Kala Keerthi Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, who passed away yesterday at 78, was a legend in her own lifetime. Malini was far more than a stereotypical movie star – she embodied the very qualities that make us human – humility, perseverance, courage, kindness and love. For a generation that grew up with her reign of the silver screen from Punchi Baba (1968) onwards, she was the only female star that mattered.
By the time Malini Akka (as most industry veterans fondly called her) gave up her full-time acting career just a few years ago, she had dedicated over five decades of her life for Sinhala cinema, a feat that only a few others have equalled.
Malini, the “Queen of Sinhala Cinema”, had such a powerful presence on the screen that eminent directors chose her first and then picked one of the two main male titans – Gamini Fonseka and Vijaya Kumaratunga to helm their films. Even the overwhelming charisma of these two male leads could not fade Malini to the sidelines as audiences yearned to see her in almost every frame.
Malini was an icon of youth and romance who lit up the screen especially when paired with Vijaya or Gamini. Moreover, Malini was equally at home in both commercial and artistic films. Unlike some other actors and actresses, Malini did not turn down so-called commercial roles as long as she did not have a scheduling conflict. In her commercial roles, Malini was a great entertainer who wanted the audience to forget life’s chores and woes for a couple of hours. Many of the song and dance scenes that she was featured in, especially with Vijaya, are deeply embedded in the national psyche, thanks to the mellifluous voices of H.R. Jothipala (who could easily copy any actor’s voice) and Angeline Goonethilake, Latha Walpola and Sujatha Attanayake.
But Malini underwent a total transformation in her outlook and demeanour in artistic roles, losing none of the sheen yet invoking a far more serious aura. In this respect, Nidhanaya (Treasure), Lester James Piries’ seminal masterpiece, which tells a harrowing tale of a young man (Gamini Fonseka) obsessed with finding a valuable treasure apparently guarded by an unseen “guardian” force, stands out for exposing Malini’s sheer breadth of acting talent. Unfortunately, this requires Gamini’s character to look for a first-born daughter of a third generation (both her grandmother and mother must also be first-born daughters). For Gamini’s character, Malini’s character fits the bill perfectly. The entire film is haunted by Gamini’s character’s inner battle over the planned killing of Malini’s character, which just happens to be rivetingly, almost ethereally, beautiful.
While Malini starred in over 150 Sinhala movies (and even in one Tamil movie – the famous Pilot Premnath starring Sivaji Ganesan in the title role), she somehow found time for the stage, her first love from carefree schooldays in Kelaniya. In fact, Malini’s first national-level award – Best Stage Drama Actress- was for her stellar performance in the stage play Akal Wessa in 1968.
Never one to back down from a challenge, Malini also took to the nascent medium of television through Nirupamala, a teledrama which she directed and acted in. She later starred in several other teledramas, winning best actress awards for two of them. Just last year, despite her illness, she experimented with another novel medium – the music video – by lending her acting talents to the visual rendition of young artiste Chapa Jayaruk’s Eya Wasanthaya Nowe. Her short performance in the video was widely praised.
Malini leaves a cinematic track record that is perhaps unparalleled by any other local artiste. Even hundreds of years from now, Sinhala cinema lovers will still be talking about her movies such as Adarawanthayo, Sangeetha, Akkara Paha, Siripala Saha Ranmenika, Eya Den Loku Lamayek, Bambaru Awith, Hingana Kolla, Aradhana, Yasu Isuru and Ammawarune. Television and YouTube have introduced her to a new generation of fans who are just discovering the sheer scope of her work. Indeed, the Government must initiate a project for the 4K digital preservation of these award-winning movies and releasing them on streaming platforms as well as physically on 4K blu-ray.
Perhaps the only negative point in her life was her decision to enter politics in 2010, following in the footsteps of fellow artistes Vijaya, Gamini and Geetha Kumarasinghe. This did not impress most of Malini’s fans, for they expected her to be a non-partisan voice for the arts and artistes. In deference to their wishes, she soon moved away from the political limelight and went back to doing what she knows best – acting. Her performances even in the evening of her life were captivating to say the least.
Even as her death closes a mesmerising chapter in local cinema, her cinematic persona will live on every Sri Lankan’s heart for ages to come. She was a true Nidhanaya, a national treasure in every sense of the word.
