By Ramesh Uvais
No man is complete. No creature is perfect. But this outstanding man is so special because of his terrific track record as an award-winning author, artist, singer, lyricist, musician, script writer, stage play director, actor… and almost all forms of arts. Jack of all trades… one may describe him. Yes, and amazingly he has mastered all these spheres.
Bhadraji Mahinda Jayatilaka, the unassuming man who possesses this astonishing track record has spent a large part of his life studying and working in the United States where he is domiciled now. Today he is an instructor in Theatre and Art at the Mt. San Jacinto College in California and teaches adults as well as children through community education programs.
His trips to Sri Lanka have been restricted, but quite regular.
As an author especially, Bhadraji has been a very well known among the masses and his writings have fetched him prestigious awards. His evergreen song ‘Battiththa’ which was sung more than 25 years ago is a hit even today. Yet, why has Bhadraji not achieved that celebrity ‘darling’ status among his fans in Sri Lanka? At a time when one-song wonders and immature persons get super star status, a gentle giant like Bhadraji is cut off from the people who have little or no access to his creations. Sadly, we seldom hear his songs on radio or television.
Why has this happened to Bhadraji? We posed this question to him directly when we met him during his latest album launch in Wattala recently. He only responded with his big, wide trademark smile… a smile that has won him some true friends in recent years. These friends – Shiran A. Sylva, his wife Ruwina, Anoma Wijesuriya, Carmen and others – were behind the production of this latest music album titled ‘Sudu Asu Pita’.
Interestingly, as a youngster, Bahdraji has had the good fortune of having some of Sri Lanka’s well-known personalities as his classmates. During his primary school days at Ananda Shasthralaya Kotte he studied together with Milton Mallawarachchi. Then at Royal College, Colombo UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Anura Bandaranaike and Dinesh Gunawardena were among his classmates.
Bhadraji who will be launching ten of his new books at the International Book Fair in Colombo tomorrow, said he also had plans to do a film in Sri Lanka. Having worked in a couple of movies for the American Film Institute as the story board artist, Bhadraji also recently acted in two movies produced by the New York Film Academy.
In his recordings, he has worked with all leading music directors like Stanley Peiris, Clarence Wijewardana, Rohana Weerasinghe, Jagath Wickramasinghe, Upali Kannangara, Achala Solomons, Ranjith Yapa de Alwis and Sanjeewa Paranamana.
Incidentally it was Sanjeewa Paranamana who directed music for his latest album while melodies, lyrics and vocals are by Bhadraji himself. Chandrakanthi Lakmali Jayathilaka and Sunith Wirantha have supported Bhadraji in the vocal department. ‘Sudu Asu Pita’ is a M Entertainment distribution.
Bhadraji stirred up pleasant memories when he entertained the guests at the CD launch with songs from the new album and also his all-time hits like Battiththa, Shantha Raam, Devatha Ayine Mal, Farewell Lanka, Sasara Sayuren and many more – both in Sinhala and English.
Bahdaraji is now writing a tele play for a Sri Lankan channel, a script for a Sinhala film and a documentary narration for a project in India. His latest stage play ‘Hinganno Saha Rajawaru’ will be staged here in February next year. Most recently, Bhadraji played the role of Arachchila in Muwan Pelessa and the male lead in Doliyage Sihinya opposite Sunethra Sarathchandra in the US.
Bhadraji heaped praise on his friends Shiran, Anoma, Ruvina, Carmen and other for producing his latest album and promoting it in a novel manner and his cheerful friends maintained that it was a pleasure to embark on such a mission to make this gentle giant a happy man.
Bhadraji was indeed a happy man. His happiness was blended in the songs he sang that night. Music is only a fraction of this man… and to know him fully is indeed a difficult task. But one thing’s undisputable. He is more than an asset to Sri Lanka.
(Mirror Life – Pix by Kithsiri de Mel)
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