RAJITHA HIRAN MULTIFACETED RENOWNED, CHARACTER ACTOR,COMEDIAN,VOCALIST,SCRIPT WRITER, SKETCHER,FILM DIRECTOR, POEM LYRICIST IN A FASCINATING UNBLEMISHED VOYAGE – By Sunil Thenabadu
Muthuthanthirige Rajitha Hiran Chamikara Fernando codenamed Rajitha Hiran hails from Walana Panadura as he is a fanatic of Shah Rukh Khan had been named as Walane Shah Rukh by Ranjan Ramanayake as he was very often visiting his Uncle Hemasiri Sellapperuma and wife, who were film directors. When Ranjan Ramanayake used to visit Walana Rajitha who was very young, dreaming to become an actor had asked Ranjan ‘whom do I look like’ was thrilled when he was addressed as Walane Shah Rukh. Rajitha recollects that Ranjan Ramanayake answers
his calls when said Walane Shah Rukh is speaking. Rajitha had emerged as an actor from the teledrama ‘Thattu Geval” serial of ‘Pin Pong’ fame. Rajitha had disclosed that he is perhaps the first person to come in front of a media to divulge boldly about his girlfriend Andrea Jones. How he happened to get to know her was by a sheer coincidence through her elder sister Tania. At his school, the Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa, on Prefects Day he wanted to produce a dance titled ‘Cambrian’ as an item, intention was purely to get attracted and to become popular. When everything was ready and rehearsed the girl selected for the main role had refused to portray her role for the song ‘Turkish Kiss’. Rajitha was bewildered by her withdrawal had immediately looked out for a replacement. Luckily in the vicinity he had found Andrea’s elder sister loitering , Tania an active character, who was addressed by Rajitha tactfully to earn respect as ‘Akka’ from whom he had asked for her help. She had agreed but had said will have to take permission from mother. She had brought her clothes and rehearsed and was able to successfully complete his anticipated dance item. After which Rajitha had become trusted friends.Two days later Rajitha had visited home when he had seen Andrea ,then only thirteen years clad like a boy with a short hair cut.On seen Rajitha , Andrea who was sitting on the steps of her dwelling had run into a room had seen viewing Rajitha through the curtain as she was shy having not moved with any boys. Andrea had added that she was the ‘tomboy’ at home as there were no brothers, she could even climb trees.
Subsequently during the same retro, an aunt of Andrea a teacher Mertle de Almeida had wanted to absorb Rajitha to portray a role in her concert. But owing to his height barrier, as always, the role was discarded. But Rajitha was used to visit Andreas dwelling very often, thus had been a constant visitor to Andrea’s dwelling particularly as her mother not having sons begun to adore Rajitha. Though Rajitha liked Andrea to be his own, it was not the time to propose as she was still schooling sporting short hair which later had grown to have better looks. By this time Rajitha with his tactics, had got closely acquainted with his and Andrea’s cousin brothers and sisters having triumphed over to her elder sister Tania’s trust and friendship. On one 26th December a tactful plan was laid on the birthday of her cousin sister Lorraine to celebrate. All cousins of both and sister Tania had without the knowledge of Andrea had organised to go to Galle Face green to celebrate with cakes and other food items. Andrea had added that it was to her, and others was like a trip. Rajitha had planned to disclose his love to Andrea in front of all cousins, which he was anxiously waiting at the Galle Face green.The cake that was brought was kept on a concrete seat under a lamp post, Rajitha had asked Andreal to come to the spot saying he needed to say a secret ( baddak). Usually, someone invites the female party to commence a relationship or express the love. But in the case of Rajitha he had wanted to express love but in the dire excitement he had asked instead of proposing had added ‘Api Bandimuda”. Rajitha had quipped at a television dialog as he was a cinema addict, he wanted to disclose his love at a place like the Galle Face with the blowing of the wind under dim moonlight to express his thoughts imitating Sharuk khan, kneeling partly as in a Hindi film. She had said she was afraid and put aside the proposal made in front of her sister Tania and cousins Saumya, Lorrain etc. However, Andrea’s ambition and desire however had been to be a sister in a church as she was a church loving girl. Andrea had mentioned that prior to this proposing incident Rajitha had already asked her sister and mother about his concealed immense interest. Mother had told not now, as she had just completed ordinary levels but to stay for five years as she has to complete Advanced Level and to select her profession and also should ask father but you could associate as friends. The two families though the marriage was not at all finalized or even spoken about, had been closely knit. It had become a habit for Andreas family to visit Rajitha’s family for Father’s birthday and for them to visit Andrea’s home which became a regular recurrence. Andrea had added that for the new year in April her family was used to visit Rajitha’s dwelling as the first guests. Andrea had been very close to Rajitha having a vast trust. But Rajitha in a television confrontation had said that the dangerous guy was himself as his inner mind was to have Andrea, his target in mind. Even when letters were given to her by boys interested in her in the tuition class were given first to Rajitha to read. As many boys had followed Andrea, Rajitha was entrusted to accompany her for her tuition classes in Piliyandala. There had been instances when Rajitha had brought a click in a jeep to frighten those who followed her. Rajitha was giving Andrea the security as his goal was too was to capture her in marriage. Rajitha had added that he was at times acted like ‘Pran’ the villain in Hindi films in the decade of 1970.He also added if he was attacked he would have been ‘Apran” light-heartedly.
The duo from the time they had met to date have kept many souvenirs securely as reminiscences. One is a present given by Rajitha to Andrea a huge soft toy a teddy bear. From young days photos taken with Rajitha and celebrating anniversaries Andrea had framed photos in an yearly sequence kept for posterity.For Andreas first birthday after coming to know her when Rajitha was eighteen years old he has had no money. What he had done was he had sold the uniform material given free to stich school uniform trousers for rupees three hundred and bought a soft toy, a wool dog for rupees two hundred and seventy-five. Then roses given on Valentine days yearly also were preserved. Also the love letters exchanged between the duo.Rajitha is multifaceted individual was competent in composing lyrics for verses.
Image Source : actor.lk
Rajitha had been in the daily habit prior to marriage to visit Andrea’s dwelling daily after school had returned home only after five in the afternoon entertaining the inmates with his stories and jokes. Rajitha’s mother had one day told him that you will be chased away and not fall prey . Rajitha had made the proposal to Andrea’s mother only after he was known as an actor and he was receiving money. He recollected the first payment he received from the teledrama ‘Thattu Geval’ serial. Until then though he had studied commerce subjects, he had never even seen a cheque. The amount received initially was rupees seven thousand drawn on a bank in Nugegoda. As he was sure of the money, he had exhausted all the money he had in possession and presented the cheque but unfortunately on that day the account was short of funds. Even to come back home he has had to beg showing the cheque as proof. One gentleman he recalls had sympathised and given him rupees twenty he recollects.
It had taken some time for Andrea to give her consent to the pleas made by Rajitha.She had honestly felt a bit sorry for Rajitha thinking no girl will like him.She had thought his bad qualities she could correct when consenting. During the early days as Andrea’s classmates was used to receive love affairs she had insisted Rajitha too to pen love letters to her. In a television conversation it was revealed that the duo had watched only a solitary film in year 2002 or so. When the two had travelled in an air conditioned bus to view the second film Andrea had vomited upon debarking from the bus which had awkwardly flawed the opportunity. Rajitha’s lyrics in the poems were very meaningful and interesting to read. In a poem scripted he had said he wants both to die at the same time and be reborn at the same time somewhere. It should be emphasised that Rajitha is a very good portraitist could draw too very well proving his multifaceted abilities, with his laughingstock utterings. As Rajitha is two inches shorter than Andrea had said at a conversation only two inches short but will drink milk ,eat and become taller very momentarily. Rajitha who is always hilarious had posted photos with the names of famous couples on an album- Romeo and Juliet, Ranveer and Deepika Padukone,Shah Rukh and Kajol, Salmon and Maduri, Wijaya and Malini, Sanath and Sabeetha had added at the bottom Rajitha and Andrea, which was in his own inimitable style..
Though mother, sister and Andrea herself had known the talents, unique qualities of Rajitha Hiran the only obstacle was to obtain the permission of Andrea’s father a catholic ,Indian Hindi Indian decent. Rajitha in contrast a Sinhalese Buddhist. Father now eighty four years old had lived most of his life in Mumbai having been born in Chennai. When he was informed that the prospective son in law Rajitha was in the acting field he had totally rejected and disliked as he had known well the lifestyles of Indian actors. All family members Andrea her sister Tania and mother had known well the qualities of him having known him intimately for over a decade. Andrea had quipped that if the mother prepares a cake or a sweet, she keeps a portion in the fridge stating it is for for Rajitha.
When father returned to Sri Lanka in year 2004 ,the family members had met him at Katunayake airport. While returning there had been a large placard of the film “Clean Out” of Roy de Silva displayed. The sister Tania had shown Rajitha’s photo to him but still he had not been convinced. During this period Andrea had received many proposals from many known quarters too. Andrea’s father had asked her ‘do you really want to marry Rajitha’. After some pause and time only, the father had consented. The marriage had taken place on the eighth December year 2008 when Andrea was only twenty-two years old. It was made to know that ‘poruwa’ traditions were conducted. When the horoscopes were tallied the two had tallied only fifty percent. When the horoscopes were read after the birth of the first daughter it had revealed that the earlier reading was totally incorrect showing a disparity in the ‘lagna’, the ‘kanya’ had snappishly changed to ‘Sinha’. The duo adds that the qualities of no husband and wife match with each other to a large extent may be to only fifty percent . In any marriage life the duo should adjust to the ideas and qualities of each other for the marriage to be successful. Her first baby daughter named Amanda Riyana was born just one year later, when Andrea was only twenty-three years old, she was a mother. To date the duo has another daughter very much younger named Ariaana Rafella both Italian names a bit familiar to Rajitha as had been to Italy several occasions had stored these names in his memory. The belief of Rajitha for the daughters to follow music which they like but not acting. The elder Amanda who is a student at St. Lawrence convent in Wellawatta is already proficient in playing the melodica and piano.
To have dialogues with father for Rajitha is unviable as he is fluent only in Hindi ,been an Indian decent catholic national. But with him his wife Andrea and the two daughters speak fluently in Hindi. At home Rajitha is having an impediment as he is not fluent in the Hindi vernacular, hence forced to remain quiet at home. Father of Andrea is now very happy with the son in law Rajitha had even added that to carry his coffin, there is a son. It needs to be emphasised that to Andrea as mother had expired six years ago father is to her both mother and father, very attached to one another to unprecedented tall elevations. In a television dialog she confessed she is wondering how she could encounter life after his demise.
Rajitha is an ethical husband to wife and delightful father to the daughters who is capable of preparing meals in Andrea’s absence while at work, supposed to perform all Andrea’s duties , brushing the teeth, bathing, preparing meals and even looking after the two dogs. Andrea had stated that when she comes home after two days of weighty office work Rajitha allows her to rest by attending to all home chaos to precision. Rajitha it is said endeavours to make dishes by experimenting but has often failed in his attempts. The food thus prepared at times had been refused even by the dogs .It was reminisced that he had boiled ‘thambil’ water and experimented by making tea which he himself had found to be very bitter. The elder daughter Amanda Riyana had quoted that though Rajitha acts like a comedian on television dialogues at home he is serious and very strict, also does silly experiments, prepares new dishes but even the dogs refuse to consume. Once he had experimented to make a ‘buriyani’ with ‘Dambala which proved not edible. On another occasion to prepare a new menu had added ‘baking soda’ in large proportions which too had been rejected. But after consuming it Rajitha’s stomach had been propelled to make him uncomfortable. Once Rajitha who sings exclusively HR Jothipala’s songs in concerts and in television programs had shown some songs sung by Jothipala to Amanda via his laptop, when she had articulated that he sings all Thaththa’s songs. Rajitha has distinct characteristics like consuming food very fast, drinking the cup of tea swiftly unlike Andrea.It has been added by Andrea that Rajitha when scripting something, looks to the heaven and when he consumes food, he keeps his eyes closed, a rare individual indeed.Andrea had quipped that the mannerism of the duo differ mostly.
The duo Rajitha and Andrea is well knit with the two daughters. Though there are several rooms in their dwelling the foursome always sleeps on two beds though not comfortably though touching each other. Rajitha loves the foursome to be together always but at most times either he is away involved in shooting or wife is at work. He has said that when the duo is at home the daughters are at school. Rajitha had quipped that until, the elder daughter gets married he intends for all four to sleep in the same style. Though Rajitha loves action films Andrea loves the conflicting type films, but it is said that both sit together and give each other company. Another fact is that both Andrea and Rajitha before the duo retire to bed discuss what activities that took place at home and at Andrea’s office at the Sri Lankan Airline in Katunayake. In this context Andrea is well aware of the acting career of Rajitha.In the early days of the love affair a large photo of Rajitha and actress Nilanthi Dias had appeared in the newspaper staying very close to each other which had baffled and confused Andrea who was very worried had asked Rajitha why were you so close.At that time Andrea had not known about shooting and the acting arena.This had been explained clearly by Rajitha. When he was invited for the ‘Mahurath’ of film “Cherio Holman” in year 2002 directed by Parakrama Jayasinghe his relative, he had not been known at all as an actor. But having portrayed a previous role or two in films and for been in the video of ‘Gypsies’ ‘Piti Kotapan None’ Nilanthi Dias was better known.As Rajitha was barely an unknown passenger not known then to many ,had sat on a table far away having been first to arrive at the venue.Nilanthi Dias seen him isolated had dragged him to the main table to sit with stalwarts which had made Rajith much more comfortable. This favour she made is firmly etched in Rajitha’s mind hence even to date Nilanthi is a closer friend of Andrea too. Now all colleagues of Rajitha are her friends too. Having no friends of her own. While having lived with Rajitha for some time Andrea has no suspicion on Rajitha’s activities. Andrea had confessed that Rajitha sometimes remain in overseas countries for concerts exceeding a month, with her understating she has no suspicion at all on his activities.
Rajitha Hiran is now a renowned character actor mostly recognized for his comedy roles in films but commenced his career from the television serial ‘Thattu Gewal” for the portrayal of role ‘Ping Pong” which became a trademark in his acting vocation. Rajitha had commenced his acting career with ‘Cherio Holman’ in year 2002 with a minor role directed by Parakrama Jayasinghe .He had to date acted in around forty six films with a few films yet to be screened. Among the many stage plays the role portrayed in “Kokkoth Ekka Behe” comes to mind. The names of films to be reminisced are Cherio Holman, Bahubuthayo, Somi Boys, Sepata Dukata Sunny,Nuba Nadan Apita Pissu,Hitha Honda Pisso, Clean Out, Re Daniel Dawal Migel, Adarneeya Wassanaya, Selamuthu Pinna, Ohoma Harida,Jolly Boys, One Shot, Mihidum Wasanthe,Dedunu Wessa, Double Game, Mr Dana Rina, No Problem Darling, Adare Namayin, Adara Meena, Sihina Dewduwa, Sanda Devi Doni, Thank You Berty,Sihinaya Dige Enna,Ira Langa Wadi,Honey Bunny, Ulath Ekai Pilath Ekai,Punchi Api Baya Nehe Dan,Kusal, Gharasarana, Kolamba Sanniya Returns, Iskoleta Man Awa, Nethi Bari Tarzan, Thiththa Eththa, Gori, Face To Face,Inda Nimidan,Seda Mawatha,Roshini,Hathara Waram and Rider own film direction with script, an action thriller, with own script and direction released on 15th December year 2023 to EAP cinemas circuit having run successfully in all cinemas. The script of the film , lyrics of the only song in the film was scripted by Rajitha himself .He had portrayed the character of a comedian ,a minor role as his direction had to be given top priority. It was the inaugural production of Anushka Indunil with a galaxy of star studded stars portraying roles viz. Roshan Ranawana, Ranjan Ramanayake, Nilanthi Dias, Rajitha Hiran himself, Sarath Dikkumbura,Anuj Ranasinghe Dasuri Senethma, Danu and a host of actors and actresses.
Rajitha Hiran born on 11thJuly year 1981 is still young, but the contribution made to the stage and cinema is gigantic particularly as a comedian actor. Rajitha is definitely in par with popular comedians like Wijaya Nandasiri, Tennyson Cooray, Giriraj Kaushalya , Freddie Silva, etc.His ambition from his very young days had been to be an actor, hence Rajitha has achieved much more than he had ever anticipated. Rajitha should be role model to all youngsters by emulating his multifaceted triumphs and keeping the family unit contented. All his ardent fans and followers would wish him to persist in the same vein to unprecedented taller loftiness.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
email sthenabadu@hotmail.com
