Titus Thotawatte was a
Sri Lankan
director and editor. He made several popular and technically skilled
Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later developed
Sinhala children's programmes. Thotawatte died on October 15, 2011 in
Colombo.
[1]
(born
Emmanuel Titus de Silva on April 17, 1929 in Borella)
Early life
Thotawatte was born the youngest of three children with two older sisters. He attended
Ananda College in Colombo and studied art under J.D.A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe. Subsequently he went to Matara Technical College.
Career
Thottawatte joined
Lester James Peries and Willie Blake
[2] in making
Rekava in 1956 as editor.
[3] It was an attempt to make a truly Sinhala movie to contrast with the Southern Indian copies in vogue.
Thottawatte struck out as a director with
Chandiya in 1965 The film starred
Gamini Fonseka in the first villain role of Sinhala Cinema.
[4] Other early films include
Kauda Hari (1969),
Thewatha (1970) and
Haralaksaya (1971).
[5]
In 1980, Thotawatte wrote and directed the popular children's movie
Handaya [5] which was awarded the Best Picture at the Sarasaviya Film Festival.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he dubbed English cartoons like Bugs Bunny
and Doctor Dolittle into Sinhala for Sinhala audiences. These continue
to air on Sinhala Television channels. Thotawatte also created puppet
characters like Eluson.
When The National Media Awards took place for the
first time in Sri Lankan History, three
Gold awards were made to veteran journalist
D. F. Kariyakarawana for his contribution to newspaper journalism,
Vijaya Corea in honour of his contribution towards the upliftment of Broadcasting media over a long period of time and
Titus Thotawatte, the veteran film maker for his contribution to the TV media in Sri Lanka.
Titus Thotawatte - The Viceroy of Sinhala Cinema
Titus is one of the greatest cinematic giants produced by Sri Lanka.
The vacuum left by his sudden demise, is irreparable. The entire nation
owes a debt of gratitude to this remarkable veteran artiste, who
sacrificed his lifetime in building an unshakable image around the
globe.
Titus Thotawatte Titus is a rare artiste, who was full of
talent. He was involved in all aspects of the film industry and also in
the television field of Sri Lanka. He was an all-rounder in the artistic
world. He played an inestimable role in the film industry as an editor,
sound engineer, director, producer, lab technician, art director and
even did a little acting. In addition to the film industry, he was
involved in television as a producer, director and in dubbing etc. The
most recognized fact is that he was the best editor ever produced in Sri
Lanka.
Titus Thotawatte was born on April 17, 1927 in Colombo. There were
five members in his family. His father was a businessman. His original
name is Thotawattege Manual Titus de Silva. He studied in Ananda College
and later entered the Colombo Technical College to pursue arts and
other creative work.
Film industry In the early 1950s he joined the Government Film
Unit as an apprentice and later became a permanent employee. In the
Government Film Unit, he learnt and gained experience in the finer
techniques of making films but his forte was editing films. All the
films made at the Government Film Unit were documentaries. He edited
documentary films, such as, Conquest in the Dry Zone and Be safe or Be
sorry which were directed by Dr Lester James Peries.
Dr Lester James Peries, the father of Sinahala Cinema joined the
Government Film Unit in the early ‘50s and Willie Balke, who later
became one of the best cameramen also worked there during same period.
Lester, Willie and Titus became close friends. This friendship created
history and revolutionized Sri Lanka’s film industry. In 1955, these
three leading characters left the Government Film Unit and started to
make their own film. The film was Rekawa, which ceylonized our film
industry. He is the first Sri Lankan editor to challenge the work of his
South Indian counterparts and he also has the distinction of editing
our first colour film.
True characters Titus is the best editor ever produced in Sri
Lanka. Most of the films which he edited shone nationally and
internationally. After Rekawa, he edited Sandesya, a film which was also
directed by Lester with the photography by Willie. After that, nearly
25 films were edited by Titus himself and some of them were
Parasathumal, Ran Muthu Duwa, Sarawita, Punchi Baba, Gatawarayo,
Devarayo, Hantane Kathawa. In addition, he edited many short films and a
few documentary films. The international award winning Minisa Saha
Kaputa was one of the short films that he was involved in editing.
Titus directed nearly six feature films. Most of the films became box
office hits. His stories based on true and natural incidents which show
the real side of society. The characters of the films are true
characters, people who we meet in our day-to-day lives. His first film
Chandiya shows the real informal urban segment. Haralakshe Mankollaya
and Maruwa Smaga wase are based on incidents which happened in Sri
Lanka. He created those stories and made them very close to reality. His
films Sagarika and Suihasuna were not hit films, but try to emphasize
the new trend. His film Hanadaya created a revolution in the Sinhala
cinema and gave a boost to the making of children’s films.
The other special experiment he did was to make three short stories
called Thewatah (three stories or three faces), experimenting with
feature films. The stories of the films were based on different themes.
The three short films in Thewatah feature film were Picturer Pissa,
Gilihunu Mal and Ahala Pahala. The short film Gilihunu Mal was highly
appreciated by the professionals and the public and won the OCIC Award
for the best short film. However, these three films are considered as
short stories.
Great artiste Eventhough the songs of his film Puran Appu, a
story based on a national hero were recorded, they were not completed.
Unprecedented changes emerged which had an effect on the social life of
Sri Lanka in 1979. This was the introduction of television, a
sophisticated invention of the new world. The tendency to produce
programmes to influence the people was realized as a national need with
the arrival of the television screen, a spectacle that invaded our
living rooms.
In 1982, this great artiste Titus Thotawatte joined the Sri Lanka
Rupavahini Corporation with the main objective of improving the
production of television programmes of high value at a premium. Ran
Kahawanu and the award winning Kumaraya and Hansaya (Prince and Swan)
added with documentary films are a few examples of his ingenious
creations. The remarkable contribution made by him with dubbing and
providing subtitles to films is a semblance of revolutionized expertise
on television programmes. He also produced number of documentaries and
even a serious of programme focusing on economic subjects, such as, Ganu
Denu (nearly 50 episodes) proving that he had the ability to touch on
other subjects too.
Innovative creations His attempt of innovative creations has
inspired a new generation and helped them showcase their skills in
partaking on various programmes. As a matter of fact both young and old
recall the inexplicable memories of his great works like Malgudi Dawasa,
Athuru Mithuru, Rasara, Ahala Pahala, Robin Hood, Oshin and Ha Ha Hari
Hawa episodes in mint condition. His effort to influence children in
particular has borne fruit.
Characters by the likes of Pandithuma, Bagalawathi Teacher and Dr
Honda Hitha are closely attached to the day-to-day social life of the
current environment.
He behoves public tribute as the only Sri Lankan artiste who earned
an irrefutable reputation for giving priority to making children's films
like the well known Handaya, a film that revolutionized the industry.
The theme of the film Handaya was to focus the genuine mindset of
children. In recognition of his distinctive skills, he was presented
with the prestigious global award for the best film at the International
Children and Youth Film Festival in Italy, in addition to many other
national accolades won by him. The adorable creation of new characters
in television dramas produced by him still shine and are at the
fingertips of children. He became a knight in shining armour on
inventiveness of cartoon characters and the influence these characters
had on children and translated his remarkable know how into reality by
dubbing television movies, a masterly performance of artistry. Dr Honda
Hitha and Pissu Poosa are a few examples.
His masterly contribution to the film industry made in editing,
script writing and direction was assiduously rewarded with the
prestigious Sarasaviya, OCIC and Bunka awards by the unreserved
recognition of the local and international cinema, as a tribute in
appreciation of his stellar performance. Only he who can see the
invisible can do the impossible.
'
Invaluable contribution The greatest Grand Pix
Award was presented to him at the International Film Festival for
Children and Youth - Giffoni Valle Piana Italy for his children's film
Handaya. Indisputably, he was honoured with very esteemed accolades of
the Kalasuri Award in 1990, Sarasaviya Rana Thisara Award in 1995,
Sumathipala Memorial Award in 1996, Swarnasinghe Award in 1997 and Bunka
Award presented by the Japanese government on account of his
inestimable partnership with cinema industry. Titus, enthused by his
brilliant and innate talents in a variety of artistic skills, made an
invaluable contribution to raise the cinema screen to the pinnacle of
its glory. He excelled in arts and music with his innovative prowess,
under leading musicians of virtuosity Ananda Samarakoon and Sunil
Shantha during the time of his salad days. He trained in dancing under
the famous traditional dancer Sesha Palihakkara. He became a talented
artiste through practical training obtained at the Colombo Technical
College.
The people of Sri Lanka have always valued his dedicated contribution
to Sri Lankan cinema, television and entire Fine Arts sector.
Evidently, this great artiste started from scratch and used his
extraordinary talents to overcome all challenges to produce a local
Sinhala movie. The image of Titus Thotawatte developed in the Sri Lankan
cinema can never be replaced and will shine at the pinnacle of
everlasting glory on the cinematic screen in Sri Lanka.
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