‘Gee Anande 39’ in Colombo on Nov. 30

Veteran lyricist and journalist Ananda Padmasiri’s musical evening ‘Gee Anande 39’ will be held on Friday, November 30 at the New Town Hall auditorium in Colombo 7. The New Town Hall show will feature popular singers who will sing Ananda Padmasiri’s selected lyrics penned during a career spanning 39 years. ‘Gee Anande 39’ will also feature segments by Shadow Drama Queen Thamasha Jayasuriya who will also join in compering with seasoned Mahesh Nissanka. Vajira Edirimanne is the coordinator of the event which will be open to music fans free of charge. Veteran actor Tissa Wijesurendra will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest. Among those who will perform at ‘Gee Anande 39’ are Nihal Nelson, Priyankara Perera, Kasun Kalhara, Kushani Sandarekha, Nuwan Gunawardana, Punsiri Soysa, Terrence Tito, Amal Edirimanne, Vajira Edirimanne, Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Chitral Chitty, Charitha Priyadarshani, Raju, Mahesh, Manuja Nissanka, Supriya Abeysekara, Vernon Perera, Saman Priyankara, Samira Senaratne, Suneth Kelum, Nishi Tennekoon, Ranjan Ramanayake, Priyantha Wijesinghhe, Sandya Bulathsinhala, Gamini Pathirana, Cletus Mendis and several others. A book titled ‘Jothi Mathaka Roo’ and a CD titled ‘Gee Anande’ will be released on the day of the event. Ananda Padmasiri made his entry into the music scene penning the song ‘Ape Adare Rasa Geethika’ for H. R. Jothipala and Lata Walpola for Lenin Moraes’ movie ‘Yugayen Yugayata’. Later he wrote popular songs like Devadara Gas Atharin, Lassana Lokaye Mata Himi Adare, Seethala Hima Rate, Dammi Sugath Thani Kalata and several others. “I wanted to organize this kind of a show some seven or eight years ago, but it did not materialize. This time the show became a reality thanks to the motivation of my Facebook friends, some of whom I have never met in person. Vajira Edirimanne undertook to handle the organizing. I am proud to have friends who have been a huge strength to me,” said Ananda. “Today lyric writing has stooped to very low levels and the same should said about most modern day songs. Everything revolves around money and technology. A person who records a song using all the latest technological gimmicks, can’t sing it live on stage. That’s so tragic. During our days, we wrote songs and got a fee but we did it to derive sheer satisfaction. It was not a thriving business like now,” said Ananda. “While being a journalist I had a dream to write my first song for legendary singer H. R. Jothipala. It was in the movie ‘Yugayen Yugayata’ that I got that opportunity. I have also written songs for Milton Mallawaarachchi, his son Ranil and grandson Pavan. I am launching a book on Jothi to present the real facts because some others have distorted facts in their writings,” he said.