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| Monday, 15 March 2004 |
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The Emperor of the Silver Screen as exemplary politician by Prasad Gunewardene Sri Lanka will, on March 22, pay a great tribute to a legend and a worthy son of its soil. This great son of the soil not only carved a name for himself displaying his unprecedented talents but also proved that this country had a cinema that brought talented actors, producers, directors and other personalities connected to the industry. Sembuge Don Shelton Gamini Fonseka was born on March 21, 1936 at Dehiwala to William and Dolly Fonseka. His father William was the youngest in his family while Gamini was the only son and the youngest in his family with two sisters, Vilma and Viola. He was educated at S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. His entry into the film scene in the latter part of the 1950s marked a change in the pattern of acting. Gamini was not only a gifted actor but also produced and directed films with the experience he gathered from his mentor, Dr. Lester James Peiris. The title of the felicitation of March 22, to the emperor of the silver screen is 'Raja Dekma'. Gamini Fonseka proved that actors were born and not made. He was an actor who lived in the character and did not allow the character to live in him.
This was the most outstanding feature of this great actor. Gamini was fortunate during his span of nearly five decades in the scene as other actors and actresses too were very talented people. To name them will take considerable space. Fonseka is a man who never knelt before injustice nor went behind anyone for cheap publicity. All that he wanted came to him and that was also a talent he inherited. A few days ago, veteran journalist Dharmasiri Gamage's daughter, Anjana, who works with me in the Daily News editorial walked up to me to say she was leaving for an assignment and requested me to assign her. I asked her why she wanted to go on a late evening assignment. She replied, 'My father and some others have organised a tribute to your uncle, Gamini Fonseka'. My first question was whether Mr. Fonseka had agreed to be felicitated as I knew what kind of man my uncle was. She said, 'Yes... with much reluctance'. I knew that Dharmasiri Gamage was a close associate of Gamini and Gamini liked him very much. "Your father is a lucky man to have convinced my uncle," I quipped. Gamini Fonseka who is my father's first cousin is affectionately addressed by me as 'Shelton Mama'. He would have known me from birth but I could remember him from my early school days as my father accompanied us to his house at Station Road, Dehiwala at least once a week. Since volumes had been written about this great man on his cinematic life, I will recall what I saw in him as an uncle and a public figure. He made his fullest contribution to upgrade the living standards of those in the film industry, to be recognised with dignity and honour. As a man, he believed in discipline, decorum and equality in humanity. These virtues were the success pillars of this great personality. At times his commitment to his convictions was not liked by others. But he stood firm and none was able to shake him. His days as Deputy Speaker of Parliament in the Premadasa administration were memorable. I had the privilege of being the Senior Parliamentary Correspondent and Lobby writer for The Island newspaper at that time. It was an interesting period as I had one uncle from the ruling party as Deputy Speaker and the other, the late C. V. Gooneratne, in the opposition, the most fiery contributor of the then SLFP opposition. C.V. in his own inimitable style tried on many occasions to get additional time to speak claiming relationship and recalling neighbourhood friendship at Dehiwala. At times Deputy Speaker Gamini Fonseka in a lighter vein quipped, "Yes Mr. Clement Victor Gooneratne, I fully understand you but I find it difficult to help friends from this chair, so you must wind up now." Not a second lost, Gamini Fonseka the Deputy Speaker recognises the next Speaker and Gooneratne obediently takes his seat with a sad look. That was how Gamini Fonseka conducted the business in the House without fear or favour. There were occasions when he even threatened to suspend or expel his own government members from the chamber. Gamini Fonseka not only created box office records in the film industry but also in Parliament. During the Premadasa regime, government members feared to criticise the Premadasa administration thinking they would be penalised. These so-called Premadasa loyalists showed a different picture to the late President on the affairs of the government and the state of the country. Claiming they were the true loyalists of Premadasa they only proved that they did not really know what Premadasa wanted from them as politicians. The fearless and forthright Gamini Fonseka was known as an outspoken man in his life. He knew who Premadasa was and certainly Premadasa knew who Gamini was when Premadasa invited him to politics to help him at the height of the JVP insurgency in the Matara district in 1989. Gamini was successfully returned from Matara at a time when longstanding politicians from that district went into hiding in fear of the extremist terror that was mounted on political rivals. Gamini was a new face to Matara politics though he had his roots there following the marriage of his father's eldest sister, Cicelia Fonseka, to my grandfather George Pujitha Gunewardene of Madihe, Matara in the year 1908. One evening during an emergency debate, the Deputy Speaker retired from the Chair, entered through the government members' door and took his seat in the chamber. He took the ball point pen into his hand and started to gaze at it. Knowing my uncle very well I whispered to my colleague in the Reporter's Gallery that Gamini Fonseka was getting ready to take on somebody. Then came his turn to rise to his feet to address the House. His target was not somebody but his own government. He charged the government with failure to look after the welfare of the gallant soldiers in the battlefront who protected the government of the day. He revealed details of the plight of men inside bunkers that not only brought tears to patriotic minds but also shook the government and opposition. There was pin drop silence as both sides never anticipated such a forceful and a worthy contribution from a government member who occupied the office of Deputy Speaker. Moved with emotion, Gamini Fonseka seemed an angered man. As he was leaving the Chamber, Dr. Wimal Wickremesinghe tried to stop him to ask him why he made such a speech. Fonseka in his usual style brushed him aside and Wickremesinghe almost fell on to the lap of UNP member Reginald Perera seated in the last row. The rumour that evening was that Premadasa would sack Fonseka as Deputy Speaker. Premadasa loyalists were discussing Fonseka's conduct in groups outside the chamber. I saw some of them telephoning associates of the then President to report the Deputy Speaker. President Premadasa looked the happiest man over Fonseka's honest and meaningful contribution and placed more faith in him. The President immediately ordered to remedy the battlefront situation and to provide facilities to the gallant men. This was how Gamini Fonseka made his contribution as a politician. Political opportunists saw him as an obstacle during his short spell as a politician. Gamini Fonseka was and is a man who believes that fierce animals and human beings cannot exist together in the open. When such elements are not caged by the relevant authorities making matters impossible, Gamini gracefully bows out upholding dignity and honour. This is the reason why he was respected from day one in his life. He got no favours done. I am happy to state that during the five year term he held office as Deputy Speaker he never requested me to give him publicity nor had he asked me to criticize anyone in my columns. There were times I had been critical of his in my columns but he had never infringed on my rights or interfered with the independence of my profession. All that he had done was to offer me a mischievous smile in the corridors of Parliament whenever he saw me. He never like me visiting his office in Parliament at that time as some Members knew I was his nephew. Although he shuns tributes, the felicitation ceremony for this retired politician and great actor is well-earned. Gamini Fonseka is yet not far away from the cinema. Gamini is the life of the cinema and cinema is Gamini's life. He infused blood into this industry. Therefore, don't let it die. I wish this great man and my uncle long life and many more years to continue his contribution to his first love - 'The Film Industry'. Yes....Gamini Fonseka has scored a glorious half century in the cinema. It is the most outstanding innings and performance by any actor in that sphere. Well done... Congratulations... Mr. Fonseka for your memorable performance. |
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