Talent is a resultof patience, of will and of observation. The young star - Vinu Siriwardena is an actress who has multiple achievements through her courage and talent, at a young age. She speaks to Young Voice to inspire the younger generation to chase their dreams, despite the obstacles they may encounter.
YV :Your elegance brings to mind your ‘Miss Sri Lanka’ win. What is the story behind your achievements?
VS: My family is the strength that keeps me strong to face and win all the challenges I encounter. For the ‘Derana Veet Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World’ event my father sent the application on my behalf. This victory was the turning point in my life. I also took part in the ‘Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International’ in December 2012, which was held in China. I won the second place in the ‘Talent’ contest by performing a traditional dance for which I was trained by Ravi Bandu Vidyapathi. I won the ‘Best Talent’ award in the ‘Miss Sri Lanka’ competition and my guru was Sanuka. At this contest, I became ‘Miss Popular’ too. I was within the final 25 competitors for the ‘Best Talent’ and ‘Best National Costume’ mini competitions.
YV :You have the opportunity to compete for ‘MissWorld’ or ‘Miss Universe’. How do you feel about it?
VS: Actually, it has not crossed my mind to participate in those pageants. Today, I am recognized as an actress and model. When I participated in the ‘Miss Sri Lanka’ competition, I wasn’t known, I was just a student who had finished the Advanced Level examination. I feel proud about my award won in such circumstances. If I compete again, it might be a disadvantage to other competitors because I’m now known by a lot of people.
YV :Have you been in stage dramas in the past?
VS: Of course. I have performed in Sugath Samarakoon’s ‘VIP Sunadara Banda.’ The stage is a great place for actors to learn novel things and one should be entirely devoted if he or she chooses to be on it. The best measure of an actor’s performance on stage is the response of the audience at that very moment. That experience is priceless. With my current work, it is difficult for me to allocate time for the stage. I will return to the stage soon in Sugath Samarakoon’s new drama.
YV : Vinu, what are your current teledramas and movies and how can we see you on screen in the future?
VS: The teledrama ‘Wes’ is presently telecast on Swarnawahini and ‘Sri Siddhartha Gauthama’ on Hiru on week days. I’m busy shooting for them. Also ‘Sanhida Paamula’ is telecast on ITN channel on Saturdays and Sundays. As for upcoming movies, ‘Aakasa Paalama’ will be released this December. I’m pretty sure kids will fall in love with it, because it is a children’s movie which is based on the well loved fairy tale ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.
YV : An actor can make a difference in his career via music videos which are considered effective in reaching spectators. Do you think these make an artiste popular?
VS: Yes, but only to some extent.When I became an actress, I contributed to a lot of music videos. Now, with my busy schedule, I have limited accepting invitations. But if I come across a good piece of music, I will not drop the chance to feature in that music video. At present, music videos are not up to standard. They’ve evolved a lot, when considering past music video productions. However, I don’t want to be famous by just appearing in music videos.
YV : You have touched the hearts of the audience not only by acting, but also with your other talents. Right?
VS: Yes, it is a great pleasure for me to reach audiences with my dancing and modeling talents. For the dances I have performed on television, I received positive comments. As for modeling, I still work for bridal shows, but I’m not a ramp model. I have also been an emcee on ‘Derana Tea Party with Vinu’.
YV : Do you choose the characters you do in order to win an award?
VS: No, I choose characters that are appropriate for me. I do not consider whether it will bring me an award. But I hope that I will win an award in the future. Rather than winning an award from the ‘popular’ category, I would like to win an award in the ‘best’ category. Once, I was nominated for ‘Hodama Sahaya Niliya’ at the Sarasavi film festival awards. I treasure that nomination as a great victory in my acting career.
YV : Who is your favourite actress?
VS: Well, I don’t have one but two favourites. They are Malini Fonseka and Sabitha Perera. I learn a lot from their acting.
YV : What is the secret behind your elegance?
VS: ‘The face is the mirror of the mind’. Inner beauty plays a major role in enhancing beauty. Positive thinking and happiness are the most important factors here. Consuming fresh fruits and plenty of water is also vital to maintain outer beauty. The combination of these two factors create beauty.
YV : What is the greatest misconception about acting ?
VS: People have created a certain image about actresses and there are a lot of misconceptions about the field. The biggest misconception is the fear of becoming an actress. An actress can have a long journey if she behaves in a disciplined manner. Actually, being a well disciplined lady is a choice I’ve made.
Pix by Thilak Perera