Remembering Sisira Senaratne

The fifth death anniversary of veteran vocalist, lyricist and musician Sisira Senaratne who mesmerized generations of music lovers with his unique style, falls tomorrow, February 4. Sisira started his music career, when he was offered to direct music for the stage play ‘Daskon’ in which he sang his first song with Dharmadasa Wapola who was one of his close friends. He entered the film world singing ‘Me Loke Nawathena We’…’ for Sirisena Wimalaweera’s Podi Putha which was screened on November 25, 1955. Exactly a year later Sisira’s destiny changed with Dr. Lester James Peries’ ‘Rekhawa’ (Line of Destiny) when he was chosen to sing the evergreen hit ‘Olu Nelum Neriya Rangala’. Rekhawa which represented Sri Lanka at the Cannes Film Festival, not only opened doors for him to make his mark as a distinctive singer, but also opened doors in his heart to accommodate his life partner Indrani Wijebandara who also made her mark in ‘Rekhawa’ singing Sudu Sanda Eliye’ . They married on May 31, 1962 and were blessed with three children Subhani, Sanjaya and Sameera. Sisira made his debut as a film music director with Herbert M. Seneviratne’s ‘Handapana’ (1965) for which he composed six originals including Piduru Sewikala, Aloke Pathura and Eatha Ahase Dile. He passed away on February 4 in 2015.

HE ENTERED THE film WORLD SINGING ‘ME LOKE Nawathena We’…’ for SIRISENA WIMALAWEERA’S PODI PUTHA WHICH WAS SCREENED ON NOVEMBER 25, 1955.