• Lead actor Damith Wijayathunga brings to life the role of Clarence Wijewardena

The movie ‘Rhythm of the Guitar: Clarence’ pays homage to a most beloved figure of Sri Lanka’s musical history in cinematic form, and has taken the country by storm. Directed by the late Theja Iddamalgoda, it serves as a tribute to Sri Lankan pop music sensation of the 1960s, Clarence Wijewardena, and is bound up with elements of his life and career along with a collection of his most famous musical tracks.

With a house-full in cinemas for weeks running, the immense success of the movie does not simply speak for Wijewardena’s legacy, but also the talent that shone throughout the film. To gather more on this idea, The Daily Morning Brunch spoke to several of Rhythm of the Guitar’s stars.

Lead actor in the role of Clarence Wijewardena, Damith Wijayathunga, spoke of his experience portraying a much-loved figure in history, stating: “This was my debut role, that in itself was probably the biggest challenge I’ve taken up so far. Plus, this is a figure that is beloved by people, and having the opportunity to portray such a character is an honour.”

Dramatising a living legacy

Known as the Father of Sri Lankan pop music, Clarence Wijewardena is widely celebrated for his pioneering talent in the music industry with the introduction of the electric guitar. Rhythm of the Guitar honours his legacy, as well as contemporary voices who coloured his life and musical journey, including Annesley Malewana, Indrani Perera and their musical groups: The Moonstones and The Super Golden Chimes.

While the movie is a biopic and weaves together a tale resembling Wijewardena’s career, it is self-aware of the fact that it is not biographical. Therefore, it presents a storyline moulded for modern audiences while collecting together some of his most adored tracks to create a rare gem in the musical genre in Sri Lankan cinema.

This was what the actress portraying Indrani Perera, Dinakshie Priyasad, had to say on these changes: “I don't think viewers will be getting that exact experience you’d get from a biographical documentary. If you watch the movie in the beginning itself, it states that the storyline will be altered. We’re not trying to really portray the realistic experiences, but a different, yet beautiful kind of cinematic experience for the viewer.”

Wijyathunga explained how, despite such alterations to historic events, authenticity was prioritised in the creation of the movie: “Since this is a story set in another time period, we took care to present and embody the characters in their most authentic form to the cinema, as they were back then – how they behaved, the language they used, etc. And we took care to interpret the characters correctly down to their environment and their clothing.”

Rhythm of the Guitar is then the sum of well-thought acting and directing efforts that aimed to bring a novel experience to cinemagoers by preserving the past. Debut actress playing Clarence Wijewardena’s wife, Sheela Wijewardena, is Nihari Perera. She shared how, by paying attention to fine detail, the movie maintained a personal quality to those it set out to celebrate.

“I got the chance to speak with Miss Sheela, about how she behaved back then, what sort of clothes she wore, and this really helped me build up her character in acting her out,” she said. “Miss Sheela herself is very special, and I’m very happy I got to portray her character. I was told by her that she used to often wear an ‘osari’ back then, so we made sure to insert that quality into the movie.”

As such, each of the actors mentioned bringing in their own flair to their respective characters, thereby allowing the story to come to life on the big screen. Playing young Annesley Malewana, Saranga Disasekara spoke of the singer’s inherent charm which he ensured shone throughout the movie. He said: “When Annesley Malewana performs, he has this energy and this special presence. And he always smiles a very bright, nice smile. So I wanted to bring in that characteristic.”

A link between generations

Wijayathunga explained how the movie’s unique blend of the real and the fictional managed to cater to different generations in Sri Lanka, stating: “The crowd that gathers for this movie is actually the older generations; the ’70s, ’80s crowd. And since this is a commercial film, the way we approached it – through the colours, through the characterisation of the characters – was meant to also cater to newer generations.”

As such, Rhythm of the Guitar played a part in bridging the gap between the senior and younger generations in the country by incorporating the timelessness of memory and the novelty of contemporary style.

Disasekara spoke of this successful mix of nostalgia and new experiences. He said: “The senior generations, since they are big fans of Clarence, took the new generation to the cinemas as well. I met a few people, youngsters of Gen Z who went to see the movie with their parents and grandparents. When they entered the cinema, they didn't know much about Clarence. But, once they saw the movie, they were very interested in finding out more about him. And now they've become fans of his, too.”

Priyasad also expressed her delight with a positive audience response across all generations. “I see some people coming in wheelchairs, watching the film, crying, laughing, singing. So, it's really nice to bring that generation into the movies. Also, we see Gen Z coming to the theatres and maybe it’s their first time seeing or listening to Clarence Wijewardena’s songs. But still, they are engaging, they are loving it. And I see people doing cover versions now and that comes from Gen Z. I’m very happy to deliver a feel-good movie to the spectators.”

In this way, Rhythm of the Guitar has helped revive Wijewardena’s legacy and the music that lasts beyond a bygone era, demonstrating how true artistic talent is recognised and appreciated no matter the time period or generation.

Rhythm of the Guitar as an icon

As of now, Rhythm of the Guitar has not only starred across Sri Lanka, but has also been given the spotlight in movie theatres internationally in countries including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and USA. Wijewardena’s music is therefore given the opportunity to travel far and wide, taking Sri Lankan music and culture around the world.

Brunch inquired from the stars as to their thoughts on how the movie’s popularity skyrocketed since its release in cinema halls island wide.

Wijayathunga praised the accessibility of Wijewardena’s music itself, which in turn garners admiration from listeners. “We listened to Clarence Wijewardena’s songs at home, and he’s a figure that is beloved by all around the country. And what’s so special about his music is that his lyrics are so simple. And so it wasn’t such a difficult task for me to byheart the lyrics either.”

On the other hand, Disasekara attributed the movie’s success to a repeat audience who seek out the nostalgia it brings out.

He said: “I think because the songs are very nostalgic to a lot of people, there’s a repeat audience. There are people I’ve met and got messages on social media as well, saying that they watched it a couple of times. Not just twice – three, four times. They go with family, friends, colleagues. So I think that’s also one of the main reasons for the huge success.”

He also cited the unique place the movie takes in Sri Lankan cinema as a musical. He continued: “All in all, it’s a feel-good movie and a musical. The musical genre is not a very common genre for Sri Lankan cinema goers. So even that change was the main reason for the massive success.”