Amitabh Bachchan: Evergreen Emperor of Hindi cinema turns 80

Well-known Hindi film actor Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his eightieth birthday on October 11. The veteran thespian continues to be active,

MHM Ashraff; From Muslim Leader to National Statesman

On the fateful morning of 16th September 2000, Mohammed Hussein Muhammad Ashraff(MHM Ashraff) boarded a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Mi-17 helicopter at the Police grounds in Bambalapitiya.

Pop Singer A. E. Manoharan Flopped as a Film Actor

Blessed are those Sri Lankans who have lived in different parts of the country, travelled widely within its borders and interacted with all people cutting across ethnic and religious barriers during times of peace and tranquillity in the past. Those who have had such broad experiences unsullied by narrow sectarianism know that the Island is truly “God’s own country” populated by friendly, good-natured people.

Appapillai Amirthalingam From Enfant Terrible to Elder Statesman

Friday August 26th was the 95th birth anniversary of well-known Sri Lankan Tamil political leader and one-time leader of the opposition Appapillai Amirthalingam.

Wickremesinghe, Alahapperuma and the 2022 Presidential Election

Leon Trotsky famously observed, “Politics is more like algebra than like elementary arithmetic, and still more like higher rather than elementary mathematics”. The recent election of President Ranil Wickremesinghe by Sri Lankan members of Parliament appears to be an illustrative example of Trotsky’s statement about Politics being more like Algebra than Arithmetic.

Versatile Filmmaker Vasantha Obeysekera’s “Dadayama” (The Hunt)

Devoting the first Saturday article of each month to a film, film personality or film-related topic is a practice being followed by this column in recent times.

Tamil Parties Must Urge Full Implementation of 13A

Last week’s article was about the guerilla war fought by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) against the Indian Army in the Trincomalee district.

How Kumar Gunaratnam alias “Gemunu” Fought  against the Indian Army

The India – Sri Lanka Accord was signed by former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and ex-Sri Lanka president Junius Richard (JR) Jayewardene on July 29,

FSP Leader Kumar Gunaratnam and his “Aragalaya”

“Gota Go Home” was the clarion call around which the people launched their “Aragalaya” or Struggle. It has achieved its primary goal.

Kamal Haasan returns to cinema with blockbuster ‘Vikram’

Gotabaya, Ranil and the Frog and Scorpion Fable

Let me rewind back to my boyhood when I first read the fable about the scorpion and frog which I believe is of Russian origin.

Re-visiting the “Sniper” killing of Robert 19 years ago

The armed struggle launched by Tamil militant groups to achieve the objective of a separate Tamil state caused massive loss of life and bloodshed.

“Que Sera Sera”: Doris Day’s Song of Cheerful Fatalism

The first part of my article on Ranil’s return was published in the “Daily Mirror”of May 21st 2022. In that I made a brief reference to the song “Que Sera Sera” sung by the American singer com actress Doris Day. This was in the context of speculation about Ranil Wickremesinghe’s political future. This is what I wrote then – “However as Doris Day sang in ‘The man who knew too much’ movie- “Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be.”

How Ranil Wickremesinghe became Prime Minister again

The first part of the article titled “Ranil Returns: Remarkable Resilience of Premier Wickremesinghe”

Ranil Returns: Remarkable resilience of Premier Wickremesinghe

Ranil Sriyan Wickremesinghe known as Ranil is in the seat of power again as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the sixth time.

State Minister Geetha sparkled on screen as an actress

Actress turned politician Geetha Kumarasinghe grabbed media attention a few weeks ago when she spoke out strongly in support of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Is the “House of Rajapaksa” Falling Down?

When Basil Rohana Rajapaksa was sworn in as Finance Minister by his brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2021, the appointment captured the attention of the world’s influential media.

If Gota doesn’t go home, the Executive Presidency may go out

“Go Home Gota” and/or “Gota Go Home” is the resounding clarion call that is currently motivating and mobilizing a number of protest demonstrations throughout Sri Lanka.

Lester James Peries and the Gold Winning “Gamperaliya”

Devoting the first article in each month to a film, film personality or film related topic was a practice followed by this column for several months last year.

TPA Seeks Non-Territorial Council for Hill Country Tamils

The total population of Tamils - both Sri Lankan and Indian -is 3,113, 247. Of these 1,611,036 Tamils are living in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Another 1,502,211 Tamils live outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces

N. Q. Dias Anticipated an Armed Tamil struggle with Indian support

This weekly column returns with the second part of the article titled “Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N. Q. Dias was Feared as the “Tsar” that was published in the “Daily Mirror” of February 19, 2022.

H. R. Jothipala: Sinhala Cinema’s Most Popular Playback Singer

I begin this column this week with an apology to readers. I had written a two part article titled “Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N. Q. Dias was feared as the “Tsar” in the “Daily Mirror” last week (Feb 19). Unfortunately I am unable to write the second part this week as planned because I am yet in the process of gathering some vital information necessary for writing.

Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N.Q. Dias was Feared as the “Tsar”

In the article titled “1962 Coup:Takeover of Govt. Through Operation Holdfast” that was published in the “Daily Mirror”of January 29th 2022,

The Killing of LTTE Eastern Political Commissar Kausalyan

This column has for the past three weeks been focusing on the abortive Coup d’état conspiracy of 1962. There has been much reader interest in the articles. I have been pleasantly surprised to receive a lot of responses ranging from persons related or connected to some of the coup suspects to people from different walks of life evincing much interest in an important event in Sri Lanka’s history.

1962 Coup:Takeover of Govt. Through “Operation Holdfast”

The 1962 Coup d’etat conspiracy had three noteworthy aspects.Firstly the architects of the conspiracy wanted a bloodless coup.

1962 Coup: Disgruntlement Within Army and Police Top Brass

In order to understand the 1962 Coup d’état conspiracy phenomenon, it is essential to delve deep into some events that happened between Independence in February 1948 and the envisaged D-day for executing the coup on January 27-28th 1962.

Background to the Coup d’état conspiracy of 1962

This January is the 60th anniversary of what has come to be known as the 1962 Coup or Coup d’état of Sri Lanka known formerly as Ceylon.

Seven Tamil Parties Seek Modi’s Help for Implementing 13-A in Full

In a significant political move, seven political parties mainly representing the Sri Lankan Tamils of the Northern and Eastern provinces have written a joint letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,

Indo-Lanka Accord, 13th Amendment and the Tamil March of Folly

Much concern is now being shown by political parties representing the minority (numerical) ethnicities of Sri Lanka over the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Turmoil in Toronto as “Tigers” Target TNA Meeting

Last Saturday (Nov. 20) saw a group of self-styled political activists create a ruckus and disrupt a public meeting in the Scarborough area of Toronto City in Canada.