SINGING QUEEN WITH UNPARALEL LINEAGE RUVINIE DUNUWILLE REMINISCED – By Sunil Thenabadu
Ruvinie Dunuwille was born to a distinguished-up-country high-class family with unprecedented lineage on Dec 17 1964.Her father’s Loku Amma her grandma Molly Dunuwille was married to Hon, DS Senanayake which is ample testimony to the unparallel lineage of her family. She had studied at Matale BMS College. She has not had any hereditary affiliations to any kind of art but only innate talent.. While in school she had won first place for singing when she was very young. Her passion for music had begun when she was at the tender age of only seven years. She had been initially dreadfully inspired by Indrani Perera’s everlasting hit song ‘Dilhani Duwanee’. She had sung initially sung this particular song in a musical contest adjudicated by a panel consisting of veteran musicians Narada Dissasekera and Rohana Beddage where she was adjudicated as the winner,the musical backing up had been by the then very popular’ SEAC’ entertainments band ,which turned out to be the revolving point in her unblemished singing career, begun as a novice vocalist. Later she had impressively sung the song “Dunukehiya Mallak Wage’ Sujatha Attanayake in a contest in Kandy had later continued to shine singing on diverse stages in the hill country. When she was blossoming on stage the parents who hail from very high lineage was not in favour of her signing on stage had even suggested to change her name as the parental duo was not in favour of using the ‘Dunuwille” tag which was then. still very highly respected not only in upcountry but across Sri Lanka.
In year 1980 Ruvinie had released her first four songs in a LP record named “Sinaha Selu” one song that was included was a duet with Gratien Ananda who was Ruvinie’s idol singer.In year 1982 she released another cassette “ Ranin Maala”, then in year 1983 Ruvinie released a non stop cassette. The cassette titled “Gang Thera” was released in year 1992, “Santhosa Wanna’ in 1994,then a Compact Disc in year 2005 “Yati Sithen Mama Adare Soya”. For her songs she had duetted with Mervin Perera, Nimal Jayamanna, Keethi Pasquel etc,
The lyric writers in her latest cassette released in year 2005 by Tharanga Entertainments’ lyrics were of Lalith Wasantha, Bandula Nanayakkarawasam,Kelum Srimal,Hemasiri Halpita, Dunald Ivan, Chandradasa Fernando ,Rodney Widanapathirana. The music composers were Mahinda Bandara,Suresh Marlyyadde, Keerthi Pasquel,Padmasiri Pasquel, Upali Kannagara and Mervyn Benz all reputed well known musicians.
During the era of the early 1980 decade, she had also been adjudicated as the third runner up in the Miss Sri Lanka beauty pageant In year 1985 she was crowned the “Rotary Queen” sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sri Lanka.
During this era she had on the insistence of Gratien Ananda had been introduced her to the SLBC,In year 1985 Ruvinie had passed auditions to become an accomplished “A’ grade singer .when she had met many contemporary singers intimately. This provided her to become a sought-after singer having sung for the Fortunes” led by Stanley Pieris where she had sung duets with many including Keerthi Pasquel. Also she had sung at the Kandy Queen’ s Club for eight years with veterans occasionally duetting with Gratien Ananda,Ranil Mallwawarchchi and others.She got the opportunity to voice for many cassettes of her own and jointly with others too.It is pertinent to mention that her songs had featured in the ‘Top of the Pops” music programs in Sri Lanka.
She had made her debut to the small silver screen when she was invited to portray a role in the tele drama initially of Nihal Bertram’s “Suba Prarthana” in the early decade of 1980 ,thereafter after seen her portray the role of a nurse in it by director of “Amba Yaluwo’, Sudath Devapriya who unhesitatingly had invited her to portray the role of the ‘teacher’ through which she had become well known as it was a very prominent role in the film..In a few other tele dramas namely “Hiruta Muwawen” too she portrayed a prominent role. For her singing prowess had been afforded the opportunity to voice for songs to many tele dramas..
During this time when she was blossoming as an actress , but she had accepted a respectable job as a receptionist at the hotel Taj Samudra which had deprived her from pursuing her career in acting but had continued to be a sought after vocalist. But later again she was invited to portray a role in her debut film “Hima Giri” in year 1992.
In year 1982 late prodigious personalities Thevis Guruge and PLA Somapala had assisted her to be a radio presenter along with Dharmasiri Wickremasinghe at the SLRC and the ITN where she had presented effectively many programs individually and jointly extensively many musical programs and birthday wishes programs. During her tenure in Sri Lanka a number of articles on her had been published in several English newspapers and popular sites like Lanka News Web on her career in music and acting also after her triumph in the Miss Sri Lanka and Rotary Queen she was featured in the cover pages of many art newspapers like “Birinda” and Sarasaviya’ and many other tabloid editions of Sri Lankan newspapers too.
Ruvinie migrated to Melbourne Australia in year 1995 where she continued in the same vein with her singing prowess had sung as the guest artiste for many musical shows organised by Indrajit Mirihana and others. But lately she knew there were several budding young artistes in Melbourne with enormous talent had given them her chance to showcase talent. But for her exaggerated passion only she used to sing at parties, weddings backed up by her own band, Ruvinie had prearranged charity musical evenings with launching of her CD’s in Melbourne where in addition to her solos she had sung duets with Ranil Mallawwarachchi, Athula Lewke Bandara , Adrian Duniwille, Rohan Karunaratne and Christy Karunaratne domiciled in Melbourne.At these charity musical evenings invariably to entertain the audiences Ruvinie deployed dancing items by Visharada Keshala Aparekka,Bharath Ashram in Melbourne. The music backing had been by Camaron Colombage with Tharanga.As a popular personality in Melbourne she is occasionally invited for interviews to talk of her past and to sing songs.The television channel ‘Good Morning Sri Lanka C31 in Melbourne had invited her for their program presented by Hasini Alwis where she spoke about her past and was asked to sing songs of Victor Ratnayake, Irene de Alwis and Sujatha Attanayake. Ruvinie also does voice training for novices willingly imparting her singing skills to learners.
From the foregoing it is ample proof that Ruvinie Dunuwille had been a well-known figure in art circles , an actress, acclaimed songster, a television host from her younger days who still sings for her passion conduct voice training classes for novices and lives a subdued life in Melbourne is the mother of two lovely educated sons in their late twenties. All her fans will no doubt wish her very good health and long life.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com
