In recent weeks, one of the most talked-about releases in Sri Lankan cinema has been ‘Clarence: Rhythm of the Guitar,’ a biographical musical film directed by the late Theja Iddamalgoda and produced by Thusitha Jayasena. The film tells the story of Clarence Wijewardena, the legendary ‘father of Sri Lankan pop music,’ whose songs remain etched in the nation’s cultural memory.
As with most biopics, the film has stirred conversation not just for its artistic choices, but also for the sensitivities that come with memorialising a beloved figure whose family, friends, and fans still carry vivid memories of him. Beyond that, ‘Clarence’ has reignited interest in the place of the movie musical in Sri Lankan cinema, a genre that fuses storytelling and song in a way that transcends entertainment to become cultural celebration.
To explore these themes, The Sunday Morning Brunch reached out to veteran filmmaker Somaratne Dissanayake, a director, screenwriter, and producer who also served as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in addition to being the President of the Filmmakers’ Guild of Sri Lanka.
With a career spanning decades and a reputation as the most internationally awarded filmmaker in the country, Dissanayake is no stranger to pushing boundaries. Earlier this year, he released ‘Kaputu Koho,’ his own experimental musical that blended the traditions of Sri Lankan stage drama with modern cinematic technology.
Speaking to Brunch about the evolution of Sri Lankan cinema and the resurgence of musical storytelling on the big screen, Dissanayake emphasised that film had always been “an amalgamation of many arts”.
From its silent beginnings to the integration of dialogue, soundtracks, and now immersive technologies like surround and Atmos sound, cinema has constantly evolved, according to Dissanayake. Yet at its core, music remains “an essential element of the medium,” one that not only elevates the story but also connects audiences emotionally in ways that visuals alone cannot.
When asked about ‘Clarence: Rhythm of the Guitar,’ Dissanayake was quick to frame it within the broader tradition of genre.
“There are different types of films, what we have to know as genres, and one genre is the ‘movie musical,’” he explained. “In this kind of film, alongside storytelling, music becomes a major part of the experience.
“I think ‘Clarence’ is one such film where music is the primary driver. It is based on a popular singer and contains many of his most well-known songs, so naturally, it becomes a very attractive film.”
He recalled attending its premiere screening and described the audience’s response with enthusiasm. “I was able to watch it at its first screening,” he said. “It was very entertaining, and people definitely enjoyed it. What was significant to me was that it was not only film lovers who appreciated it but also music lovers — and, of course, fans of Clarence. So I think it is already a very successful film.”
Role of music in cinema
For Dissanayake, however, the importance of music in film goes far beyond the biopic musical.
“Generally speaking, the soundtrack, the musical track, is an added ornament to the film’s foundation,” he noted. “I have produced numerous films that I consider very musical. For example, ‘Kaputu Koho’ is certainly one of them. It is not a traditional film; it is a drama, an experimental one.
“Then there is ‘Sarigama,’ my adaptation of ‘The Sound of Music.’ Of course, the original was a musical film, but when I brought it into Sri Lankan cinema, I did not follow the original music track. I followed our own melodies and singing styles.”
He stressed that music, whether in a musical or otherwise, was inseparable from cinema’s power. “Music is very important; it sets the mood, enhances expressions, and goes beyond visual beauty. Even if it is not a movie musical, music continues to play a very important role in the medium of cinema,” he said.
When asked about ‘Kaputu Koho’ and how it related to stage drama recordings such as ‘Hamilton,’ Dissanayake explained that this was an area he had studied deeply.
“There are film genres where you adapt stage drama into cinema, and world cinema has many such creations,” he said. “But ‘Kaputu Koho’ is fully experimental, it is not a copy of an existing stage drama. It is my own way of bringing a stage drama onto the cinema screen. That is very different from simply copying a stage play. We make use of different shots — medium shots, camera movements, light changes; we adapt all of that to the screen through technology.”
He admitted, however, that the film did not resonate widely with audiences. “When I compare it to my other films, ‘Kaputu Koho’ didn’t quite reach a mass audience,” he noted. “The reason is that it is not purely a feature film; it is a stage drama adapted to the screen.
“Lovers of stage drama are fewer in Sri Lanka and you must already be a stage lover to really enjoy a film like that. On top of that, the music we used was traditional — our folk songs, our roots. But the number of people who enjoy that kind of traditional music is also limited. So that is one reason why the film did not become a film with mass appeal.”
Still, Dissanayake sees immense value in the project. “I enjoy it myself and I know many schoolchildren and university students are using it for study purposes. In the future, it will be an asset for Sri Lankan film and theatre as well as for traditional songs and dancing,” he explained, expressing his belief that the film had cult classic potential.
Turning to a broader reflection on Sri Lankan audiences, he acknowledged the tension between experimentation and commercial appeal. “I think as creators, we must always experiment instead of remaining stagnant in one traditional method,” he argued.
“We must explore different areas. This is not just about cinema, this is how you move forward in any industry. Of course, we must test the audience response and sometimes they may not accept it. But the mastery and the learnings from that product will be studied and archived in our film histories. Some experiments may fail commercially, but they may be lauded artistically.”
Dissanayake also shared his perspective on ‘Clarence: Rhythm of the Guitar,’ particularly on how it was shaped for a mass audience.
“You see, they have made certain changes, so it is not really a biography of Clarence,” he explained. “There are some deviations, some changes to his story. People who knew Clarence personally have not fully agreed with the film, and even his wife did not fully agree with the final film, I believe. But I don’t think it is a matter of right or wrong.
“As a creator, you do not have to document every story exactly. You can take artistic liberties, you can go beyond and make certain interpretations.”
For him, the filmmakers’ choices were about accessibility. “With the ‘Clarence’ film, I think they focused more on audience appeal,” he said. “I do not agree with everything they have included, and they definitely omitted some of his classical songs. Apart from the ones he sang himself, Clarence also created melodies for many popular and classical artists, and those works weren’t fully represented.
“I believe what they did was target the mass audience, and as producers and investors, that is how they must operate. You can’t really blame them, because you cannot include every detail of his life and art in one film.”
Still, he appreciated the film for what it was. “As a creation and as a general entertainment film, I like it,” he admitted. “Some characters were represented very well in terms of performance, while a few did not quite hit the mark. There are small things like that, but generally speaking, it is an entertaining film and I think audiences are enjoying it.”
On biopics and audience growth
On the subject of biographical films, Dissanayake was cautious about calling it a ‘trend.’
“I don’t think there are trends like that,” he said. “What matters is if the subject is interesting and if the character has enough material in their story. If so, there is nothing wrong with using that.
“We have made films about kings, politicians, service providers, heroes, scientists, etc. But what we are doing is not documenting; what we have to do is make a film out of a character. First you have to see what the interesting happenings are around that character. There must be dramatic happenings between the characters to make it a film. Just documenting some stories is not filmmaking.”
Addressing the issue of audiences, he remained optimistic. “Film audiences are getting better and as filmmakers we are very happy about that,” he shared. “During my childhood, we would watch whatever came to the screen. There was no previous research, no studying the storyline, the creators, or the artists. Whatever was released, we would watch it, because it was like magic for us those days. But the audience now is very selective. They study the film before they go and consider whether it is worth their time and money.”
He pointed out that this selectiveness was reshaping the industry. “In the last few months, there were many good films that did very well and weaker films that failed. I think that should happen.
“The audience is the indicator to the creator. If we make a good movie, people will rally around it. If we make one that is of poor quality, they will reject it. There are many examples of this. I think people are becoming more knowledgeable and they are learning about film culture and entertainment. Therefore, as filmmakers, we are very encouraged.”
For Dissanayake, the lesson is clear: Sri Lankan cinema must continue to evolve, balancing artistic experimentation with audience expectations, while treating music, drama, and biography as tools to enrich storytelling rather than formulas to follow. “What matters is not whether it’s a musical, a biopic, or something experimental, but whether it is a good film — one with truth, drama, and artistry that resonates with people,” he emphasised.
As audiences grow more discerning and engaged, he believes the industry has the opportunity to reach new heights as long as filmmakers are willing to take risks, embrace creativity, and trust that the love for cinema in Sri Lanka remains as strong as ever.