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Jagath
Chamila has made a name
By Susitha R. Fernando
Jagath Chamila won the Best Actors
award at the State Drama Festival for his role in Sunil Chandrasiri’s
play ‘Don Juan’. Awards are not something new to this
young actor who was fortunate to excel on the stage, miniscreen
and also in the silver screen with the roles he had played so far.
Jagath
plays the lead role in Vasantha Obeysekera’s latest film “Ashani
Warsha” (Wrath and Rain) released last week in the EAP circuit.
Jagath started at an early age, when he acted in a stage play to
represent his school Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa at the All
Island Drama competitions.
His
mentor Tissa Gunawardena, the school drama teacher recognized his
potential and selected him to act in many school plays. Prince of
Wales College which has produced well known actors like Rukmal Nirosh,
Ashen Manjula and Srinatha Madduamage managed to win the All Island
Drama Competitoin many times and Jagath himself was adjudged the
Best actor from 1990 to 1992 consecutively.
Can
you mention some milestone in your career?
I first started acting when I was in Grade 6 at Prince
of Wales College Moratuwa. I got the best actors award in the Interschool
Drama Competition for the years 1990 to 1992 consecutively. I was
fortunate to have contemporary actors like Rukmal Nirosh, Ashen
Manjula and Srinatha Madduamage as my school mates. In the year
1992 I acted in ‘Vijaya Dharmasri’s ‘Gurugedara’
my debut on the silver screen.
Who
was your mentor?
Mr. Tissa Gunawardena was our drama teacher at Prince
of Wales College. We did a lot of plays like ‘Praboonge Avanhala’,
‘Mai Mal Sadaya’ and ‘Apple Watta’ under
his mentorship. Actually we should be thankful to him as he was
the first one who identified my potential to act.
What
was your experience in your transition from stage to the silver
screen?
I think I made a smooth transition from the stage to the silver
screen. Learning the first lesson to face the cameras in ‘Gurugedera’
where I played a role of a child in 1992 was rather an ordeal but
I was able to overcome it effectively. Later I was called again
to play in “Kshema Boomi” directed by Vijaya Dharmasiri.
Here he had a role of an adult.
Leaving the school theatre my next big achievement was that I was
able to focus into Vasantha Obeysekera’s ‘viewfinder’,
the audition for ‘Maruthaya’ which for me was instructive
and an achievement.
What
are the other films that followed your career?
Later I was selected by Ashoka Handagama to play in his
“Me Mage Sandai” (This is my moon) and ‘Thani
Thatuwen Piyabanne’ (Flying with one wing). I was also was
chosen to play Benette Ratnayake’s “Sulanga” which
is yet to be released. And my latest is Vasantha Obeyesekera’s
last film “Ashani Varsha” which is now being shown.
Taking the stage, the cinema and the minscreen what is your first
love?
There are two loves in my life. They are the stage and the silver
screen. I love to spend my entire career in these two. But practically
this is not possible.
You can’t depend only on the first two if you are going to
remain in this profession. The reality is that no actor can survive
without teledramas nowadays.
Are
you selective in your roles in teledramas?
I am not too selective as a policy. I am fully satisfied
with all the roles I have got so far. Infact I really love them
as I had something novel to do there and also could make an impact
on my audience.
What
about the roles in commercial cinema?
Even in cinema I don’t want to make any choices.
Fortunately or unfortunately I got roles in the films directed by
eminent filmmakers.
What
about the recent award you won as the Best actor at State Drama
Festival?
Having gone through the script of the producer Sunil Chandrasiri
I questioned him as to whether I will be able to do this role effectively.
He had the confidence in me that I did not have at that time. So
I have to thank him for his confidence and guidance.
To
be frank I had to make a lot of sacrifice. For several months I
had to give up acting in teledramas as I had to fully devote myself
to the role of ‘Yamasingha” in Don Juan.
Financially
this was rather a hard blow as I have a family to look after. And
it was rewarding to win the award which I think was the result of
hard work,commitment and dedication. |
