A dedicated cinephile and producer, Buddhisiri Keerthisena, who spent his entire life cherishing the nation’s cinema, was laid to rest in his hometown yesterday. Despite relocating to Colombo for business endeavours, his heart always remained connected to his beloved native village of Koswadiya.
Buddhi, or our beloved Buddhi Aiya, the visionary behind the globally renowned brand “Buddhi Batik,” possessed a remarkable talent for writing news articles that required no further editing before publication.
The news articles crafted by Buddhi, meticulously composed with impeccable spelling, serve as exemplary guides for aspiring journalists on how to write news effectively. This is attributed to his background as a journalist, where he contributed to publications such as Lankadeepa, Dawasa, and Aththa newspapers.
Passion for journalism
Buddhi’s passion for journalism and his love for cinema were unwavering, even in his final days. He was among the fearless journalists who joined forces to launch the influential Aththa newspaper, leaving a significant imprint on the landscape of the country’s journalism. Despite his success as a prominent businessman, Buddhi remained true to his roots and consistently extended invitations to his former newspaper colleagues on every occasion.
When I think of the name Buddhi, the first memories that come to mind are the captivating photographs of numerous actors and actresses from that era adorned in Buddhi batik designs.
The second reason is his role as a music cassette producer. He created a cassette featuring songs from the films “Sadasuluang” and “Sujata,” skillfully blending them with vintage film frames to produce a captivating advertisement that graced the screens of theatres. My friendship with Buddhi began when I initially joined the Sarasaviya newspaper, and this enduring bond lasted until his final days. I always held him in high regard, with a mix of respect and admiration for his wisdom.
If memory serves me right, I first crossed paths with Buddhi at a gathering held at his residence following the screening of the film “The Island,” a collaborative effort with the acclaimed Australian filmmaker Paul Cox and our esteemed award-winning actress, Anoja Weerasinghe.
During that time, Buddhi sported a distinctive look, with his hair in braids, adorned with thick chains around his neck, a waist belt, and a stylish batik sarong, giving him the appearance of a traveller from afar.
Those were the days when Buddhi’s son, the cinematographer Vishwanath Buddhika Keerthisena, who is also known as Buddhi, returned to Sri Lanka after his studies in America.
Same age
Buddhi and I share the same age, so we became friends on a peer level. I had the opportunity to write trailers for both “Yasoma” and “Sujatha,” which were produced by Buddhi.
It was a delightful challenge to navigate the creative intricacies of these two projects, especially when it came to balancing the artistic vision of the son while respecting the legacy of the father. Buddhi, driven by a deep love for cinema, embarked on the ambitious project of constructing the Cine City cinema complex in Maradana.
His dedication to this endeavour underscored his passion for the art of film. Over the years, I have written numerous articles for the Sarasaviya newspaper, and as a result, I had the privilege of accompanying Buddhi every step of the way, from the beginning of the construction to the grand premiere held in front of the theatre.
Buddhi’s contribution was distinctive because he was the sole Sinhalese individual to establish a cinema in Maradana, a location often regarded as the heart of the country’s cinema industry.
In the latter part of his life, he nurtured dreams of reconstructing the Gamini Cinema (even though the cinema is no more, bus conductors still tell passengers to get down at “Gamini Hall”) in Maradana and setting up a new cinema in Pettah. Additionally, he harboured aspirations of producing a new film, indicating his enduring dedication to the world of cinema.
Buddhi persevered through the challenges of the film industry. Among the inspirational figures in his life, two were particularly significant. The first was his esteemed great-grandfather, and the second was the renowned producer K. Gunaratnam. Buddhi held dear the memory of how Gunaratnam entrusted him with a new Hindi film (“Ek Phool Do Mali”) for its grand unveiling once the Darshana cinema was constructed.
During my career in the media, I had the privilege of sharing many conversations with Buddhi. After receiving the Sarasaviya awards for “Mille Soya” and being recognised as the best producer, I was tasked with conducting an interview with Buddhi.
Toward the end of the conversation, I posed a question, “What’s next with Buddhi?” My anticipation was that he would share insights about an upcoming film collaboration with his son. Buddhi, known for his candid nature, playfully responded that his next hope was to find a bride for Buddhi. This comment made its way into the article, and it was published with that news at the end of the piece, under the headline, “My Next Hope: To Find a Bride for Budi.” However, on the morning the newspaper was released, Buddhi admonished me over the phone.
(As I later learned, the father and son had a disagreement regarding this news, and I was scolded as a result.) I listened to the scolding without uttering a word. If I recall correctly, mobile phones were not yet prevalent during that time. After some hours, Buddhi called me again with a valuable piece of advice that has stayed with me throughout my life.
The lesson he imparted has remained with me, serving as a constant reminder not to extract a headline from the last paragraph of an article.
The practical wisdom behind this advice is evident during the page layout process, where, if the text is trimmed for any reason, there’s a risk that the removed portion may include the headline, though without any reference in the story.
Our disagreement concluded with that incident. The lesson I learned during my early years has remained etched in my memory throughout my career.
Buddhi’s connection to the cinema world began through his grandfather’s Violet Hall. When the film “Sujata” was showcased in that hall, Buddhi, who had previously sold its songbooks there, later embarked on the endeavour of re-producing “Sujata” as a heartfelt tribute to his cherished childhood memories. The premiere of this recreation took place at Darshana Cinema, which was constructed on the very same grounds where Violet Cinema once stood in Koswadiya.
During the premiere, the main guests were Prem Jayanth and Florida Jayalath, who had both acted in the original film. At that time, Florida had retired from the cinema industry and had refrained from giving interviews to the press.
However, due to Buddhi’s involvement and with the understanding that the conversation would not be published in a newspaper, she engaged in a lengthy conversation with me.
Unwavering passion
It’s evident that Buddhi, who had diverse roles as a producer, and exhibitor, and even served as the president of the Sri Lanka Exhibitors’ Association, had an unwavering passion for the world of cinema.
His dedication to the film industry seemed to surpass his interest in any other business endeavour. His trademark approach was to initiate projects without hesitation, and he consistently embraced challenges.
Without this adventurous spirit, the Buddhi name would not have become the well-respected brand it is today. This brief note is not an extensive analysis of this remarkable individual; it is simply a heartfelt tribute, a memory shared.
