NITA FERNANDO INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED AWARD WINNING ACTRESS DEBUTED IN 1966 CONTINUED ACTING AFTER A SOJOURN OF EIGHTEEN YEARS TO BE STILL A CELEBRITY – by Sunil Thenabadu
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Nita Beatrice Fernando was born on 5th September 1947,in Katuneriya close to Negombo, Sri Lanka is an actress, Kandyan dancer in the Sri Lankan cinema. She has starred in her ambition initially was to become a dance teacher as her paternal ancestors all had been dancers .Nita had studied at Holy family convent Wennappuwa eldest among four siblings, two brothers and a sister. Reminisced that she and siblings had to get up early to attend to six o clock Mass at mother’s school on her insistence. Nita had studied ‘O’ levels but only halfway in the Advanced level as she was invited by sheer quirk to portray roles in films. In school she had been involved in drama and dance events actively. Mother had disliked her acting initially as then she considered not suits young girls then. After her coming to acting had got an opportunity in a film where she had met her life partner Elian Perera a lawyer by profession who had helped her immensely to rise in acting. Elian Perera a lawyer had married Nita in year 1973.when Nita was well known as an actress. Nita had confessed that before marriage Elian had asked whether she would join him if he gets an opportunity to find employment abroad. Having doubt about his possibility of finding a billet overseas she had consented. Nita had affirmed that Elian loved her much more than she loved him. In year 1975 Elian had found employment at the Mcgil University in Montreal Canada had left to Canada in year 1975 having completed many films for contracts had been signed. However Nita had come to Sri Lanka on vacations and completed some more films for which she had signed on .Nita had quipped that before marriage to Nita it was films the top priority and then Eilian, but after marriage it was Eilian and then films as he had loved Nita more than she loved him. Husband had asked her whether she would join in the event he got a job abroad. After applying he as a Lawyer had found employment in the McGill university in Montreal in Canada. Eilian did not want to aggravate Nita after her triumphant roles and popularity had got her to study in many areas like French language , which had helped her immensely to get a job as a telephone operator cum receptionist in Montreal general hospital, X-ray department , later had got a promotion as a supervisor had worked for 18 long years. With a fair amount of savings from their respective jobs. The life had been hard from the inception. At the beginning it had been difficult to cope with her job but naturally she got accustomed which made her job easy. On arrival in Sri Lanka the cinema trade had improved to high elevations. Elian had affirmed that he would take her back with dignity. He produced Suriyakanatha and then Pauru walalu of Prasanna Vithanage which won her an international award too in the 11th Singapore International film festival. Though Eilian and Nita had travelled to Singapore Eilian had suddenly fallen ill with a complication on his neck.,They had occupied a room in the same hotel in the same building where the hall of the festival hall was located. when Nita informed the organizers they wanted her to come even for a moment as all nominated had to be present dressed in national attires. Though only she had been nominated did not know she would be win. For her portrayal in Pauru Walalu of Vijaya Dharmasri’s with Vijay Kumaratunga, Henry Jayasena she was adjudicated the best actress award among the nominees. She had also won an award for Duhulu Malak role of Nirupa in 1976 of VD first depiction of adultery, extra marital life in a Sinhalese film. for which she could not accept. First film she portrayed a role was in Saroja after coming to Sri Lanka fom Canada of Somaratne Dissanayake.
In 1965 Nita Fernando’s debut film was Landaka Mahima directed by then famous Tampoe, then she acted under may other directors like Titus Thotawatte etc.until marriage had acted in many films was a star when she got married..Duhulu Malak was the film that her name made famous having acted with Ravindra Randeniya and Tony Ranasinghe.under the direction of Vijaya Dharmasri also the camera man Sumitta Amerasinghe who had told what good angles which had enhanced her knowledge in future films, this film had been screened when she had left to Canada but she had heard and learnt the favorable feedbacks from critics . She had learnt a lot by acting with Joe Abeywickrema, Dommi Jayawardena too in the initial portrayals. Fortunate to have portrayed roles under so many competent directors. Nita in the nest eight years up to 1973 had portrayed roles in over 40 films on the average of five films per year thereby making her a demanding artiste she made over 40 films like in Duhul Malak.,Lasanda, Hadawath Neththo, Mangala, Wasana and Shanthi etc which comes to the mind of many. Prior to these Nita was offered a role in Gamini Fonseka’s ‘Parasuthumal which could not accept as her parents did not grant authorization thinking then to be an actress was something they disliked not suitable for young girls.But later the duo had changed their mistaken stance with the support of her uncle who knew it was a safe profession..
During her initial days as she was involved in the shooting of many films , the family had rented out a house for convenience which helped her brothers to study in Univrtdites..In her initial acting tenure had acted with stalwarts like Jeevarani, Sandhya Kumari , Vijitha Mallika, Veena Jayakody, later on with Malini Fonseka,Swaneetha Kongahage,Sriyani Amarasena, Geetha Kumarasinghe,Sumana Amarasinghe and the cream of actresses.
Nita had portrayed in film Swara about HIV ,then Theja..about women’s grievances at work, ‘Paangshu’ which she likes after Pauru Walalu, In 1983 she briefly returned to film, producing and starring in Sooriyakantha. She kept at a low profile subsequently until 1998 when she played Violet in the film Pavuru Walalu role of Violet directed by Prasanna Vithanage.
all about a low caste woman who searches for her lost son in 1989 in JVP insurrection time, directed by Visakesa Chandrasekeram where she portrayed the role of Baba Nona, a ‘dhobi’ woman which he portrayed remarkably reminiscing the dhobi woman at her dwelling in Katuneriya .Visakesa had called her in Canada to invite her for the role though had never each other, she was asked to learn swimming. Somehow. she learnt the backstroke which the director Visakesa’ precedence. Nita had gone to swimming classes under competent coaches, though had learnt properly but for the important screen shot she had learnt the ’backstroke’ as needed for a very important frame. Nita was selected in an unanimous selection who according to the Director could bring life to the character with focus on her eyes which are ponderous and sad with so many embedded inside those eyes by which she could express sadness which was shown in her role throughout. She bagged another international award at the Nice International film festival award ceremony in France for her portrayal. More on awards Nita won her international acclaim netting her a Best Actress Award at the 1998 International Singapore Film Festival, the Vishwa Kirthie award, Presidential award and the Critics award in 1999 also the OCIC award for Best Actress in 2000 in Sri Lanka. More recently in 2020, she won the Best Actress award at the 2019 Nice International Film Festival in France. Nita had portrayed vivid roles in over sixty films to date beginning in the year 1965.’.
Some of the names of films in which Nita portrayed roles after year 2000 are Saroja, Beeshanaye Athuru Kathawak,Samaara,Nisala Gira,Banbarawella, Rossa Kele,Que sara,Thanha Rathi Ranga, Swaroopa, Parapura,Paththini. Sakkarani,Kala, Theja,Praana etc
Nita having been a producer and director of many films had acted portraying many vivid roles in so many films she reflects that a good story whether in a commercial film or an artistic film constitutes the flesh and blood of it needs to have a serious storyline .Unlike a cheap suspense thriller ‘Parasathu Mal’ as an artistic film offers a serious storyline exploiting the inner with most human feelings such as loneliness and longing, for comradeship. Lester James Peiris’ ‘Nidhanaya’ and D.B. Nihalsingha’s ‘Welikatara’ are some of the artistic films she had watched before she left Canada. She emphasized on the glitches faced by film makers in Sri Lanka, she said that her main concern as a producer was the issues associated with releasing films in Sri Lanka such as not-up-to standard theatres. For instance, releasing the Nisala Gira was a problem as it was made with Dolby Sounds and for the wide screen. However, only a very few theatres in Sri Lanka have been equipped with playing Dolby Sounds with wide screen. Certain technical constrains not only increase production cost but also lead to wasting of foreign exchange. For instance, still there are no proper film laboratories in Sri Lanka compelling Sri Lankan producers to obtain services from neighbouring India.
Nita emphasized on certain technical constrains not only increase production cost but also lead to wasting of foreign exchange. For instance, still there are no proper film laboratories in Sri Lanka compelling Sri Lankan producers to obtain services from neighbouring India.There are some instances where cameras have been hired from India. She is of the opinion that the Government should interfere into establishing these facilities in Sri Lanka.She’s reminiscent with nostalgia, the days she had spent in theatre before graduating to cinema. She had the chance of sharpening her talents in several theatre productions such as the second round of Gunasena Galappaththi’s ‘Sanda Kinduru’ which was staged at Royal College in a festival, a Japanese drama with Wickrema Bogoda and Mercy Edirisinghe and abstract drama ‘Nidikumba’.Observing Sri Lankan audience, Nita opines that Sri Lankan audience is intelligent though they still need a story. For instance, English dialogues in the first part of Nisala Gira are well received especially by the younger audience. Sri Lankans are used to liberally use English and Sinhala vernaculars. It is unfortunate, however, that some reviewer who had mistaken flash back on piano training session for the son, for the beginning of the film and the remarks such as ringing of cellular phones are quite unnecessary for a critique on Nisala Gira. Another remark emerging from the poor understanding of the medium is that the film was made for a foreign audience.
Some of the materials in the original script such as injecting drugs and certain scenes such as use of condoms for drug trafficking and the judge’s pronouncement of sentence on Radha have been either omitted or diluted as the response from Sri Lankan audience is unpredictable. From the era of Art studies to the artistic films, Nita Fernando’s career in Sri Lankan mainstream cinema is inherently linked with that of its fascinating history and evolution.There is no doubt Nita had captured the dire imagination of thousands of Sri Lankan filmgoers. It is evident that Nita had been deprived of many opportunities on the ‘silver screen’due to her sojourn, ‘self exile’ in Canada though it subsequently offered her the forte to emerge as a fruitful fabricator with the able support of husband Elian Perera.All her fans would with the duo good health and longevity and strength to produce more quality films.
Sunil Thenabadu
e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com..
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