose to become a film hero in the fifties and sixties especially.
Kurukulasuriya Gabriel Boniface Fernando was born in Negombo and studied at St. Mary’s College. Later he made a name for himself as a film actor, scriptwriter, assistant director and co-producer.
“I was working as the manager at Mihira Cinema, Mirigama when Benedict Fernando asked me one day if I would like to act. I said OK and that paved the way for me to play a small role in A. B. Raj’s ‘Ramyalatha’ in 1956. Later Charles Perera introduced me to Robin Tampoe who made me a hero. I acted in almost all his films. I started to play the lead role in ‘Sirimalee’ opposite Sujatha Wijesekara. Robin Tampoe was my mentor. Since then I acted in several hit movies like Suwineetha Lalani, Suhada Divi Piduma, Sudu Sande Kalu Wala, Sulalitha Sobani, Semiya Birindage Deviyaya, Sathutai Kandulai, Sudo Sudu, Landaka Mahima, Sengawena Sewanella, Mahadenamutta, Senasili Suwaya, Pick Pocket, Kaliyuga Kale, Apsara, Tikira, Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai and several others,” he told Impulse.
WHO WERE YOUR CONTEMPORARIES?
Ashoka Ponnamperuma, Dommie Jayawardana, Piyadasa Gunasekara, Clarice de Silva, Vijitha Mallika, Leena de Silva and all yesteryear stars.
YOU ALSO EXCELLED IN STUNT SCENES?
Yes we were given training in stunts under veterans in India. I learnt all forms of stunts except Karate.
YOU WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN OTHER ASPECTS IN THE FILM SCENE?
Well, I wrote the dialogues in Dehadaka Duka and Pick Pocket. I assisted in direction in several films including Sirimalee, Suwineetha Lalani, Sulalitha Sobani, Samaje Api Okkoma Samanai, Sathutai kandulai, Sudo Sudu, Landaka Mahima, Dehadaka Duka, Pick Pocket, Kaliyuga Kale, Vasanthe Dawasak and Shirani which I co-produced. In addition I sang for a couple of films and also at Radio Ceylon.
HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE CINEMA THEN AND NOW?
It was tough during our days but with the advanced technology things appear to be easy now. Good films were made during our days but now there appears to be a dearth for such films. Those days producers made films for the love they had for the cinema. Even in the sixties we had 300 plus cinema halls and three main film circuits like the Cinema, Ceylon Theatres and Ceylon Entertainment Ltd.
YOUR HOBBIES…?
I like to experiment with food varieties. I was involved in a business linked to food items but it collapsed after 1983.
YOUR FAMILY?
My wife is Nimali Fernando. She is the brother of former film producer Anton Fernando. I have four sons and a daughter. They are Sanoj Indika, Suresh Dinethra, Bimal Shammi Anuruddha, Suneth Rajitha and Surendra Dushmani. None of them are involved in films.