Category: Features

There’s Something About Kumar…

Sooriya Village was the perfect setting to wine and dine Kumar De Silva, but then again maybe not. I failed Math during my O’Levels, and maybe that’s why I lost count of the number of times we were politely interrupted by every Tom, Dick, and Harry who patted Kumar on the back, and jabbered on amiably for a few minutes or so. But this is Kumar De Silva, and this level of attention from the public is to be expected. Generation X’ers (think me) would recognize this genteel and friendly face from the Bonsoir days. What is there to write about Kumar? His face has been plastered on virtually every newspaper in the country and also on the television screen.

 

Tell me something about you that no one knows, I asked. That is how this interview started as Kumar took me down Memory Lane while gently parting the mists of nostalgia. Deprivation was a running theme in Kumar’s childhood. With two siblings in the family, his parents who were both teachers tried their level best to offer them the necessities of life. But judging by the standards of today, life in Sri Lanka a few decades ago was quite a difficult affair. How much we take for granted, I thought, as Kumar mentioned that when it came to the food they ate, eggs and chicken was a once-a-month luxury.

 

He mentioned with a smile how his mother stitched a shirt out of a batik cushion cover. Yet his voice didn’t feature any bitter nuances since he divulged that he appreciated the whole aspect of ‘not having’ in his childhood. As he says: We didn’t know what it was to have, so not having was normal. Deprivation may have been the status quo in Kumar’s life, but one thing his parents didn’t scrounge on was his education. He goes onto say that it was this investment that’s paying its dividends now.

Yet it was one story out of so many that really did grab my attention; it was one where he had to borrow watches from his neighbors when it came to his A’ Levels to time his answers; this is because his parents just didn’t have the money to buy themselves a watch. Once he finally got his first job, the first salary went to buying both his father and mother a watch each. It’s now an obsession where he has collected hundreds of watches to date, all of which are harmoniously ticking away in his closet forever reminding him of his roots, and also how long he has come in a life that started out with the bare minimum.

 

Deprivation can bring out the best in us or the worst in us, yet what was truly appreciable about Kumar was his level of empathy. I suppose it’s a case of not wanting someone to go through the same level of suffering that you have gone through that brings out kindness. This was the rationale that was warmly spreading through my neurons as he spoke of how he helped a Bonsoir office peon’s son get a decent education.

 

It was investing in education that elevated his life, and he speaks of how proud he is of his children who were cultivated to appreciate education and be lifelong learners. No one can take away your education, Kumar says. This is largely true. You may lose your house, car or belongings through various tragic circumstances, but what you have learned will always reside within you helping you offer value to society and the world. Believing in an ethos that is governed by Karma, he firmly believes that the good you do will come back to you. He speaks of how he fed a starving tuk tuk driver, and received two lucrative compering jobs within a matter of half an hour. As he dug into his pol roti and dhal, and I into my black pork curry, he spoke of his yearning for the simplicity of yesteryear where Wellawatta in the 1960s bears a vast difference from what it is today. People were certainly friendlier then, but they also had more time for each other.

I remember Kumar projecting his versatile flair through my family’s second-hand Sony television, but this was a part of him I never saw. Neither did I expect him to have the experiences that he actually had. This is real life for you: the personalities we see in media with the perfectly chosen filters on Instagram and Facebook are humans just like us. They too have struggled, and felt pain, and hurt, and joy, and sadness like all of us. This I suppose is the most endearing thing: we all are alike, enticing with our strengths and weaknesses, traversing a journey that’s filled with expectations and dreams, all with the hope of extending some warmth and compassion to our fellow human beings.

Rovini’s Secret…

One of the most interesting facets of my job as a lifestyle journalist is that I get to meet a wide array of interesting individuals from all walks of life. It’s true that I get to meet a diverse array of smart and intellectual people who are part and parcel of the millennial generation. As a member of Generation X, it’s truly exciting to see how this generation is shaking things up and disrupting everything – all in a good way, of course. Let this introduction lead the way to presenting Rovini Illukkumbura.

Scouring through her LinkedIn profile was tantamount to feasting my eyes on a mosaic of success. Starting out her career at MAS and Unilever, it was certainly inspiring to see her plot her way up the corporate ladder to thrive in the zenith of her capabilities. From Intern to Assistant Brand Manager to Brand Manager to Marketing Manager to a fully-fledged Entrepreneur in less than ten years spoke volumes of her dedication to the art of success.

All one has to do is to just tap away on YouTube to hear Simon Sinek talk about the lack of discipline that afflicts millennials, and I found that this was largely true. However, there are a great number of millennials who are very hardworking and determined. Instead of resting on her laurels and feasting on the entitlement of being part of her family business, Rovini strived to plot her own course in life.

This is something she has done quite successfully. Chatting to her at Hilton while she sipped her Pina colada, it was inspiring to listen to her talk of the tough love her father preached, and how that set the foundation for her to settle in a career that she treasured. It was hard work and perseverance that led her to become Samsung Sri Lanka’s Marketing Manager where she was again thrown into the deep-end of life.

Looking at her diminutiveness and ever-ready smile, it was hard to imagine her as a live wire. It was even harder to imagine someone this genteel could achieve so much, but that’s just a stereotypical assumption courtesy of a Generation X’er. Having been extremely persistent even in her academic endeavors, Rovini decided to study in the field of Economics at the University of Colombo. Yet what really matters in this day and age are your achievements. As a lawyer friend of mine once said: It’s never about your academic achievements, it’s all about your track record.  I believe that it really is your upbringing that leads you to be who you are, and just like her affection for hard work, and her star-class coordinated guidance of the Visakha Synchro Team, the launch of Islander was a well-orchestrated affair.

Islander happens to be another milestone in that impressive track record of Rovini Illukkumbura. The brand launch of Islander was held at Honey Beach Club at Kingsbury Hotel at the beginning of this year; the event was attended by a veritable list of celebrities and VIPs including Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe and Jalani Premadasa. Using her extensive experience in the art of marketing, Rovini conceptualized the brand identity and marketing ethos of her brand, and launched it successfully while leveraging on the power of social media.

Crafted under the tagline – ‘Inspired By You’, the Islander brand seeks to promote and cherish the authentic island experience and portrays itself as a tribute to all things Sri Lankan with a focus on Sri Lanka’s strong appreciation of community. With a list of academic achievements, and a focus on marketing and product creation under her belt, Rovini spent an arduous two years researching, developing and designing Islander. With a successful launch already out of the way, Rovini is now busy working on a varied series of independent product lines that adhere to the brand promise portrayed by Islander.

 

The Islander range of flavoured water-based beverages was created to be a potent replacement for carbonated soft drinks. Consider that age-old proverb: health is wealth plus today’s excessive consumption of sugar, and then you’ll see how sugar has got the not-so-sweet reputation of being a promoter of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. What is more worrisome is that carbonated sugary drinks have contributed drastically to global obesity levels; and, it is this insidious trend that needs to be duly combated. The Islander range offers an organic blend of natural fruit flavouring, zero sugar and no colouring; appealing to all tastebuds, the Islander range of beverages are available in four tantalizing variations – Peach, Watermelon, Mint and Lemon and Lime.

 

Besides the desire to offer a health-conscious product while delivering value to a segment that believes health truly is wealth, Rovini says that this endeavor is also an effort at inspiring the younger generation that success is something anyone can get a shot at. So what, you may ask, is Rovini’s secret to achieving success? It’s quite simple really. If you set your mind towards something, you can achieve it.

 

Written by Rohitha Perera

Howard Martenstyn – An Invaluable Treasure

Qigong for Longevity and Wellness.

The truth is that there are many challenges that various lifestyles throw at us. According to various news and medical sources, rates of cancer, heart disease and stress-related illnesses are on the rise. Most of it can be blamed on our busy and hectic lifestyles that promote stress and also the various chemicals that have made its way into our food chain. Yet the fact of the matter is that while change is something that must be accepted various mechanisms need to be put in force that would help mitigate illnesses.

There has been a greater focus on health and wellbeing that has been put into place recently. All one has to do is to consider the great many gyms that are popping up all over the place, and the acceptance of alternative health practices that include yoga and Tai Chi. Into this particular fray, the art form known as Qigong makes its entrance and is geared to serve up a dose of wellbeing and health. It is under this particular backdrop that I can introduce our readers to Eranga Weerasinghe who is the General Manager of Lean Enterprise MOS at Bodyline.

Eranga is at present the committee member of the International Health Qigong Federation and the Secretary General of Sri Lankan Health Qigong Association. Apart from being an ardent and enthusiastic follower and practitioner including a trainer of Health Qigong, he also took part in Wushu between 2000 and 2006. Additionally he represented Sri Lanka in SAG Games and Basketball from 1999 to 2004.

Eranga is widely known in the martial arts circles, and has brought an incredible level of honor and distinction to Sri Lanka thanks to the numerous awards he has won. It needs to be mentioned with a sense of pride that he won 2 Gold medals at the 7th World Health Qigong Tournament that was recently held in Netherlands. The competition was certainly fierce for a discipline that has a huge global following. At this prestigious tournament there were 236 enthusiastic and eager participants representing 28 countries.

At this juncture, it would make sense to talk a bit about the history and various benefits of Qigong. The latter is an art form that is privileged to being over 4,000 years old; moreover, it is an art form that has strong roots in Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. If one were to simply explain Qigong from a practical standpoint, it should be stated that it is the simple practice of light rhythmic exercise coupled with breathing followed by a mind that is focused on the relevant routine of exercise.

That should do when it comes to giving Qigong a brief introduction as to its history; what should interest those aficionados of health and longevity are the various benefits that this martial art form offers. From helping to reduce stress to building stamina, to improving vitality, this is an art form that boasts of improving your cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory and lymphatic, and digestive functions. Having spent decades finding an outlet for his competitive nature, Eranga now focuses his energy and passion in bringing a gift of wellness to the general public in Sri Lanka. It seems that when it comes to life, all the old adages are true; the one that certainly rings a bell is — health is wealth. With that in mind along with the rates of disease being on the rise, it should be said that Qigong is certainly something that deserves to be looked into and practiced.

More information can be gathered by visiting the following Facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/SriLankaHealthQigongAssociation/

Direct inquiries is possible with Eranga via — Eranga.weerasinghe@gmail.com

30 Benefits of Qigong

Loosens Muscles

Builds Power

Strengthens Organs

Slows Respiration

Strengthens Nerves

Builds Bone Density

Prevents Joint Injury

Strengthens Ligaments

Destroys Free Radicals

Increases Injury Recovery

Decreases Stress

Balances Emotions

Improves Circulation

Prevents Muscular Spasms

Reduces Pain

Lowers Heart Rate

Lowers Blood Pressure

Improves EKG

Improves Asthma

Relieves Bronchitis

Builds Immune System

Relieves Migraines

Decreases Stroke Risk

Improves Skin Elasticity

Improves Posture

Improves Flexibility

Increases Balance

Improves Memory

Helps In Digestion

Improves Kidney Function

 

Written by Rohitha Perera

If You Can Dream It…

When it comes to weddings, attending one is easy but the process of planning one can turn out to be quite the nightmare not just for the bride, groom but everybody else involved in the planning process as well. Three sisters Shameema, Shaheena and Sabeeha Akbarally soon came to realize this while watching family and friends battling out the wedding worries. Wanting to find the solution to a common dilemma, the trio embarked on a venture nearly six years ago that caters to the stressed out brides, anxious grooms and worried mother-in-laws, offering a range of event planning services that are designed to make your dream event come alive.

The Wedding Designer, The Party Hostess, and The Party Affair are three different brands handled by the three sisters. The Wedding Designer focuses primarily on weddings; The Party Hostess specializes in the organization and planning of events such as birthday parties and a number of other events, while The Party Affair is a rental service for party supplies.

“Our mother used to help with wedding decor for her friends and we grew up watching her and I think that inspired us a lot”, said Shameema when we met for a quick chat.

“When we were planning our own kids’ parties, people used to encourage us to start our own event management company and once our third sister, Sabeeha joined we thought it would be a good area to get into” added Shaheena describing how the three brands came to be.

The three sisters divide the chores and responsibilities of each company amongst themselves so that clients have one contact to go to for each need. Even though the brands remain independent of each other, planning events takes place collectively. The event planning and creative process of bringing an event to life is a joint effort of the sister trio.

From afar, the idea of being self-employed seems like a dream come true for any parent and moms, Shameema, Shaheena and Sabeeha have now become experts on juggling work and family. “We decide how many events we want to work on so we don’t have a wedding every day of the month – we take a few carefully selected events and close bookings for that month. We know our capacity and limits. It’s also beneficial to the client since they get a lot more personalized attention” said Shameema

Over the last couple of years, the event planning company in particular has grown and expanded exponentially. In a city where event planners and event management companies are springing up like mushrooms, the sisters have managed to set themselves apart from the rest by creating their own niche that continues to attract a variety of clients. “I think it’s our style and attention to detail that people are attracted to. We find clients through referrals or recommendations from past clients, family and friends so whoever approaches us to do their wedding or event, comes with at least a basic idea of our style and how we work”, Shameema and Shaheena both explained.

An event planner’s life never has a dull moment as you get to meet and interact with different people every day with varying whims and fancies. Then there are the many adventures of chasing down suppliers. “We’ve organized a lot of interesting events in the last year but there was one proposal that we organized where the boy also wanted an engagement party arranged for the same day. It was a lot of coordination but a very beautiful event. This was the first time we’ve not had the bride to be involved from the beginning in the planning process – so it was important we got it right for her. She was so happy with the final output she’s now let the groom take the lead on the wedding planning!” says Shameema with a beaming smile of satisfaction on her face.

As service providers the sisters are also constantly faced with the dilemma of dealing with demanding clients. Shameema and Shaheena explained that since they work with clients who are either referrals or recommendations, they find it easier to find middle ground. “Right now, we are very pleased with where we are because family time is important to us and we are blessed with a strong support system that enable us to do the work we love. However, as they grow older and we find more free time, we will definitely look into growing the brand”, says the sisters on their future plans for the business.

Giving Life to Art

Inspired by a leading record label many decades ago and currently a popular hangout spot that boasts of good music and food, The Sooriya Village is the result of a vivid imagination belonging to one Berklee College of Music graduate called Sanchitha Wickremesooriya.

Sanchitha’s grandfather, Gerald Wickremesooriya was the heart and soul behind ‘Sooriya Records’ which was founded in 1968 and went on to revolutionize the music scene in Sri Lanka decades ago. The series of events that led to the inception of one of the most renowned record label started with the opening of ‘The Children’s Bookshop’ by Gerald and Dulcie Wickremesooriya where large amounts of children’s books and imported vinyl records were sold. Famed musicians of yesteryear would often flock to the shop and the relationships built between Gerald and some of the popular names in the music scene paved way for the kind hearted planter to embrace his knack for the local music industry and producing music.

Many years after the glory days of the record label and the signed artists, a grandson with a similar passion for music decided to give life to his grandfather’s dream. He put his overactive imagination to work and brought to life The Sooriya Village which is a space that sustains and encourages all forms of art and creativity. Located down Skeleton Road in Colombo 05, The Sooriya Village houses  rehearsal suites, a top gear recording studio, library and research services, a tech based lecture room, a restaurant with mouthwatering delights, dorms, tea/coffee/juice lounge, performance spaces and plenty of hang out area.

“Sooriya has definitely met its expectations but it’s also taken its own turns to become its own thing. We let it grow in its own way rather than bringing it back to the vision we had for it at the inception”, stated Sanchitha describing the approach he follows in regards to the growth of the venture. Since the opening of the space last year, The Sooriya Village has grown immensely and transformed into a space where many budding artists spend their time creating the next masterpiece. Apart from this many art related events are hosted promoting every type of creativity so it is safe to say that Sanchitha’s idea has indeed revived many art forms. “We are really pushing and supporting all types of artists and music. It’s not just music but other forms of art as well. Music mainly because that’s my comfort zone but we definitely push other areas as well”.

Apart from the historical aspect of The Sooriya Village, the amenities offered and the great ambience makes it a preferred location for events like birthday parties, family get-togethers and even weddings. “We didn’t think there would be this many people looking for spaces to hold their classes and various events. Our customers often say that the effort they need to exert is minimum when hosting their events at this space since we already have the restaurant and ambience part sorted out for them”, says a very satisfied owner of arguably Colombo’s hottest hangout. “We also bring down a lot of foreign artists since most of our young artists do not get the exposure to witness and learn from such artists”, Sanchitha added.

Even though the amenities and the ambience offered at The Sooriya Village largely impacts the positive feedback they receive, the restaurant and the delicious food served will urge you to return one too many times. The restaurant at The Sooriya Village is overseen by a celebrity chef. Everything from the items on the menu to the presentation of the food is curated and guided by Chef Hemalalindre Ranawake, fondly known as ‘Chef Koluu’. Koluu is an enigma to say the very least and his extensive knowledge on food gathered over thirty five years in the culinary field is on display at The Sooriya Village.

“There’s no point in conforming to the same ideas. The fun part about working with Koluu is that he’s completely open to crazy ideas. If he doesn’t agree with anything but feels its ok he will still ask me to go ahead with it. It’s a really healthy way of working together and it really works for us” laughs Sanchitha while Koluu nodded in agreement. “We designed a menu where we do food that people are familiar with so it’s a very casual concept. We have a lot of local food here and on the whole, the restaurant has been very successful” Koluu stated when asked about the menu planning process and the cuisines incorporated into the menu, “since Sanchitha is so creative, he also had lot of good ideas for the menu.”

“We are still figuring ourselves out and each day we learn. We invite everybody to come here with an open mindset. We encourage everybody to think out of the box and to not have a preconceived notion about who we are. An artist is a very liquid-like and malleable person so come prepared to take in all that we have to offer. Don’t just come here for the food, come for the full experience”, says someone we are convinced is a silent mastermind.

Written by Nishu Hassim

Sumitra Peries: A woman’s world

Gentle, suave, reassuring, and calm, Sumitra Peries is the almost perfect embodiment of the women she’s depicted onscreen, from her first film, Gehenu Lamayi, to her lastest, Vaishnavee. ESTEEM caught up with her to delve into her past lives as not just a director, but also ambassador, editor, voyager, and chess player. She is arguably the world’s oldest living active filmmaker, on par with the world’s oldest living filmmaker, who happens to be her husband, Lester.

To start this sketch off, could you recount some of your earliest experiences?

Although we hail from Boralugoda as a family, I was born in and my mother’s side of the family came from Payagala. I was conceived in a dark, vaguely unlit room in our house, referred to as a thimbirigeya. My earliest memories involve my mother, who ran a distillery, and my father, who was far too impractical and kind-hearted to take to running a business at all. (He had studied law, but his heart had always been in the far less practical field of history.) It was actually a kind of bilingual world I was made an heir to; my mother and father could wield both English and Sinhala, and my mother, like most women from her station in life, used to play tennis with the wives of the local doctors and lawyers at the Avissawella Courts. She had a kidney problem.

While my elder brother Kuru was sent to the Musaeus College Hostel at the age of five, and my younger sister was sent to the Visakha Vidyalaya Hostel at the age of six or seven, I was kept at home and homeschooled. I would have been six or seven when I saw a school for the first time; not in Colombo, but at St Mary’s College, Avissawella. That was quite a school. It wasn’t an elitist institution, if you know what I mean. We had children of estate plantations and children of rich families all congregating in the class. It had a strict principal who wielded the cane, which more or less was a great leveller. The social milieu we were exposed to in the classroom, moreover, was equivalent to the social milieu we were exposed to at home.

Did this milieu you speak of awaken any political sympathies in you?

Perhaps. Perhaps not. All I remember is that it was a great leveller, as it had been at St Mary’s College. I would have accepted at that early age that there were people of different shades in the world we lived in, of different castes, religions, social backdrops, etc. Going to school was a natural way of coming to terms with a very natural fact of life. I would play with village children, games like kon pittu and sand castles. A little stream passed by our house. I remember trying to catch little thiththayas and fish and all that from there and being chided by my elders for so doing. Then there were what we called bovitiya in the garden, because we had a fairly extensive garden. Rich or poor, haves or have-nots, our friends came with us.

As for my political sympathies, well I was a little girl when I first came across and talked with “Uncle Philip” as we called him: Philip Gunawardena, who would soon be put in jail by the colonial government for his agitation for independence during the Second World War. My father, whose sympathies were more or less aligned with his, had contested the area in 1931 (even before I was born) against the incumbent, Forrester Obeyesekere, missing what would have been a promising journey to the State Council by a mere 300 votes. Uncle Philip and even N. M. Perera would bring busloads of people to our house, and my family would serve them. It’s ridiculous to think that such childhood experiences can substantively affect one’s political inclinations as an adult, but they would have had a say for sure.

I wasn’t exactly brought up in an elitist background. We didn’t have the kind of luxuries people from our backdrop usually had in Colombo: no electricity, no drainage, and no bidet showers. We lived in a basic, almost primeval, home. It had a locked up well and a toilet outside, which we used to wash with buckets since we didn’t have a proper running water system either. So no, we didn’t live in a very well brought up, fashionable family; we lived a most ordinary life in Payagala.

We know what happens next, but could you offer a summary?

Well one thing led to another and I ended up at Visakha Vidyalaya. I was quite a headstrong girl there; the teachers at one point said, “You can’t remember your Buddhist gathas and sermons, but if we asked you to recite LSSP propaganda, you’d easily do so!” In fact my years at Visakha deserve an entire chapter, if not story, to themselves, particularly since it was there that I was “educated”, so to speak, before being let loose in the world. From Visakha, even before I completed my tenure as a student there, I went to Aquinas College to do my London A Levels.

It was around that point that my mother passed away. My brother Kuru, who was so devastated by it, left for France. Just like that. I followed him on a P&O Liner: an arduous but enjoyable journey, to be sure. When I left for France, and later when I returned, aboard that Liner, I would resort to playing chess with my friends.

I found Kuru with a couple of his friends, French and American. We had quite a time in Europe, enough to fill a Hollywood scrapbook. Again, one thing led to another and soon enough I was boarded in an apartment with a nice but rather dominating old lady and studying French at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

From Switzerland I left to Paris; in Paris I was taken to the Ambassador, Vernon Mendis, and his wife, Paddy, the latter of whom was a relative of mine; in Paris I also met Lester, my future husband, who happened to be a relative of Vernon; and from Paris, after seeing his Rekava and understanding that the cinema was my field, I left to London, where for some time I studied subtitling under May Harris in Brixton, and where I met Lindsay Anderson, who would become a family friend.

How did your other roles in life unfold thereafter?

I started out as an Assistant Director to Lester, whom I hadn’t married at the time, aboard Sandeshaya. Afterwards I got to be his Editor, from Gamperaliya to Ahasin Polawata and spanning some 15 years. I came from a technical background. Then I moved on to directing, as we all know, with Gehenu Lamayi. Then I moved into Paris as an Ambassador. Later I became a lecturer, though I don’t lecture anymore.

Lester and I are quite close. Always were, always will be. It was a meeting of two intricate sensibilities, from that chance encounter in Paris. He was the person who advised me to go to London; in a way, his destiny has been mine as well. So as far as my story goes, and my other roles, they all amount to one man, one destiny.

Written by Uditha Devapriya

From a Different Point of View

 

Dhanush De Costa was not the boy next door. He was actually the boy in the opposite lane. As a group of friends we grew up together, with big dreams of who we wanted to be when we grew up. Born in to a family running a successful photography business, we kind of knew where Dhanush and his younger brother Anush would end up. What we didn’t know however was that he would eventually revolutionize how, why, and when people immortalize their memories.

 

Today, Dhanush is one of the most sought after photographers not only in Sri Lanka but globally as well. What differentiates him from the plethora of other photographers in the market is his distinct ability to capture the most precious moments that you don’t really pose for. What started off as wedding photography and an award-winning dabble with wildlife photography though has today evolved in to a budding “lifestyle” with The FotoCube.

No more do we see Dhanush and his team only capturing some of the most breathtaking weddings that are truly fairytale worthy. Instead we also see him documenting through pictures the most precious of life experiences on this journey. From the moment a pregnancy is announced to the changes that take place in a woman’s body and the love that grows in a father’s heart even before he first holds his newborn in his arms is all captured in image format through BabyCube. Once the baby does come along begins another journey of the family milestones. Add to that a few candid moments of the all-important member of the family (the pets!) through PetCube and the result is a picture wall that tells more than just a story.

Generally a man who speaks more through his pictures, we got Dhanush to tell us in his own words about the life of a photographer.

 

What is your definition of “photography”?

I feel it’s the act of capturing a moment and helping to preserve this moment. These moments are precious to those who experience them and by capturing them we enable our clients to treasure them for generations to come. It also helps some to relive something special over and over again.

 

Is it the technology or the eye that makes a great photograph?

I think it’s a little bit of both as without a balance of the two a capture will not really have that unique aspect to it.

Are photographers born or made?

Again I think a little bit of both. Personally I feel they are born though! Most of what I do today is traits that I have learnt from my dad and also picked up on the way through years of shooting.

 

Was the family business something you always wanted to get in to? Or was it an accidental occurrence?

Even though dad is in wedding photography, after working in an advertising firm under several creative directors I gained a lot of insight into aspects which went beyond photography. This gave me that initiative to start my own company.

 

You started building a brand at a time when photography was not considered a lucrative career. How has the journey been so far?

At the start there were not a lot of variety and risk takers in the industry. With time the trends have changed and hence increase in competition and different styles of shooting have erupted.

 

How did the idea for “BabyCube” and “PetCube” come about? 

Rasha joining the company, and her experience as a parent and background in veterinary medicine helped start up these two areas. Both have just taken off to new heights even internationally.

What would you say differentiates you from other photographers in the market?

I feel there is a need to provide a personalized service to a client and feel this is what makes us different from the rest. We are not just your wedding photographer. The journey with our clients hasn’t ended there for us. From capturing the start of their lives together we have been with them through the start of their families, and helped capture the moments most precious to them and all their loved ones. The quality, commitment and service have been a constant no matter the occasion. In a nutshell, we’ve made more lifelong friends than clients and that is what matters to us the most.

 

What are your favourite shoots? Weddings, babies or pets?

All of the above and so much more.

 

Do you consider yourself a celebrity photographer?

No, hence why I do not publicize my name or face but rather let the company speak for the work we do.

 

Box Information

Telephone: (O): +94 11 7205151 (M): +94 77 7880224

Email: inbox@thefotocube.com

 

Written By Nishu Hassim

Photo Credit: The FotoCube

Showing an Indian Colombo

Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and literally grow in to established family empires. Some start below the poverty line and sweat their way up to super stardom. And then there are a few who are a combination of both worlds. I found Rohan Shrestha to be of the third kind.

Born of the 6th of March 1985, Rohan is of Nepali origin. The son of one of India’s pioneer photographers Rakesh Shrestha, Rohan grew up surrounded quite literally by “lights, camera, and action”! Some of his earliest childhood memories include tampering with old cameras and watching his dad work his magical eye with silver screen celebrities of yesteryear. What began as child’s play soon became an interest fuelled by a passion to capture the world.

At a very young age Rohan started as an apprentice under his father as well as other prominent photographers in India. Wanting to pursue his passion further he soon found himself travelling to the United States to enroll as a student of the prestigious New York Film Academy. Little did Rohan know at that time that he would fall in love with the Big Apple and soon call it his second home.

An Eye for the Extraordinary

Unlike his father who perfected the art of film photography, Rohan wanted to be more adventurous. In an effort to widen the scope of his creative horizons, he began working on more than mere fashion shoots. He was soon to discover that “playing” with his camera’s techniques, manipulating light in the great outdoors and documenting his personal travels as the “NomadWithin” on Instagram would get him noticed for more.

Rohan’s breakthrough celebrity cover came in 2010 when the Filmfare Magazine invited him to shoot Ranbir Kapoor for their June issue. At just 25 years old at the time, this seemed like a daunting assignment but the results at the end of the shoot were nothing short of phenomenal. The image selected to adorn the cover with Ranbir in red chinos and a black shirt lazing in chair with a look of pure arrogance on his face, gave the actor a completely different persona and opened the floodgates for Rohan.

Since then he has photographed the likes of Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Karan Johar, Anupam Kher, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhishek Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Vidya Balan, Imran Khan, Ranveer Singh and many others. One of his personal favourite shoots he says was with childhood best friend and neighbour Ranveer Singh.

Rohan is also an ardent nature lover and traveller and has documented many of his travels via his lens. Some of these images have depicted countries and cultures in such detail that today Rohan is also one of the most sought after photographers for global advertising campaigns. His simple depiction of the Japanese Cherry Blossom caught the eye of Diesel. Apart from that he has also shot for advertising assignments for Hermès, Satya Paul, Casio, JBL, Pepsi Co, Panasonic, Myntra, Chamomile, Pepe Jeans, Incredible India and Loreal.

When not capturing celebrities and cities, Rohan can be found in one of his favourite habitats, swimming with sharks. Documenting marine life in various parts of the world has been a passion that he has explored to great degree. Some of the greatest of these predators are yet to be immortalized by Rohan’s lens and is one of the top priorities on his bucket list.

 

The Nomad in Colombo

Rohan has been to Sri Lanka twice before on shoots and was here this time for Swim Week, capturing the happenings for a global fashion magazine. We caught up with him for a few hours to take him around Colombo and show him what no tour guide would probably have in their itinerary.

As a photographer, Rohan loves scouting locations and our first stop is to one of the most iconic in Colombo, the Independence Square. Mesmerized by the artistry of the columns and the history that surrounds Sri Lanka’s monument of independence, he also enjoys the many stories we had to tell him about how Ceylon gained independence from the British Empire. Our conversations lead to the relationship between India and Sri Lanka and inevitably from there to cricket while we make our way to the Arcade. Rohan loves hearing about the fact that this area was once an asylum and his dry sense of humour has us in fits of laughter.

Our next stop is on Highlevel Road to let Rohan try some our tropical fruits. Opposite the BRC ground, he quenches his thirst with a “thambili” and at our insistence tries both “rambutan” and “mangosteen”. Not a huge fan of fruits in general, he is quite taken up with what he calls the “red hairy fruit” and its taste and texture. We are careful to instruct him not to take a bite of the skin lest he ends up with a sore throat. He loves the rambutan but mangosteen not so much.

Thereafter we take Rohan on a mini shopping trip. He loves his bath and shower gels, bath oils and scented candles, so where better than Spa Ceylon. Purchasing enough to keep his bachelor pad in India and New York scented with the fragrances of Sri Lanka for many months, Rohan also stocks up on enough toiletries to flood his shower!

All this activity leaves not just Rohan but all of us starving, and when in extreme hunger one of the best places to head to is Life Food at Perahera Mawatha. Being a self-proclaimed “Foodie”, Rohan is willing to let us suggest his lunch. Our choice, the “Lankan Hero” or Life Food’s version of the classic kottu wrapped in a wheat rotti. Served with local favourite “pol sambol”, spice is no issue for this Indian and he enjoys his hearty meal while we share stories about food, family, films and so much more.

All in all we must’ve spent about 4 hours with this enigmatic man. Through our journey around Colombo though I have learnt that he is an introvert who prefers to ALWAYS be behind the camera, has achieved much is various spheres that people twice his age are still dreaming about, but still remains humble enough to not consider himself a “celebrity”. There is so much more to learn but I’m going to keep that for another day’s conversation when Rohan returns to explore Sri Lanka his way.

Written By Nishu Hassim

Photo Credit: Suren Nimalan (Soul Captures)

15 Years Of Danu

Fabulousness is an attitude, I’m convinced. Sipping a beer and waiting for Danu to make an appearance at Cinnamon Grand was certainly an exciting prospect. Clad in butt-hugging black jeans with strips torn at the inner thighs, in walked Danu sporting a mustache reminiscent of Ranveer Singh during his Ram Leela days. Danu has arrived, an alarmed thought ran through my beer-drenched neurons. I was not the only one who noticed.

The denizens of Cinnamon Grand turned their heads and tracked his progress with ever widening eyes as he scuttled towards me while I giggled nervously, and decided another bottle of Lion Lager was quite welcome. On second thoughts, make that a Lion Strong, I whispered to the gawking waiter.

Tongue-tied and wondering how to break the ice, which I was unskillfully trying to chip away at, I murmured — It seems that you’re one of those personalities that live for the day, Danu. He opened his mouth, which boasted an envious set of pearly whites that was made from the same stuff the Pearly Gates were, and laughed raucously. The poor piano lady, alarmed, forgot the tune to Pachebel’s Canon D, as Danu whispered back — No darling, I live for two.

Despite the frivolousness, silliness, and all-out shock value that Danu reeked of, he turned out to be an inspirational human being. With two hours of voice recordings snugly sitting in my iPhone, here I am at Mount Lavinia beach mulling over such an extraordinary personality that’s celebrating 15 years in the media field.

We’ve all heard the scandalous comments: “Danu? That queen?”; “I heard he’s a real bitch”; “What is he wearing?”; “Belongs in a nut house”; and, “I wouldn’t let any of my kids or my dog near him”. Yet once the layers of frivolity came undone, I’m hard pressed to find another more human individual that we can all relate to.

Born to a wealthy family in Jaffna, the war and other economic challenges displaced Danu and his family to Colombo. He talked of how after the death of his father, his mother brought him and his sister up with humble means.

Being materialistically spoilt was never an option, and he says how his mother told them that she will never show them anything that she couldn’t afford. Schooled at St. Peters, he talked of how he flunked Math, and still gets nervous before a major gig that he has to compère.

While life hardly smiled fair at Danu, he talks of his mother and sister in such a glowing manner. I’ve finally bought a small car, he says. But I’ve lost the chance to take my Mum around town to show her the night lights, he murmurs. Having lost his mother to colon cancer, it’s now his sister that has become his biggest fan.

In an age where social media has become a marketing juggernaut of sorts, Danu has excelled carving and crafting his media personality into something that secretly everyone envies. From hosting his own radio show to being a brand ambassador to compèring some of the most well-attended events in Colombo, it would hardly come as a surprise that he truly is star class.

Forever enterprising, Danu has branched out into various projects: WTF by Danu; Buzz with Danu; Jaffna Boy; Danu Innasithamby Foundation; and, My Sister’s Kitchen. Offering the best in information and entertainment, I was humbled enough to witness the life story of this well-loved media personality as he celebrated 15 years in media at Park Street Mews on the 25th of July.

As the liquor flowed that night, and a veritable list of Colombo’s glitterati attended to applaud Danu’s 15-year-old milestone at Curve, I did realize that the secret of Danu’s success is in his ability to eke out a laugh from even the most recalcitrant of beings.

The jokes were endless, and there were more laughs than conversations that night. I hope I live for another 15 years, Danu stated as he took the stage, simply because I have a lot of clothes to wear! Adroitly meandering from one topic to another, here was a maestro that jumped from one topic to another and kept a discerning audience wondering as he seduced more laughs from them as the night wore on.

As the show wound down, and everyone clamored to get their picture taken with the man himself, I couldn’t help but muse — How could you not love the guy? I remembered the list of people he thanked with a sense of humility that was unbecoming for a celebrity.

What better way to gracefully accept success than to offer up a humble ode to all those who have helped him along the way; this is, after all, a life that’s more eager to throw obstacles your way than to cheer you on towards success.

For what it’s worth, and judging by his sheer online presence, I’m convinced that we Lankans do need a bit of Danu in our lives; and as you gawk and consume the plethora of perfectly photoshopped images on his Instagram feed, remember that the person truly is far more approachable, zany, and human than you and I could ever be.

Written by Rohitha Perera