‘Yasapalitha instilled responsibility and discipline in me’: Sanath

By Ramesh Uvais

Award-winning actor Sanath Gunathilaka who also turned director recently, said Yasapalitha Nanayakkara played a crucial role by instilling in him a sense of responsibility and discipline.‘During my early stages in the film world, we had a few people who sort of moulded us into what we are today. Yasapalitha or Palitha - as we lovingly addressed him, was one such personality’ said Sanath who first worked with Yasapalitha in the yesteryear hit 'Newatha Hamuwemu'.

‘After KAW, Lenin and other successful commercial filmmakers, it was Yasapalitha who knew the pulse of the people and was competent enough to bring out what he had in his mind. This was the base for his success story. As a man who always loved to mingle with the ordinary man, Yasapalitha also catered to the ordinary masses who always expected joy and happiness from his films’ he told TV Times.

Sanath

‘Even today, we see directors who take their job lightly, but Palitha was a man who took his job very seriously. He was fiercely dedicated and did his homework well. When I had given dates to Yasaplitha for Newatha Hamuwemu, I was simultaneously working in Ms. Sumitra Peries' Yahalu Yeheli. But for some special reason Ms. Peries developed my role which meant that I had to give her 3 more extra days - dates that had been given to Yasapalitha. I was caught in a sticky situation I asked cinematographer Donald Karunaratne for some advice.

He told me that I should adjust both ends if I needed to go a long way in the film career. However, I completed Ms. Peries' shoot and returned to Colombo, obviously hurting the feelings of Yasapalitha who on hearing that I had returned to Colombo, gave me a terrible shelling - something that I would never forget in my lifetime. He told me how important was it for an artiste to honour his or her dates at any cost. I was thoroughly upset the way he reprimanded me. I called Malani Fonseka and told her I was pulling out of the film project. But this gentleman within Yasapalitha came home and met me the next day. He apologized for the way he reprimanded me the previous day - but he was not willing to withdraw the reasons why he did so. He said an artiste should always abide by the dates he or she has given to any project. That was one lesson I learnt from him the tough way and I still follow this guideline.

Later we became good friends and I acted in Newatha Ha’After I did that much-talked about role in Viragaya, commercial directors were a bit hesitant in taking me into their projects - largely because of the worn-down look in me that followed. Yet, Palitha was brave enough to offer me a lead role opposite Rasa Rahasak with Sabeetha. He was a principled man. I have learnt so much from the directors I have worked with from Dr. Lester James Peries downwards. But I have learnt some special things from Palitha. During my early days he advised me to go before a mirror and smile from different angles to see which smile looked better. This applied to actions and postures as well. This exercise also helped me in identifying the real me in me," he said.

"When Yasapalitha's sons Rajiv and Harshana and also his brother Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara requested me to support this felicitation ceremony, I went all out to do my best. I was assigned the task of handling the event's media part and I must say that credit should certainly go to all media personnel who readily came forward to contribute towards this worthy cause. I am particularly glad that Sirasa TV has gone all out to help us in this project. It is heartening to note that our journalists still remember and regard the crucial role played by Yasapalitha Nanayakkara towards the welfare of the Sinhala cinema," he concluded.

Mega event to honour Yasapalitha

A mega event will be held on July 19 to pay homage to the late popular filmmaker Yasapalitha Nanayakkara who made several box-office hits in the Sinhala cinema. Yasapalitha Nanayakkara The event titled ‘Rasa Sagarayak’ will be held at the BMICH at 7.00 pm with the participation of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as Chief Guest, on the invitation of Agriculture Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara - one of the organizers of the event jointly coordinated by the Kala Lanka Padanama. Leading artistes including Ravindra Randeniya, Malani Fonseka, Sangeetha Weeraratne, Dilhani Ekanayake, Tissa Nagodawithana, Rajiv and Harshana Nanayakkara, Manshri Nanayakkara, T. Arjuna and Siri Kahawala were among those present at the preliminary meeting held recently to discuss organizational tasks, TV Times learns. Meanwhile, the following films will be telecast on Sirasa TV at 10.30 pm, as part of its endeavor to felicitate the renowned filmmaker. July 15 - Rasa Rahasak Starring : Joe Abeywickrama, Sanath Gunathilake, Sabeetha Perera, Jeevan Kumaratunga July 16 -Geheniyak Starring: Vijaya Kumaratunga, Veena Jayakody, Vijaya Nandasiri A scene from ‘Rasa Rahasak’ July 17 - Rathu Aluyama Starring: Ajith Jinadasa, Jayalath Manoratne, Nadeeka Gunasekara, Dilhani Ekanayake July 18 - Newatha Hamuwemu Starring: Vijaya Kumaratunga, Malani Fonseka, Sanath Gunathilake, Sabeetha Perera, Jeevan Kumaratunga July 19 - Suranimala Starring: Jeevan Kumaratunga, Dilhani Ekanayake, Priyankara Perera, Roy de Silva