Menaka Rajapaksha​'s intelligen​ce

I won 5 lakhs and showed I was not ....
a fool
                  -- Menaka


Tele-actor Menaka Rajapaksha participating in the Sirasa Laxapathi programme recently clinched the cash award of Rs. 5 lakhs by answering the questions posed to him, correctly.

Menaka who expressed his views later to the Sarasaviya newspaper said that according to the manner in which he answered in this programme, it confirmed to the whole country that he is an 'educated' person and thereby managed to dismiss the opinion of the public who thought that he was 'stupid' simply because he gives 'life' to childish roles in tele-dramas.


This is what Menaka had to say: "Many experts in the field called me. What all of them told was that I had rendered a great service to the younger generation. When I asked what it was, they said that I was able to completely eradicate the belief that newcomers have a low intelligence.


This is a special programme that has been launched for the Sinhala Tamil New Year. with me there were 10 other artistes who represented the younger generation. they wished me. Finally, when I came to the seat. I set myself a target. It was that I would at least answer 10 questions.I now see Nehara looking at me with a big smile on her face. She knows definitely that I won't lose. The question for which I was able to win the 5 lakhs was, on which river the bridge in the film which won the Oscar Award in the year 1957, Bridge on the River Kwai was built. I had heard about that film.For a short while I pretended that I was clueless. After that I gave the answer as Kelani Ganga. that bridge has been built in Kitulgala.


After that I felt that it was enough. My target is correct. I stepped out. The answer I gave to the next question was wrong no ....'.


*What do you hope to do with the 5 lakhs?
 Not yet thought of. Whatever it is, I'll use it for something worthwhile.


*The main reason why the society thinks that actors of the new generation are uneducated is because the latter do not get roles which they think could be called educated within the present field of drama.
 Let me answer it like this. I mostly got childish roles. Some people think that we're childish in real life also. Drama does not provide an opportunity to show how much educated that childish lover is. Even those who are educated than we get such roles. That of course is a disadvantage. But it is we who know what difficulty there is in portraying childish roles.


Recently I got the role of a villain. When I was acting out that character, only I realised how difficult it is to portray the role of a childish lover. I did that villain's role with ease. It is very difficult for an actor to get the love of the people through the role he portrays. But an actor can very easily face reprimanding from people. If an actor who plays the role of a villain happens to throw a stone at a lover; fans scold the villain. To realise how difficult it is to receive the love of fans by acting such childish roles, one must really act out a childish role".


Note of discussion -- Prasad Samaratunga


The part in which Menaka participated in the Lakshapathi programme, from BELOW