Sunil Perera will live in the people’s hearts forever with lasting music memories -Another Sunil Perera will never be born for centuries – by Sunil Thenabadu
Legendary Sunil Perera expired on September 6th 2021 at the age of sixty eight years was born as Uswatta Liyanage Ivor Sylvester on September 14th 1952, in Narahenpita to a family of ten siblings. Sunil Perera was educated initially at St.Sebastian’s College Moratuwa and then at St Peter’s College Bambalapitiya.He married his fiancé’ Geetha Kulatunga born on 18th March 1967 when she was only sixteen years old with the consent of both parents.The duo are blessed with four children two sons and two daughters v.i.z.Sajith ,Gayan,Rehana and Manisha.Gayan is a musician initially with the band Daddy.Sunil’s nephew Lanthra Perera is the founder of the band ‘Doctor”.
Sunil has had music on his blood his ambition was to become a musician which his father had discouraged to give priority to education. However, at the age of only eleven, Sunil had commenced to play the guitar. After Sunil had left school at the age of 15 his Father had created the “Gypsies” band along with a few others mostly cousins. Father Anton Perera had told them that he will invest in the group, but they should practice properly having even paid them salaries and overtime if they practiced extra hours. Apart from Sunil as the leader there were Anton Perera, Nihal, Lal, Piyal and other close cousins ,nephews and nieces.Sunil had learnt playing the guitar from Vincent Jayawardene, George Ferdinando, while voice training too was obtained from Loren Abeyseketra,Lily Godridge and Maryanne David.
Sunil Perera was married to Geetha Kulatunga who was born on 18 March 1967, whom he met while she was in her ordinary level classes She also met Sunil while he was attending a concert. Geetha Kalatunga’s father, Mahinda, was a Sub- Inspector in the Sri Lanka Police. On 25 October 1981, Sunil Perera was arrested by police in Homagama following reports from Geetha Kulatunga’s parents that he had abducted her; the case was later dropped, when Geetha Kulatunga was aged 16, she and Sunil Perera got married under a special license,which was celebrated by both families.
Later, the Gypsies group was confined only to his own brothers and cousins . Accordingly, Nihal, Lal, Nimal and Piyal formed a group of seven including two cousins. Sunil was the main vocalist in the band, along with his brother Piyal Perera. His father also built a studio for the band next to his house on Galle Road in Ratmalana where they were staying at the time. In the ’70s, they released nearly 5 albums titled ‘Dance with Gypsies’. Their first hit “Linda Langa Sangamaya” was released in 1972/1973 era along with “Amma Amma Me Mata”. In the mid-1970s, his other brothers left the band and got involved in business activities. In year 1980, the Gypsies released their first cassette with the song “Kurumitto”. Other tracks sung by Gypsies included, “Kadapathakin”, “None Mage Sudu None” (1977), “Lunu Dehi” (1987), “Uncle Johnson” (1987), “Oye Ojaye” (1989), “Piti Kotapan None” and “Signore” (1997) among many others. Their song ‘Lunu Dehi’ released in 1987 was a song that made an amazing variance on the recital stage in the country and overseas. In the year 1997, they changed the course of the music field with the song “Piti Kotapan Noney” which was a ‘hit’ like others.
Sunil’s later works, such as “I Don’t Know Why” addressed socio-political issues laced with absolute humour. However, several of his songs were banned by the state media due to their criticisms of the government in power. In year 2017, he released the song “Koththamalli”. He also sang and released “Buongiorno” in 2018, which was the first hit song to be released under the Gypsies label after a gap of four years. In 2019, he sang the song “Diyawannawe Inna” for the film “Jaya Sri Amathithuma”.
The Gypsies Band celebrated their Golden Jubilee in 2021 by arranging a concert via many virtual platforms due to ‘Covid’ out break and they were very well patronised. Sunil Perera recently came up with his own ideology about the socio-political situation in the country. He was highly critical of Sri Lankan society and politics. He openly talked about delicate topics, such as sex, which are often deemed as taboo subjects in conservative Sri Lanka. He was also a vocal critic of the administration of Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over the years. In 2015, he revealed that he was afraid of being a target of the Rajapaksa family when Mahinda Rajapakse lost the 2015 Sri Lankan presidential election.
In January 2017, Sunil went to the Department of Inland Revenue and insisted that he should pay income tax which no individual artiste would do or done. Earlier, he had been paying tax for his income as a member of the music group only. Napoleon Bonaparte had once professed that music reminisces us that human’s race is greater than we comprehend. The music played by a legend in the domain of the Sri Lankan music industry, whose enormous influence towards the advancement of the Sri Lankan music bears testament to the above assertion.
Sri Lanka bid adieu to Sunil Perera, one of the highly acclaimed and renowned stalwarts of the Baila genre of Sri Lanka over a year ago. Albeit legendary Sunil Perera is no more, the legacy that he had left behind would remain in the archives of Sri Lankan music incessantly. No exaggeration remains in declaring that Sunil was unquestionably and indisputably a giant, whose colossal and genuine potential and capacity in music needs no introduction; as ‘Sunil Aiya’ was a well known household name both among Sri Lankan music fans and critics alike.
Sunil Perera was the synonym of “The Gypsies” and “The Gypsies” are a synonym for the custom of music groups in Sri Lanka.
Prior to coming to the limelight Gypsies had performed at house parties after improving gradually they were invited to weddings way back in 1970s. One enthusiast when he was barely five years old, still recollects the manner in which the young Gypsies performed so professionally. This person now matured, while indulging himself in a wistful and pleasurable nostalgia further noted that it was a hugely crowded wonderful evening, when ‘The Gypsies’ showcased their enormous potential in singing during their very initial days of singing.The iconic and outstanding “The Gypsies” matured each year with foreign concerts and marked their 50th year of music in 2020.
This person noted that the untarnished fame of ‘The Gypsies’ was perpetuated by the able and far-sighted leadership of Sunil Perera who truly personified the Band. Further he pointed out that the most significant feat of Sunil Perera was the fact that he had been active in music from ’70s until his demise which is a rare phenomenon that is possible only with a handful of entertainers of the world. Hence, he truly is a LEGEND.
Also he remarked that ‘Sunil Aiya’ was an exceptionally outstanding musician who continuously gave a vibrant leadership which kept ‘The Gypsies’ going. Sunil was blessed with an intrinsic knack to feel the heartbeat of his packed audiences coming from different walks of life; he sang to the people, regardless of cast, creed and race.He never failed to put a smile on the faces of the Sri Lankans except politicians whom he hated. After his demise, his brother Piyalat stated at a television dialog that if he sees politicians in the audience at a show or at a wedding reception he used to ignore and sing without even looking at them.Such was his hate towards our politicians.On the other hand, over the years Sunil continuously helped the needy particularly in the Ratmalana area for whom he maintained a list.From his earnings he kept a side a tidy sum for them.They all flocked to Sunil’s residence on the 1st of each month to collect Sunil’s donations.To them Sunil’s demise would be a huge LOSS.
The magic about him is that he could stage the relevant reality to the audience.Whenever, he sang “Ojaye and Kurumitto”, his ever popular classics, he kept the entire audience mesmerised. Meanwhile, “Thaththa mata enapu tokka dawaley tharu penuna” made an enormous impact on the society, especially the young people. Sunil touched the hearts of everybody who has had an argument with his father. Anyone from any walk of life could understand what he sang. “Signore, Bus eka magadi keduna, Saima cut wela” are a few of Sunil’s well received and highly popular songs.
The clarity in his pronunciation was his signature expression. Undoubtedly, Sunil was an extraordinary, performer par excellence who could stand along with any other versatile performer even in the international showground. He had an exclusive magnetic disposition which only a trickle of artists possessed. His songs were embraced and accepted by all races in the community.
As he sang, one cannot stop being glued to him. He was a fearless singer who was outspoken. He could always hold a crowd spellbound even if they are strangers into his singing. Sunil was a lyricist, composer of melodies, performer, and entertainer. In vivid capacities, he demonstrated an artistic charisma of a complete professional artist. Apart from his own lyrics, music melodies, he sang the lyrics of outstanding lyricists in the country among whom the biggest contribution was made by Hemasiri Halpita. If Baila were a language, Sunil was a master who translated that language to the heights of entertainment in Sri Lanka. Sunil’s rollicking spirits in Baila singing was so irresistible and overwhelming.
Sunil’s inimitable panache in ‘Baila’ was of a different scale of his own; Baila tunes from Sri Lanka is a style of music that has travelled effortlessly to the world where the contribution made by Sunil is of prodigious eminence. Sunil was much in demand in the Advertising Industry because of his unique assertive and attractive Commercial voice. He often remained as one of the most sought-after voices for commercial adverts. But, he never made money by living as an entertainer. His children, particularly a son and daughter merit mention as their potential in music is tremendous and Sunil’s fans are optimistic that his children would follow their Father’s path and embolden his image.
Sunil Perera demised at a crucial time where his presence in the sphere of Sri Lankan music is mostly felt.
Sri Lanka desperately needs personalities in the calibre of Sunil. His demise is definitely an irreparable loss to Sri Lanka in several ways. Another vocalist cum entertainer of his calibre cannot be expected to be born in Sri Lanka in the near future.
May the turf lie soft over his remains whilst he rests in peace !
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane…
