P. L. A. Somapala

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P. L. A. Somapala
පී. එල්. ඒ. සෝමපාල
Born
Peragaswatte Liyana Acharige Somapala

(1921-09-13)13 September 1921
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Died26 March 1991(1991-03-26) (aged 69)
India
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationClifton Girls' School
Lawrence College, Maradana
Occupation(s)Singer, playbacks singer, musician
Children5 including Chitral Somapala
AwardsBest Music Director
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals, sitar, violin
Years active1940–1991
Labels
  • Columbia
  • HMV

Peragaswatte Liyana Acharige Somapala (13 September 1921 – 26 March 1991 Sinhala: පී. එල්. ඒ. සෝමපාල), popularly known as P. L. A. Somapala was a Sri Lankan singer, musician and playback singer in Sri Lankan cinema.[1] One of the earliest pillars in Sinhala classical songs, Somapala made several contributions to early Sinhala cinema as a playback singer and music director along with his wife Chithra Somapala.[2]

Personal life[edit]

Somapala was born on 13 September 1921 in Maligakanda, Colombo 10, Sri Lanka.[2] His father, A. D. Edmund, was also a stage drama producer. He received his primary education at Clifton Girls' School and his secondary education at Lawrence College, Maradana.[3] He left school in 1941 and worked as a clerk in a Maliban Street office of a rubber exporter.[4]

Somapala met his future wife Chithra Perera Somapala (b. 1932) in 1942, when she was studying at St Bridget's Convent.[5] Chithra was also a singer, and in 1948, she sang for Columbia Records under Master U. D. Perera. They married on 27 September 1952.[6] The couple had four sons: Prasanna, Rohan, Nalin, Chitral and one daughter, Piumi.[4] The eldest son Prasanna is a retired cameraman who worked in the Ministry of Mahaweli. Their younger son Chitral Somapala is a playback singer, composer and musician.[7]

In 1991, Somapala went to India for eye surgery where he later died of cancer on 26 March 1991 at the age of 69.[2] Chitra Somapala died in 1994.

Career[edit]

It was during his time at rubber company, he learned music from musicians T. Sandarasekara and Lionel Edirisinghe.[3] Then he excelled sitar and violin. During this time, he worked as a sub-music director for a stage play called Carnival.[2] The play was produced by his father and wrote by Mathupala, his elder uncle. His younger uncle A. D. Piyasena also played a child character in this play. In 1942, Somapala passed as a Radio Artist. His first song was recorded with renowned musicians Sunil Santha and Surya Sankar Molligoda.[4]

At the same time, he met his future wife Chithra Somapala. In 1946, he first sang a song with Chitra. He composed many songs to Chitra and together they sang several duets including: Yamuna Yamuna Sobana, Dambulu Gale and Sukomala Bada Lelawa. For this song Yamuna Yamuna Sobana, Somapala first used clarinet, saxophone, piano, guitar, drummer, double bass.[2] That song became world famous where the daughter of Governor Soulbury, Ramsbottom requested this song and sent it to H. M. V label which was put on disk and sent abroad.[3] In 1954, the film East in the West produced by the British Department of State Information had the good fortune of incorporating the song Isurumuniya into a foreign film for the first time.[4]

The duo later made several popular songs in the early classical song history such as: Lalita Kalā Opa Karanā, Sīgiri Landunē æyi Oba Thanivī, Dambulu Galē, Dunhinda Hælenā, Sukomala Banda Lelavā, Uḍaraṭa Kandukara Siriyā Paradana, Sarasamu Lankā Naḷavamu Lankā, Isurumuṇiyehi Pætali Galeka, Dakuṇu Lakē Aga Nagarē Gālu Purē Siri, Nuvara Alankārē, Nuvara Vævē, Pembara Mātā and Raṭa Raṭa Ekkoṭa.[4][2][3]

On 4 March 1955, he became a film music director with the blockbuster Asoka. Somapala composed the music for the film and all the songs were extremely popular and all the songs were taken from Hindi and Tamil films.[2] Some songs were taken from the Hindi films Anarkali and Dosth and also from the Tamil films Avan. Some songs such as Katharagame, Pem Geethe and Sumihiri Paane were recorded twice in Sri Lanka and in Madras for commercials.[4]

In 1958, Somapala became a radio producer and became an additional music controller. Somapala was involved in a film for the second time in 1956 with Dingiri Menika.[2] In the film, he was a co-music director with an Indian composer S. S. Veda. In the film, he produced the popular songs: Peradiga Muthu Atayay Me and Goviyawe Rataka Bale. Somapala directed music for 51 films of many genre which include the blockbusters Deyiyannē Raṭē, Deepaśhikā, Hathara Maha Nidhānaya, Kinkiṇi Paāda, Sudu Duva, Akka Nagō, Pravēsam Venna, Dæn Matakada, Hathara Denāma Sūrayō, Adarē Hitenava Dækkama, Abhirahasa, Suhada Pætuma, Thuṣhārā, Sūrayā Sūrayāmayi, Lassana Kella, Damayanthi, Pembara Madhū and Chaṇḍi Shyāmā.[4][3]

All the songs composed and directed by Somapala for the film Deepashika were popular but were imitated from Indian film songs. Somapala and Chitra won the Swarna Sankha Award for Popular Film Music Director in 1966. They have performed in London, Paris, Wales, California and Geneva. However, in the late 1983, many people accuse Somapala of copying Hindi melodies. But, he stated that he put a series of local lyrics to a Hindi song and present it through a series of melodies that touch the heart of the local fans. On Sunday, 18 May 1952, Somapala wrote an article in Lankadeepa entitled 'Why do I do hybrid music?' to answer criticism. Most of his film songs were written by Karunaratne Abeysekera where all became popular.[4]

Filmography[edit]

Year Film Roles Ref.
1955 Asoka Music director
1956 Dingiri Menika Music director
1958 Deyyange Rate Music director
1959 Sri 296 Music director
1963 Deepashika Music director
1965 Hathara Maha Nidhanaya Music director
1965 Sweep Ticket Music director
1966 Athulweema Thahanam Music director
1966 Kinkini Paada Music director
1966 Sudu Duwa Music director
1967 Sarana Music director
1968 Akka Nago Music director
1969 Prawesamwanna Music director
1970 Dan Mathakada Music director
1971 Hathara Denama Surayo Music director
1971 Abhirahasa Music director
1972 Adare Hithenawa Music director
1972 Ada Mehemai Music director
1973 Suhada Pathuma Music director
1973 Thushara Music director
1973 Hondai Narakai Music director
1973 Dahakin Ekek Music director
1974 Surekha Music director
1974 Kalyani Ganga Music director
1974 Shanthi Music director
1974 Onna Babo Billo Enawa Music director
1974 Sahayata Danny Music director
1975 Raththaran Amma Music director
1975 Mage Nangi Shyama Music director
1975 Lassana Kella Music director
1975 Suraya Surayamai Music director
1975 Damayanthi Music director
1975 Lassana Dawasak Music director
1976 Nayanaa Music director
1976 Saradielge Putha Music director
1976 Ran Thilaka Music director
1977 Pembara Madhu Music director
1977 Aege Adara Kathawa Music director
1978 Sithaka Suwanda Music director
1978 Chandi Shyama Music director
1979 Geheniyak Music director
1979 Raja Kollo Music director
1979 Rosa Mal Thunak Music director
1979 Akke Mata Awasara Music director
1979 Sawudan Jema Music director
1980 Api Dedena Music director
1980 Senasuma Music director
1983 Chandi Siriya Music director
1984 Kekille Rajjuruwo Music director
1991 Alibaba Saha Horu Hathaliha Music director

References[edit]

  1. ^ "P.L.A. Somapala පි.එල්.ඒ. සෝමපාල". Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "P.L.A. Somapala biography". sooriya. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "The Unforgettable Tunesmith: P.L.A. Somapala". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "P.L.A., who popularized films with 'Asoka'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  5. ^ "7 ARTS". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Star couples in the art world". Deshaya. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Chithral Somapala introduces a brand new inspirational music video". The Morning. Retrieved 21 February 2021.

External links[edit]

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