KISHANI

Adare Namayen’s leading lady:

Ruwini Jayawardana

In a sea of newcomers, she somehow stands out from the crowd and not because she’s the heroine of the latest Sinhala movie which will start screening at EAP circuit cinemas from November 21. One look at Kishani Alanki, the leading lady of Adare Namayen (Feel My Love), and she seems set for the long haul.

“I started off with modelling before taking part in my first commercial for Sunlight soap.

The response was amazing. I never imagined that I would get such recognition for acting in a commercial,” Kishani expressed on her entrance to the spotlight.

Kishani’s first long run in front of the camera was for her maiden teledrama Dehadak Adaren, a Chamara Jayaweera direction and a Sirasa TV production on which she took on the lead role.

She had also acted in the visuals of three songs: Iraj’s Surangana Kirilliye, Himarun Vinndika’s Mithuru Kodewwe and the theme song for Dehadak Adaren, Oba Mage Wela.

Many youths are looking for a break to make their entrance to cinema. You were able to make your entrance early. How did it happen?

Yes, I feel very fortunate because I did not have to get through the hassle to get into films. It all happened by coincidence. I met Sanath Gunatileke at a function and we got chatting. He recommended me for the film. However, as it turns out, I had been the producer’s choice from the beginning.

Both A. Rajah and S. Rajah had discussed and decided on me for Duleeka’s role without knowing I was the same girl that Sanath had recommended to them.

What did you gather by experience acting in the film?

It was very different from acting in commercials and teledramas. You complete shooting for a commercial in a couple of hours or one or two days but a film takes longer and it was a really hectic schedule and exhausting.

We shot Aadarae Namayen for around 50 days. We used to wake up as early as 4 am. and sometimes night shooting went on till about 7 am. But at the end of the day we feel that all our hard work had paid off. It was well worth the effort.

My favourite scene was the final clip when I had to dress as a bride. It made a striking climax. The first day of shooting was also memorable. Roshan Ranawana was one of my personal favourites among actors even before I was chosen for the movie.

I became very excited when I realised that he is in the team. A couple of days before being chosen for the role, I remember mentioning to my mother that if I was ever offered a movie I would like to do one with Roshan! He is the most popular and upcoming actor of the period. It was very easy working with him because he was very friendly and shared his thoughts and ideas with all of us.

What did you pursue during your school days?

I was very involved in studies and top scored in all the subjects. I was quite ambitious and took part in activities organised by the art societies of the school. I used to do drama and sports and was also a member of the school’s interact club, the choir and debating team. I did Kandyan dancing under Channa and Upuli.

Was it your ambition to become an actress?

I have three goals. One is to become an actress, to own a clothing boutique and also to run my own business. I also have future plans regarding studies.

Would you take up any role that comes your way?

Definitely not. Any role would not be a problem as long as I am not required to reveal too much of me. Right now I am not ready to accept roles of aged characters. I do not mind portraying a mother but nothing above a mother.

Is there any particular character that you are dying to portray?

(Pauses and thinks hard)... Yep, if they ever make a creation based on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ I would love to portray the role of Juliet.

Star dancing competitions make very popular reality shows. Would you take part in an event like that?

I was actually invited to take part in the second season but I had other commitments. Taking part in events depends on what I would gain from them. Rather than getting into a competition I would rather maintain my individualism because I do not think a competition alone can prove your talents.

Any last words before we wrap up?

(Smiling) Life is too short, so do everything while it lasts.

Machan comes to Regal

Machan, the Sri Lankan-Italian-German co-production which had premiered at the Venice Film Festival, is screening at Regal cinemas islandwide.

The film is based on the real life incident of a fake 23 member Sri Lankan handball team who have vanished during a tour of Germany. Uberto Pasolini, the producer of the hit, ‘The Full Monty’, had come across this concept when he came across a news item in the papers. After its Venice debut the film won an award at the 65th International Venice Film Festival. The movie is produced by Prasanna Vithanage.

Goldie Behl to dedicate ‘Drona’ sequel to Shah Rukh’s son

Goldie Bhel is happy with the fact that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and his son Aryan loved his fantasy adventure Drona. “It’s important for children to enjoy Drona. I’m glad Aryan enjoyed it. I made the film for children, not for those who like their cinema entertainment twisted and perverse,” Behl said.

Behl is determined to make a sequel to Drona and says he will dedicate it to Shah Rukh’s son and his son Ranvir. And all the children of our country who have to watch crime thrillers and sex comedies because fantasies are not made in the country. No matter what the outcome of Drona is at the box office, the sequel will most certainly happen.”

IANS

Adams is “Queen of Sheba” aughter

Amy Adams (“Enchanted,” “Doubt”) will star in the Indie drama “Daughter of the Queen of Sheba” reports Variety.

Based on the biography of NPR correspondent Jacki Lyden, the story centres on how a woman uses her mother’s madness and delusions to empower herself. Lyden was NPR’s first correspondent on the air in the aftermath of 9/11 and went to Afghanistan soon after the Taliban fell.

Karen Croner will adapt the script while Susan Cartsonis and Matt Williams (What Women Want) will produce.

A Malayalee Master in World Cinema

K S Sivakumaran

Adoor Gopalakrishnan

His name? Adoor Moutatatthu Gopalakrishnan Unnithan but he is simply known as Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Adoor is the name of the village he was born. His language is Malayalam that is spoken in Kerala, one of the States in India lying in the South Western region.

Like Satyajit Ray and other masters of the Indian Cinema in the rank of Shyam Benegal, Buddhadas Das Gupta, Rickwick Gatak, Mani Kaul and a few others Gopalkrishnan’s films too are of universal stature and therefore of international repute.

I met him for the first time in Pune in the State of Maharashtra in the Northwest of India in 1990 when I followed a six week course in Film Appreciation. Adoor was one of the lecturers at the Film & Television Training Institute of India.(FTTI).

I have seen most of his Malayalam films with subtitles in English at the International Film Festivals of India (IFFI) Even before that his first film Swayamvaram was shown in Colombo in the early 1970s and I enjoyed how it differed from other South Indian films.

Malayalm is more akin to Thamil than any other Dravidian languages .If we go deep into searching our roots we will find that most Lankans have had Malayalam or Kerala connections.

Gopalakrishnan had received the highest cinematic honour - the Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 2004. In 1983 he received the National Award for the Best Book in Malayalam on “The World of Cinema”. Born on June 3,1941 He was prime mover of the Film Society Movement in Kerala which accounts for the quality films in Malayalam as the cinemagoers became discerning cineastes trained to appreciate artistic cinema. In Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala he stared the Chitraleka Film Cooperative.

His second film was Kodi Yettam (1977) where he depicted the crumbling of the Nair community in Kerala. His 1981 film Elipaththayam did not convince me much even though it depicted the residue of feudalism in that State. His other political film, though unlike as Mirnal Sen’s films, Mukhamukham (1987) portrayed the challenges of communism vis-a-vis feudalism.

I enjoyed his superb film Mathilukal (1989) adapted from a novel by a famous Malayalam writer, with ace actor Mamooty taking acting honours. His other films include Anantharam made in 1987 ( incidentally the name of my second son), Vidheyan (1993), Kathaprusham (1995), Nilalkuththu (2003) and the last Naalu Pengal (2007) Gopalkrishnan has also made a few outstanding documentaries.

He had also received the Indian government’s second highest civilian award, the ‘Padma Vibushana’ and the French government’s ‘Legion of Honour’ Award.

sivakumaranks@yahoo.com