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Malini
Fonseka, who has completed nearly 45 films loves acting in films
because it gives her an opportunity to get into another person's
body and soul. Seated at the cafe in the Novotel Centre Hotel in
Abu Dhabi for an interview with Tabloid, a jean-clad Malini
explains her love for acting. "I love studying people and
their behaviour. And, I find it great to live the lives of so many
people, is it not fulfilling to live many lives in just one
lifetime," expresses this artiste, a regular in the
internationally-acclaimed Sri Lankan filmmaker Lester James
Peiris's films including his yet to be released, Wekanda Walawwa.
Her
husband Lucky Dias, a former advertising executive, entered films
17 years ago guided by his mentor, a former Sri Lankan parliament
speaker. Today, this actor producer, who has produced five films
including the prestigious Anthima Reya (the opening movie at the
film festival in Abu Dhabi), has picked up the baton to direct a
television series. His wife Malini has directed four of his
productions. The couple have been married for 16 long years and
seem to have survived working as top film stars in the surreal
world of movies.
Lucky
Dias:
I
used to watch her movies as a schoolboy. Malini and her co-star
Gamini Fonseka were household names. I used to be fascinated and
admire her as an actress of beauty and exceptional talent. To me,
she's one woman who's more feminine than any other woman I've
known.
She's
the only Sri Lankan actress who manages to straddle commercial and
art movies well. In her heydays in the 1970s, she could dance and
run around trees better than any Hindi film actress of her time.
But
the adulation I felt for Malini as a fan differed from what my
generation and I felt for glamorous Hindi film actresses such as
Saira Banu. All of us wanted girlfriends like Saira Banu, but it
was more admiration of Malini.
She's
the only actress who's capable of moving me to tears. I'm not an
emotional person, but her performances, especially in Aradhana -
where she loses her infant- stirred me deeply and made me cry.
When
I first met Malini I was struck by her simplicity and she seemed
like an ordinary person. Obviously, I had no clue at that time, I
will end up marrying her. I went through many relationships before
deciding she's the one for me, in fact.
We
are not a typical husband and wife couple for sure. Sometimes, for
weeks on end we don't eat together because she will be at a film
shoot in one location, while I am in another. The only
conversations we have during the day would be me telling her
something is not alright at home. But at the same time, we are
like any normal Sri Lankan couple celebrating occasions like the
Sinhala new year. We are home together and there's perfect harmony
as we light the auspicious lamp and pray.
Apart
from a common love for music, we love cricket too. If there's a
Sri Lanka match, we cancel our shootings and we stay in our room
glued to the television for the entire day. We enjoy travelling
because we can shed our inhibitions and be ourselves. At home, we
cannot step out for fear of being interrupted for an autograph or
dine out for the fear of laughing out loud and being misconstrued
as arrogant.
I
believe the success of a marriage lies in understanding the other
person's weakness and not to play or dwell on it. You can ruin the
marriage if you continue to labour over your partner's weaknesses.
It's better to ignore it.
There's
one quality in my wife I cannot comprehend however. She's a
waster, in all aspects, be it in her life, money or opportunities.
I remember the legend, Satyajit Ray, had asked her to star in his
film, as did the Bollywood stars of yesteryears, the late Sanjeev
Kumar and Manoj Kumar. But, she was shy and failed to grasp the
opportunity, if it had been any other ambitious actress she might
have grabbed the offer. I cannot put my finger on why she fails to
seize opportunities.
But
luckily, Malini and I did not have to struggle very hard or do
anything against our conscience to reach the top. I'm a Buddhist
by birth and believe what you do, you must do well today and not
crave for tomorrow.
Factors
like working in films or being a couple of years younger then her
did not affect our marriage. Of course, we have to be modern in
our thinking, or else we would have fallen prey to stories made up
about us while she's working elsewhere. We don't bring this home.
We just ignore it. For the future, I just see us making movies
because there's no life beyond cinema for us.
Malini
Fonseka:
Lucky
was not an actor when I met him, but my first impression was that
he was smart, good looking and had a taste for good clothes. A
quality I admire in him is his homely nature.We are both intensely
family oriented, I think that's the bond we share. We lost our
fathers earlier on but we cherish our mothers and they are a major
priority in our lives today.
I
think you need patience and an ability to understand the other
person to make a good marriage. In most of my movies, I've
portrayed the wife in a typical Sri Lankan family. But, I'm not a
puritan who's dependent and clings to her husband. I am a very
independent person, something which he likes about me. We have to
be modern in our thinking or else we will be swayed by even a
sniff of scandal printed about either of us in the newspapers.
Apart
from a passion for cinema, we love music. We listen to all kinds
of music be it Arabic or Chinese, it should be just good music.
We
watch cricket together too, a game we enjoy immensely. Travelling
to new and foreign countries is another interest we share together
because we feel free to shed our inhibitions and be ourselves.
I've
acted and directed films produced by him. I've especially enjoyed
working in Siri Medura with him where we had lots of fun with the
unit. There's Anthima Reya too. Sometimes, he can be very stubborn
as a director and want to do something his way. After arguing with
him, I always give in. But we don't have any major differences and
realise we are after all working towards making a good movie at
the end.
We've
received plenty of laurels for our films and that does make me
experience a sense of achievement. We love what we do. In which
profession do you have people appreciating you openly, recognizing
you wherever you go, touching and blessing you with affection?
But,
there's one crucial thing about us, we don't take our films home
and we live like normal people. I know the people in the Sri
Lankan film industry who breathe, live, wake up and sleep
discussing films. Really, we don't feel we are film personalities
or celebrities.
I
guess this is another trait we share.We are both very matter-of
fact about our fame. I treat all people in the same way and in
fact, I have to really convince myself I am good since others
consider me so.
In
the future, I shall continue to do films even when I turn 90 years
old. I shall act in movies as long as cinema exists and so will
Lucky, I believe.
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