 |
 |
 |
 |
By K.S. Sivakumaran
Last week yours truly was very busy attending some function or the other and
falling sick in the middle, so could not keep the deadline.
This week lets take some of the events that took place and those that are yet to
occur shortly, for your information an observation.
A book titled "Sonnat Poala - 02" in Thamil (By the Way) was launched on May
08, 2005 at the Kolumbu Thamil Sangam. It is a collection of some of the
columns that appeared in the Thamil daily "Thinakural" in 2004. What the`A0`A0
columnist wrote before 2002 would appear as "Sonnat Poala-01" and is in print
in Canada. The columnist as you have guessed is yours truly.
The book released has a foreword by the editor of "Thinakural", Veerakathy
Thanabalasingam, a veteran journalist and writer.
The book records personal experiences of the columnist as a broadcaster in
Thamil over the SLBC and reminisces past broadcasters contribution to sound
broadcasting. The columnists experiences in Cincinnati in the U.S. during 2002 -
2004 as a sales associate and substitute teacher also finds a place in the book.
Apart from these critical assessments of some books, journals and personalities
are also included in this volume.
One of the missed opportunities that the columnist faced was failing to identify
the Hollywood filmmaker, Shyamalan Knight, who made successful films like the
widely known "The Sixth Sense". Although the columnist had a chat with him at
the Los Angeles airport in transit, at that time the film maker was traveling
incognito. Only later having seen his photograph in "Newsweek" did he realize
that a wonderful opportunity of interviewing him was missed. Shyamalan didnt
introduce himself and he was traveling as an ordinary passenger to Toronto.
While waiting for our respective flights, we had a few minutes to talk to each on
many interesting topics but didn’t care to introduce ourselves. Sometimes it
happens that we speak with strangers casually to while away the time not
realizing that we encountering VIPs.
The launching was well received by many distinguished people from various
fields.
Monthly Talk in Thamil on Cinema
Sri Lanka National Film Corporation for the first time has a Thamil Unit
functioning during the past few months. Although it has no contact telephone
number or any other infrastructure facilities that should be made available to
such a unit, thanks to the appointed director, Thevathaan, a real film buff and a
keen and knowledgeable cineaste, the unit is trying to encourage local film
production in Thamil.
The Unit organized monthly talks on cinema educating the uninitiated of film
appreciation and the social aspects of the medium and the like. Most members
of the audience had been those actors on the Thamil stage who desire to find a
place in any Thamil film produced in this country. But is it possible to produce a
local film in Thamil in competition with those imported from Kodambakkam in
Chennai? Never say die, believes Thevathasan.
Last Friday (May 13), this Thamil Unit invited yours truly to deliver a talk to a
group of 20 or 30 people at the Mahaveli Centre auditorium. But instead of a
talk, a discussion on what basis one could consider a film as a good one and
what approaches could be followed in identifying and appreciating a good film
was undertaken. That was more productive from the audience's point of view
judging by their active participation. V. A. Thirugnanasundaram, a media person
holding high positions in state institutions was present a delivered a speech for a
few minutes stressing the availability of a book in Thamil written by Thambiaiyah
Thevathas on Lankan Thamil Cinema.
Prior to the renditions in spoken word, two films were shown: a Sinhala short film
of 10 minutes duration and a Thamil film of 40 minutes made abroad.
"Thrupthi" (Happy Retreat) is a film by Ariyaratna Vithana.We learn that this film
was banned by the government earlier. This is what the synopsis says:
"As astrologers have predicted a malefic effect of sons horoscope on the father,
the son was ordained and kept in a Buddhist monastery. Ultimately the son gives
up the yellow robes and returns home exploding the myth when the father meets
with an accident though the son was ordained to avoid the malefic effect."
Ariyaratne Vithanas other films ("Irasma" - a childrens film, for instance) were
also shown on previous occasions.
The other film was "Kanavuhal" (Dreams) produced by S.J. Joseph of London
and directed by Kalaikann Video Balarajah. The setting is in a European country
and the players are Lankan Yaalpanam expatriates. The blatant weaknesses of
some of these people in exploiting to their advantage even those who come from
their own community.
I refrain from commenting on these films for the present.
Launch: Katpaham Chirukathaikal
"Katpaham" was the name of a little magazine in Thamil published in Colombo in
the 1970s.It was a ‘progressive ‘ publication in line with the signs of that
time. It was edited by Sivasubramaniam, a writer himself. His daughter Mathumai,
also a short story writer recently launched her collection of short stories.
"Chirukathaikal" mean Short Stories.
"Katpaham" is a proper name of a Thamilian woman. It also means a mythical
tree that grants all what you want. This literary journal published a few god
stories and those stories are now collected into a book form published by
Manimekalai Prasuram in Chennai. This book was launched last Sunday with the
auspices of Vibhavi Cultural Centre (writer Neervai Ponnian is the man behind
the scene) at the Women’s Educational Research Centre (headed by Dr.
Selvy Thiruchandran) at 58 Dharmarama Street, Wellawatta.
Yours truly presided over the evaluation of the stories in the book. The
reviewers included Theliwatte Joseph, a leading writer of novels and short
stories and histories of Lankan literature especially those produced in the
hillcountry, and a literary columnist.
The other reviewer was A.Mohammed Sameem, a former director of education
who specialized in history, and an author of a few books mainly on literary
˜criticisms" (thats what he says). His pronouncements are mainly based on
orthodox literary yardsticks in Marxism that have undergone changes.
The third reviewer was P.Siva Subramaniam, a shortstory writer in Thamil who
has translated several short stories from Sinhala into Thamil. His views are
balanced. Siva Subramanaim edits the Thamil daily the "Thinakaran" and
"Thinakaran Vaara Manjari"
Coming Events
Gnanam Rathinam who now lives in Australia is on a visit to Sri Lanka. She had
worked for the SLBC and the Rupavahini holding high positions. She came here
last year too to launch three books of her late husband, E.Rathinam, a scholar,
poet and playwright.
Gnanam Rathinam has written a book in English titled: The Green Light". It is
about "Memories of Broadcasting in Sri Lanka". This book will be launched on
Sunday, May 22, 2005 at the Kolumbu Thamil Sangam with Thamilian scholar
and intellectual K.Sivathamby as chief guest.
We learn that Neville Jayaweera, a former director general of the SLBC has
written a foreword to this book as well as he did for another book in English on
broadcaster S.Punniamoorthy, who now lives in the U.S.
Gnanam Rathinams English book will be reviewed in English by Emeritus
Professor in Sinhala and a well-known author of books, J.B.Disanaike.
Senior broadcaster Satsooroopavathay Nathan, a science graduate, writer,
speaker will review Gnanam Rathinams "The Green Light" in Thamil.
The function would be chaired by former deputy Director General of the SLBC, V.
A.Thirugnanasundaram.
Kamban Vila 2005
From May 21 to May 24, the annual "Kamban Vila" will be celebrated in memory
of the epic poet in Thamil (12th century A.D.?). Kamban transliterated Vaalmikis
"Ramayana" into contemporary chaste Thamil.
Among the men behind this event are Kambavarathy Jeyaraj, T.Easwaran (a big
business magnate and a fine speaker in Thami), P.Balasundaram and S.R.
Balendran. As usual a lot of interesting items in prose, poetry, debate music and
dance have been arranged.
In addition four Lankan women of distinction are to be honoured. They are
Nanda Malini, Jezeema Ismail, Annaladchumi Sinnathamby and Sivanandhini
Duraisamy
