Styling the star
It was the start of the 1970s – the decade that saw the rise of a newcomer to the Sinhala cinema, Malini Fonseka – to dizzying heights. It was also the decade when Malini began to shed her wholesome girl-next-door image and evolve into a worldly, sophisticated woman, whose everchanging hairstyles and fashionable clothing caught [...]
‘Repeated inspiration’ – Deepa Mehta’s new film to be shot in Sri Lanka
For Deepa Mehta, Sri Lanka has been a creative sanctuary – one where she could easily recreate rural India by the sacred Ganges in Water, or the setting for Funny Boy – a land on the cusp of conflict where a young gay boy discovers his sexuality. The acclaimed director spoke of how the country [...]
Appreciations
scientist and lady of the walauwe PROF. PRIYADARSHINI (PREENIE) SENANAYAKE We were close relatives – my mother Philomena and Priyadarshini Senanayake, whom many fondly called Preenie, were first cousins, though the age-gap between them was nearly 25 years. Preenie, in fact, was closer in age to my eldest brother, Michael, even then my senior by [...]
Uphill struggle to settle into the high life
Lasanthi and I walked to Market Veediya where she pawned her husband Chandana’s wedding ring for Rs. 8000, and then proceeded to Sabahapura, her old watta, to spend the morning searching for a dining table for their flat. Her friends in the watta directed us to a two-storey house where they had a table for [...]
Reclaiming Martin Wickramasinghe
Born 10 years before the 20th century, Martin Wickramasinghe was one of the leading purveyors of cultural modernity in Sri Lanka, South Asia and Asia. This week marks his 135th birth anniversary, the next year his 50th death anniversary. To quote Nalaka Gunawardena, “Rarely has he been surpassed in this country, in his time or [...]
festival of faith, sacrifice and shared humanity
Eid-ul-Adha , also known as the’ Festival of Sacrifice’, is one of the most significant festivals celebrated by millions of Muslims across the world, including the Muslim community in Sri Lanka. It falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, symbolising the culmination of the annual Hajj [...]
Going to the opera at 1864 with Gehan
In an increasingly digitised world of instant performances and viral sensations, few artists pursue the timeless path of classical music with such devotion as US-based baritone and actor Gehan Cooray, known not just for his powerful voice but for the thoughtful artistry he brings to every performance. Gehan is back in town for his latest [...]
A memoir Full Of Spirit
I have been recently researching some interesting women of 20th century Ceylon/Sri Lanka, and have come across a Memoir by the late Rohini De Mel. It is one of the most vibrant and joyous insights into the Sri Lanka of yesteryear that I have ever read. She titled it ‘Full Of Spirit’, and indeed I [...]
An anthology of poems for young learners
Varied Verses, an anthology of poems curated by the veteran teacher of speech Lakshmi Jeganathan, is an anthology of poems specifically selected for teaching speech and drama to young learners. The curator has carefully selected poems with potential for enunciation of sounds and brought them out in a colourful book which not only offers reading [...]
‘Glimpses of the Masters’- Sky Gallery’s latest exhibition
‘ Glimpses of the Masters’, a new exhibition by the Sky Gallery is a visual journey through some of the greatest artistic achievements in history. Curated by the Fareed Uduman Artforum, the exhibition brings together an expansive collection of paintings transporting visitors through centuries of genius – from the Renaissance to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and the [...]
An-Nur 2025: MCE’s new work
This evening at 7.30 p.m., the Lionel Wendt Theatre will come alive as the Muslim Choral Ensemble (MCE) presents An-Nur 2025, unveiling completely new work. Founded in 2017, the Muslim Choral Ensemble was South Asia’s first Muslim Choral Ensemble, committed to preserving the rich legacy of Islamic renditions while transforming it into a bridge across [...]
Bharathanatyam at Barefoot
On June 14, the dancers of Dr. Nirmala John’s Nirmalanjali Academy in collaboration with Barefoot will perform Devamala (‘A Garland of Gods’), the first dance performance at the Barefoot Gallery gardens in 15 years. Amidst the fragrance of incense, strings of jasmine and trailing vines, the performance will depict a collection of gods and goddesses [...]