SUMANA GOMES SPEAKS

If I act they are classified as “blue films”

We got married on the 31st of January 2012
Sumana Gomes answers to questions posed at a newspaper interview:

Sumana Gomes who is known as the sexiest actress in the annals of Sri Lankan film history has arrived in Sri Lanka after 11 years from the United States of America. She became a popular topic in the cinema industry at the end of 90’s decade with “Age Wairaya” film which was the series of films she acted in.
She became famous not only because she acted half naked but because she was not scared to talk about that openly unlike most of the other actresses who would say that those are edited versions. At the same she was severely criticized for the same reason.
Nobody had a clue of her after she left to America. She came back to Sri Lanka with the happy news of her marriage to an Italian National, a Chef by profession.
An interview given by her to Sarasaviya newspaper is as follow:

After how many years did you visit Sri Lanka?
“After more than 11 years”.

Didn’t you want to come to Sri Lanka in between?
‘My visa was cancelled. I could have stayed back by renewing my visa. There was a problem of going back if I had come back to Sri Lanka so I had to stay back.”

Why did you want to come this time at once?
“I love my mother a lot. I had stayed away from her for over 11 years. I have seen her several times through Skype. I could speak to her over the phone and other than that I couldn’t see her at all. I wanted to come and see her at any cost.”

Why did you keep it a secret till you arrived?
“Only my family members were told that I was coming. Other than that I have told one of my best friends Shamal Attapattu as he has been calling me every now and then.”

What kind of a feeling did you have when you came back?
“There was a violent ethnic war when I left the country but such a violent situation doesn’t exist now and the country has changed a lot.”

Did you meet a lot of your fans at the air port?
“I had to face some problems after I got off the plane. My passport had expired and there was a big issue about that. They tried to identify me and they asked whether I was Sumana Gomes, the one who acted in films. Things have changed a lot compared to 2001 when I left this place. I had to go to many officers and they told me that I have changed a lot. I felt a bit shy too. After I stepped out after resolving my problems, I met many officers who looking at me as they have recognized me after so many years.”

Your life has changed today so let’s talk about it?
“We got married on the 31st of January this year (2012)”

Who is your husband?
“He is an Italian National named Gregory Torotolio. He works as the Head Chef in a hotel. He is the Head Chef of hotel ’Bellie Seame’n in Staten Island’s”

How did you meet him?
“Through a friend of mine. She was an Indian who knew Gregory. One day Mayuri told that there is a person who wants to get married to an Asian and she forced me to go and see him. We visited his place and he had prepared a lovely meal for us. That was our first meeting. Then we meet several times. He was happy to know that I am a Sri Lankan and I told him that I liked him. He introduced me to his family and we matched well. Our ideas and the way we thought too were alike. He wanted to marry soon. Usually couples spend about two three years before getting married but we got married in less than a year. Gregory confirmed about his proposal to marry me on the Christmas day in the year 2010”

Who helped you in your marriage?
“There are a lot of Sri Lankans who live in America and they helped me a lot. We arranged a small party to our friends and got married on the 31st of January and we went to our honey moon to Florida in February.”

Did you meet the right partner in life?
“I met the right person and I believe that gods I worship had found him for me Life is very strange. Gregory is a very good person, he is very kind and very sensitive. He loves me a lot and we think alike. “

How is your life in New York?
“Very busy and the expenses are very high. It is very difficult to live without a job. I was working for an intuition where elderly Mothers and fathers are kept to be looked after as the children are busy with their studies and work. We have to work without thinking of any leisure time. We pay a sum of US $1012 only for the apartment we live in. “

Why did you left the country all of a sudden?
“I respect the culture and norms and thus I thought of going abroad. My sister in law’s mother told me that it’s better if I can get married to a foreigner one day. Many criticized my acting and I decided to leave the country.”

How did you stop in America?
“I acted in ‘Cherio Sergeant’ famous  stage drama was staged in the USA abroad. It was organized by the people in that country. There was a friend of mine there and she told me that she can get me a job. Accordingly I stayed and while the rest of the crew came back to Sri Lanka. It was my friend who taught me everything starting from how to use the train.”

What is your job?
“I looked after an adult. Due to their busy life styles, they expect the help of a helper to look after parents. Many organizations are dedicated to provide such services we have to get a license to do such a job. We have to pass exams and gain experience to work. It’s a very responsible and a risky job”.

So what happens when you come to Sri Lanka?
“We can’t leave the job as we like it. Another Sinhalese lady has taken over till I go back. “

Aren’t you planning to stay in Sri Lanka?
“My husband’s family loves me a lot. They want me to stay with them. I love my mother a lot and she is been looked after by my siblings. I want to take my mother with me. I prefer to sell what I have and to go and live there as permanent residents. “

When are you leaving?
“On the 10th of December”

Didn’t you act when you were in America?
“I did almost six jobs while I was there. I have acted in two commercials and they have been telecast in their TV channels. I could earn some money from them as well.”

What would you do if you are invited for acting during your stay in Sri Lanka?
“I like acting but I have to do a lot of work during the short period of time I am left with. My husband too finds it difficult here as he doesn’t know the language and the culture. It is his first visit to an Asian country. I am trying my best to show him the beauty of our country. He loves to visit elephants and I have promised to take him to Pinnawela to show him elephants.”

Does your husband see you as an actress or as a normal wife?
“He likes both. He has given approval for me to act.”

Have your fans forgotten you since you were away from them for a long period of time?
“Films I have acted in are still shown in film halls and are telecasted in the television. There are still fans that call me and appreciate what I have done. I have many fans that have connected with my Face Book page. I joined Face Book using the name Margie Fernando. My fans have recognized me through my photographs and asked whether I am Sumana Gomes. I have such a huge fan base who still likes me.”

When will you come back to Sri Lanka?
“We will have to come back to settle the things we have here.  I will have to come back alone without the husband. There aren’t direct flights from New York to Sri Lanka. We have to come to Dubai and then we have to get another flight. It takes more than 19 hours and it’s very tiring.”

Does your mother like you going abroad after coming back after years?
“Since we got late at the air port, we got late to visit my mother. First we went to a temple and a Buddhist priest whom I know recited ‘pirith’ and blessed us by tying a ‘pirith noola’ before we went to visit my mother. I wanted to see my mother as soon as possible We took a handful of betel leaves  and worshipped her. Then I introduced my husband to my mother. She was both happy and sad at the same time. We cried a lot. I told her that she is the shadow behind my popularity as she is the one who gave birth to me. I told her that I was very lucky to have such a good husband and showed her our wedding photograph to her.”

How do you spend your day with your husband?
“Both of us are very busy. Gregory and I go for a walk in the morning and then we leave for work. He is the one who cooks at home. He can cook tastily. He has been working as a chef for nine years. When I come home early, I prepare meals. And on holidays too .He likes to taste what I cook.”

Did you get a chance of watching Sinhala movies and tele dramas after going abroad?
“Any drama or a movie can be watched there as DVDs are available in the market. The ones I have acted in too can be found in the market and I watch Sinhala movies and tele dramas in the internet.”

Aren’t you regretting about what you have sacrificed towards Sinhala cinema?
“I love the cinema a lot. When I was small I always wanted to be a nurse. When I became a bit older I wanted to be a Police woman. Then I wanted to be an actress. I had to bear thousands of criticisms but my fans encouraged me. My fans still respect me because of the strong bond I share with my fans. I am happy about the sacrifices I have made because of the love and appreciation I get from my fans.”

Are you satisfied as an actress?
“My first main role was in “Hitha Honda Soorayo” movie. Before that I was limited to a certain framework. When portraying roles. Sunil. T  Film corporation gave me main roles and we succeeded in all of them keeping ‘box office’ records. I became more popular. I didn’t act in movies just to gain popularity since I joined the cinema as a stage actress. Film production is a business. In that business all of us as actresses are been sold.”

You have taken the main roles in representing the sexual oriented movies to attract the fans towards you and in that you have used half nakedness as a principle to achieve your target. Am I correct?
“I have only acted. Even though I have been half naked to suit the role, I have never acted in fully naked roles. I didn’t have a mentality to exhibit my nakedness. There was a trend of adult’s only movies and I was a popular actress in it. Fans who loved me wanted less clothes on me and if they have enjoyed themselves seen my acting that’s what I wanted to achieve.”

Are you a famous, well known actress in the cinema?
“When I act in a movie they are classified as blue films. When the actresses who are favored by the critics act in movies, they all classics. In an era where such opinions were been made, I too had a crown. There was only one king and a queen in the history of our cinema. No one can replace them. I was crowned as the sexiest actress and I was called the red flame of the Sinhala cinema. I don’t regret being that. I consider it as a respect and I am happy for that.”

What are your hopes and ambitions?
“Even though everybody was against me and criticized me, I have never told a word against them. I have always told what I have to tell straight to the people whom I have to tell. Life is very strange. It took a long time but I found the right person for me. My only hope is to spend the rest of my life happily with him. I too wish to be a mother just as any other woman would do. I hope that my wish will be fulfilled just as the others did.”

Article by Chanadana Dayasiriwardana
Photographs  by Tennyson Edirisinghe.