Sirisena Wimalaweera remembered
One of the pioneering figures in Sri Lankan cinema who worked tirelessly to establish a local cinema would be remembered at a ceremony held today, January 22 at the National Film Corporation.
Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne is to deliver the memorial oration to appreciate Wimalaweera’s contribution to the local cinema industry and two films directed by Wimalaweera, ‘Pitisara Kella’ and ‘Asoka’ are to be screened in the morning of the same day. After the memorial oration at 4 pm, ‘Ma Alaya Kala Tharuniya’ another film by Wimalaweera, will be screened.
The event also would mark 65 years of Sinhala cinema which falls on January 21, 2012 and 40 years since the establishment of the NFC in the country.
Credited with the original and crusading idea of taking cinema to the village by showing films in mobile picture halls housed in a tent, it was based on Wimalaweera’s ideas that Sinhala cinema gained its audience from villages and then developed a mass viewer following.
Sudantha Thilaksiri’s latest teleplay ‘Sikuru Wasanthe’ revolving around a middle class extended family set in an urban surrounding is telecast from Monday to Friday at 7.25 pm on the Rupavahini channel.
Having directed earlier tele series like ‘Mathata Thitha’, ‘Malathi Malak’, ‘Boomerang’ and ‘Sigiri Geethaya’, Sudantha has started directing mega teledramas with ‘Sikuru Tharuwa’. It is played by Ramya Wanigasekara, Ravindra Yasas, Damitha Abeyratne, Asanka Perera, Rangana Premaratne, Janith Wickremage, Wasanthi Ranwela, Asanka Perera, Sarath Kotelawela, Sudarshi Gelanigama, Sudantha Thilakasiri himself and many more.
Manathunga Hamine is a mother of three girls and two sons. Managing ancestral properties, she works hard for the wellbeing of her children. Her eldest daughter Vinodhani who is in her middle age works as a teacher in a remote village. However she is in love with a businessman in the area where she teaches. Vishaka her sec- ond daughter is mother of four children and her husband Dhanatunga had been abroad for several years but had wasted all he had earned. Lalana the third daughter is married to Alwis, a man who would do anything for a few bucks. Ubhadeera, Manatunga Hamine’s eldest son is a public servant and is a man of principles while the youngest son Gayan is a musician and plays in a musical band. A girl from a well-todo family has fallen in love with him mainly due to his voice and musical talents.