Cinematographer Donald Karunarathne: A catalyst of change in modern Sri Lankan cinema

Cinematographer Donald Karunarathne: A catalyst of change in modern Sri Lankan cinema
Donald Karunarathne: Capturing the magic of light and darkness
(PART ONE OF TWO ARTICLES)
By Somasiri Munasinghe

“Next to the director, it’s the cinematographer who is really in charge of everything,” said Bill Butler, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer of classics such as Jaws and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, quite aptly summing up the role of a cameraman in a film.

He further clarified his observations by adding that  “…from the costume you wear to the makeup. You do a lot more than just take meter readings.”

Sri Lankan film industry has produced several international-class cinematographers during its history of 72 years and a name associated with its development from the time of Tamil Nadu-inspired masala films to the time of high-brow new wave is Donald Karunarathne, who is gifted with visual artistry and technical wizardry to transcend boundaries, proving that the technology alone does not matter  in cinematography. It is something more than that: an unerring human eye combined with the sixth sense to create a visual impact to capture magic between light and darkness, and above all visual poetry translated into moving pictures. Nothing can be lost in this translation!

One look at Donald’s prolific repertoire is enough proof of his legendary contribution to the development of Sinhala cinema from the heady days of the early 60s with classics like Ahas Gawwa (1974),  Ahasin Polawata (1978), Karumakkarayo (1980), Ganga Addara (1980), Kaliyugaya (1981), Dadayama (1983), Sagara Jalaya Madi Handuwa (1988), Golumuhude Kunatuwak (1991), Pon Mani (1993) (Tamil), Sakkarang (2016) to his 2017’s magical Vaishnawi that showcased the best of Donald.

Vaishanawi is vintage Donald. His camera brings out the best of the film’s core: heavy doze of magical realism intercepting the interplay of reality and mysticism. The film may be a challenge to the viewers, but the saving grace of Sumithra Peiris’ film, based on a script by her late husband Lester, is Donald’s artistry.

The list easily extends to more than 50 classics of the Sinhala cinema. He has won 19 best cinematographer awards, a record yet to be equalled, and in 2017 he was honoured by the President’s Lifetime Award to recognise his services to the nation’s film industry.

He has worked with every leading director of his generation: Dharmasena Pathiraja, Lester James Peiris, Sumithra Peiris, Vasantha Abeyesekera, Amarnath Jayatilleke, H.D. Premarathne who was senior to him in Gurukula Vidyalaya, Menik Sandarasagara, Boodee Keerthisena, Sunil Ariyarathne, Dayaratne Ratagedera, Chandran Rutnam, Tissa Abeyesekeral, Shelton Payagala, Shesha Palihakkara and Bermene Lyle Fernando who directed Valampuri (1981) with under-water footage shot by Rodney Jonklass.

Donald worked for Toronto-based director Denzil Abeyewardene in his debut Visi Hathara Peya. Denzil acted in Shesha Palihakkara’s Laksheta Kodiya in which Donald worked as its cameraman.

His regrets: He was unable to work with young film makers like Prassana Vithanaga, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, and Jayalath Manorathne, due to various reasons . “I was to work with Prasanna and Dharmasiri but I was out of the country on various assignments when their films began. Manorathne’s film failed to take off due to financial issues even after completing half of the film. I spoke to Mano about resuming the project, but he said the content is now outdated. These are the only regrets in my career.”

As a young man studying at the Kelaniya Gurukula Vidyalaya he dreamt of becoming a Kathakali dancer, rather than pursuing a career in films, Donald told newstrails.com from Los Angeles where he is residing now.

“My classmates were Malani Fonseka, Pathiraja L.S. Dayananda, H. D. Premarathne and Wimal Kumar de Costa who were destined to become leading film artistes in the country. My dream of becoming a dancer was inspired by my teacher, S. Malal, who had been qualified in India as an exponent of Kathakali dancing,” Donald said.

While studying for his A Levels he joined the Sarathapani dance academy affiliated to the Serendib film production house, on the insistence of his master. Serendib production, headed by space prophet Arthur C. Clarke, director Mike Wilson and deep-water diver Rodney Jonklaas, was in the process of making the first Sinhala colour film, Ranmuthuduwa.

One day as Donald was passing by the Colombo museum he saw a scene for the film being shot there. After the shooting was over he saw Director Mike Wilson packing his camera equipment into a Volkswagen wagon. Looking over the wall Donald asked him “Sir can I help you to pack the things.” He looked back and said “Yes please. That will be a great help.”

Destiny played its part! Donald rushed inside to help him with the task and while packing Wilson, inquired about what he was doing. Donald told him about learning dance at the academy and Wilson asked him whether he would like to work for him. “That was the beginning of my career,” says Donald. “Next day, I went to the Serenbid production in Rajagiriya and began to help with things like cleaning underwater cameras, lighting equipment and many other gadgets, getting the firsthand knowledge of how film equipments work.”

He was star-struck by the large number of celebrities who visited Serendib films office in Rajagiriya. “Director Lester James Peiris was a frequent visitor and I got to know artistes like Shesha Palihakkara, Tissa Liyanasuriya, Titus Thotawatte and I played hosts to artistes like Nanda Malini, Pandit Amaradeva, Lionel Algama, Mahagama Sekera, even offering tea and snacks for them. I did not get paid and I borrowed money for bus fare from my mother.”

donald karunarathne
Donald was honoured with the Life Time Achievement Award in 2017

“I met my mentor and guru Sumiththa Amarasinghe at the Serendid while he was working for Ranmuthuduwa. Sumiththa was a highly qualified cinematographer who studied at Pune Film Institute in India and worked at Raj Kapoor Studio in Mumbai for quite some time.

Wilson and Clarke went to England to finish the studio work and they sent a message saying that there was a need for more scenes for the melody Galana Gangaki Jeevithe in Ranmuthduwa

Sumiththa sought Donald’s help to film the scenes for the song sequence.

“This is the time I also met my future wife, Shirani, daughter of senior sports editor of Daily News Christie Senevirathne,” he said, reminiscing the early part of his life intrinsically connected to the Serendib production house.

After Ranmuthuduwa, Serendib was planning to make a film based on the life of national hero Puran Appu. “Everything was set in motion to produce the film. I have seen Vijaya Kumaratunga coming for stunt training like horse riding and fighting conducted by Paul Aichman, a friend of Mike Wilson who had been a stunt trainer in several Hollywood films. Even the songs were recorded for the film. One song I still remember is a melody titled Apata Rajek Netha, sung by Latha Walpola. I used to hear Pundit Amaradeve singing that song on Sarala Gee programmes on Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). For some reason the film did not take off.”

The trio, Clark, Wilson and Jonklass were engaged in making several underwater films and documentaries (Boy Beneath the Sea, Village by the Sea, Great Barrier Reef) and they were shuttling between Trincomalee and Colombo, and other parts of the world, in a yacht named after Ranmuthuduwa.

That was the time Clark found a sunk Dutch ship and salvaged a treasure trove of rare Dutch coins, He handed the haul to the government. That was also the time the space prophet was granted honorary citizenship of Sri Lanka.

After the Puran Appu project failed and Serenbid films launched Getawarayo, an action flick featuring lot of boat races, a novelty in the local film industry. The film became a massive box office hit.

Ten boats were built for Getawarayo at Toas boat yard. Kuru Gunawardene, elder brother of Sumithra Gunawardene, and Paul Aichman too worked at Taos as engineers, assisting in building speed boats. The film was directed by Mike Wilson and Tissa Liyanasooriya. The script was by K.A.W. Perera and Titus Thotawatte was in charge of editing. The stars included Gamini Fonseka, Sobhani Amarasinghe, Jeevarani, Tony Ranasinghe and two new comers Carl Gunasena and Nilamini de Silva, a Sri Lankan beauty queen.

Donald worked behind the scene doing odd jobs like cleaning and maintaining camera equipment gaining experience and learning the intricacies of cinematography. His ambition to go to India to master Kathakali dancing waned as he began to hobnob with the people who mattered in the Sinhala film industry directing his attention towards becoming a cinematographer.

Sumiththa Amarasinghe, after realising Donald’s enthusiasm and his passion for cinematography, began to train him and held classes for him at his residence. Soon, two other aspiring students joined. They were Bandu S. Kodikara, a still photographer working at Lake House, and another budding cinematographer called Manamendra.

“Sumiththa was very methodical in his teaching and even lent me his notes he used in India and taught me the craft of handling cameras. Working as the assistant to him I studied different styles of cinematography.

“I went in charge of cameras that Serenbid rented to directors. I attended to duties like like focussing, loading of film rolls and maintenance,” Donald said adding that working in many aspects of cinematography from the basic stages gave him an all-round knowledge of his craft.

Donald worked with Sumiththa in Parasathu Mal and Baduth Ekka Horu as his assistant cameraman.

In Hanthane Kathawe he assisted Sumiththa as his assistant. Somapala Dharmapriya, who switched to cinematography after playing a lead character in Lester’s debut Rekhawa too worked as assistant cameraman in this film.

“I met lot of people while working in the film beginning the most prolific phase of my career. Two of the most important people I met were Sugathapala Senarath Yapa and Dharmasena Pathiraja (Pathi) while working in Hanthane Kathawa. Meeting Pathi  was special. He was working as a lecturer in the Peradeniya Campus and I stayed at his room at Marcus Fernando Hall for the entire duration of the shooting,” he said.

His professional association with Pathiraja became a catalyst of change in the modern Sinhala cinema. Pathiraja ushered in the new wave of Sinhala cinema with such classics like Ahas Gawwa, Bambaru Avith and Para Dige, and Donald with his excellent cinematography and unparalleled visual artistry gave new dimensions to Pathiraja’s vision to explore the travails of the youths hailing from the downtrodden sections of the society. Pathiraja was well known for his left leaning ideology in films, portraying the plight of the youth alienated by the emerging capitalistic socio economic mess, says Donald. (copyright: www.newstrails.com)

Part II of the article next week: Donald plans to make a sequel to Dharmasena Pathiraja’s Ahas Gawwa.

Filed in: Art

Share this post

Post Comment