Kanupulage Ugo Singho (July 14, 1912 – April 12, 1999), popularly known as Hugo Master or Hugo Fernando, was an actor and composer of Sri Lankan cinema. Debuting in the first Sinhalese film Kadawunu Poronduwa, Fernando had an over 50-year career also as a lyricist, assistant director and music director.

Hugo Fernando
හියුගෝ ප්‍රනාන්දු
Born
Kanupulage Ugo Singho

(1912-07-14)July 14, 1912
Negombo, Sri Lanka
DiedApril 12, 1999(1999-04-12) (aged 86)
NationalitySri Lankan
Other namesHugo Master
EducationDalupotha Roman Catholic School
Occupation(s)Actor, composer, lyricist, screenplay writer
Years active1947-1997
SpouseElizabeth Fernando (m. 1935)
Children6
Parents
  • Peduru Fernando (father)
  • Liyanage Elizabeth Fernando (mother)

Personal life

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Fernando was born on 14 July 1912 in Periyamulla, Negombo as the eldest of the family. His father was Peduru Fernando, who was famous for repairing village houses. His mother Liyanage Elizabeth Fernando was a housewife. He has one younger sister, Martha Mary Fernando.[1] He attended Dalupotha Roman Catholic School but was forced to drop out in the seventh grade to support his poverty-stricken family. His father fell from a scaffolding and unable to move since then. Therefore his mother started to work in coir mill. He took to working at coir mills, estates, tobacco stores, fish stalls and in masonry to this end.[2]

After stopping at the coir mill, he joined a group of fishermen in Kukulawa, Trincomalee, where he joined a fishing group at the village Alambala, 24 miles from Mullaitivu. After few months, he joined to a tobacco store in Hiriyale with a friend and worked as a cook. Later, he worked as a "kankanam" in a garden in Puttalam. During this period, he used to learn English and cookery from a Tamil teacher. He changed Ugo's name into "Hugo" due to famous French writer Victor Hugo, teacher's favorite. At the age of 16, Hugo went to work as an assistant mason.[1]

He was married to Elizabeth Fernando in 1935. The couple has six children - eldest Bridget Malini, then son Nimal Anthony, daughter Lalitha, three sons Gamini Malcus, Sarath and Brito. Brito Fernando was a member of the Negombo Municipal Council for some time and currently works for the family of the missing in The Human Rights Council.[1]

He died on 12 April 1999 at the age of 86.[3]

Cinema career

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An encounter with Welgampola Malachias Perera, better known as "Malathias Master", led to Fernando joining the musician's orchestra as a mouth organ and mandolin player. His first play was broadcast on the 1934 radio station.[1] He then joined the Minerva Theatre Group and wrote music for B. A. W. Jayamanne's play Awatharaya. Fernando contributed to the recording of Rukmani Devi and H. W. Rupasinghe's song Sri Buddha Gaya Vihare in 1939.[2]

In 1947, Fernando took a triple role in the production of the first Sinhalese film Kadawunu Poronduwa, an adaption of Jayammanne's play. In addition to playing a role in the movie, he sang the song Sandyawe Shriya with Rukmani Devi and penned its songs such as Eddie Jayamanne's "Lapate Rupe Age".[2] At the same time, Hugo joined the drama group of P. S. Kularatne's "Sirilak Limited". Hugo has been performed all over the country as the harmonium player of Shanthi Kumara Seneviratne's dance troupe. He then produced the play Gehenu Hitha, written by the Malathias Master.[1]

Fernando worked extensively in the 1950s in such trades as assistant director on Banda Nagarayata Pemineema (1952) and Prema Tharangaya (1953), screenwriter on films like Puduma Leli (1953), Ahankara Sthree (1954), Mathalang (1955) and Duppathage Duka (1956) and music director and singer in Pitisara Kella (1953) and Saradiel (1954). He played the lead role for the first time in the film Prema Tharangaya as well as the songwriter. Additionally, he played major roles in many of these films.[2] In 1954, five of his songs in the film Ahankara Sthree were popular.[1]

Subsequently, Fernando has portrayed characters in such films as Sandesaya (1960), Dheewarayo (1964), Allapu Gedara (1965), Surekha, Sihasuna, Sahayata Danny (1974), Kawda Raja (1976), Chin Chin Nona (1977) and Hitha Honda Minihek (1975).[2]

Fernando has been involved to introduce many new faces to Sinhala cinema, where they became the popular stars in the coming years. He trained Clarice de Silva as an actress and introduced Rohini Jayakody and Ravindra Rupasena to cinema with the film Ahankara Sthree. Then he introduced Anthony C. Perera through Duppathage Duka and Vijitha Mallika through Sooraya. He also introduced Thilakasiri Fernando and Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya to Lester James Peries. Popular actors, Anton Gregory, Bernard Reginald and Andrew Jayamanne entered cinema under the guidance of Hugo Fernando.[1]

Hugo also worked as an assistant director in the film Vana Mohini.[1]

Filmography

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Year Film Acting role Other roles
1947 Kadawunu Poronduwa Settiyar Composer, Lyricist, Playback Singer
1952 Banda Nagarayata Peminima Blind singer Assistant Director, Lyricist
1953 Pitisara Kella Music Supervisor
1953 Puduma Leli Lata's father Lyricist, Dialogue Writer
1953 Prema Tharangaya Walpola Mudalali Screenwriter, Lyricist, Playback Singer
1954 Saradiel Music Arranger
1954 Ahankara Sthree Siamis Mudalali Screenwriter, Lyricist, Assistant Director
1955 Matalan Chitravali's father [4]
1956 Dosthara Banda Lyricist [5]
1956 Duppathage Duka Sethan Lyricist
1956 Sooraya Screenwriter
1957 Siriyalatha Jurmis Perera
1957 Soorasena
1958 Sepali Lyricist
1958 Wana Mohini Screenwriter
1960 Sandesaya Vithana Rala
1960 Veera Vijaya Screenwriter
1963 Adata Vediya Heta Hondai Gabriel 'Mudalali' Screenwriter [6]
1964 Dheewarayo Screenwriter
1965 Chandiya Appuhamy Screenwriter [7]
1965 La Dalu
1965 Allapu Gedara Visharada 'Master' Screenwriter [8]
1966 Oba Dutu Da
1967 Rena Giraw Virindu singer [9]
1967 Sura Chauraya
1968 Ruhunu Kumari Screenwriter, Lyricist
1968 Amathikama
1968 Ataweni Pudumaya Dialogue Writer
1969 Mee Masso
1969 Pancha
1970 Thevetha
1970 Suli Sulang Screenwriter
1970 Dan Mathakada Caretaker [10]
1970 Ohoma Hondada [11]
1972 Singapore Charlie
1974 Sagarika
1974 Sahayata Danny
1974 Surekha
1974 Sihasuna
1975 Hitha Honda Minihek Master
1975 Suraya Surayamai Martin Appuhamy 'Daddy' [12]
1975 Kokilayo
1975 Rajagedara Paraviyo
1976 Ganga
1976 Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai
1976 Mangala
1976 Kawuda Raja Loku Hamu 'Daddy' [13]
1976 Hariyata Hari Mudalali Dialogue Writer
1977 Chin Chin Nona [14]
1977 Maruwa Samaga Wase Mudalali
1978 Apsara
1978 Deepanjali
1979 Muwan Palessa Arachhila
1980 Hondin Inna
1980 Seetha
1980 Muwan Palessa 2 Korale Mahathaya
1980 Kinduru Kumari Gurunnanse
1981 Kolamkarayo Club owner
1982 Thakkita Tharikita
1982 Kadawunu Poronduwa remake
1983 Muwan Palessa 3 Arachhila
1983 Sandamali Mudalali
1983 Hithath Hondai Wadath Hondai
1984 Mala Giravi Meena's Appa
1984 Kekille Rajjuruwo
1986 Yali Hamuwennai Priyanthi's father
1987 Kele Kella Mudalali
1987 Obatai Priye Adare Johnny
1988 Chandingeth Chandiya
1989 Waradata Danduwama Lyricist
1990 Jaya Kothanada
1991 Cheriyo Doctor Patient
1991 Alibaba Saha Horu Hathaliha Dialogue Writer
1992 Sinha Raja
1992 Okkoma Kanapita
1992 Muwan Palesse Kadira
1992 Sakkara Suththara
1994 Okkoma Hondatai
1995 Cheriyo Captain Party goer
1996 Sathi

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "The cinema legend laughed through dialogues". Sarsaviya. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e Uvais, Ramesh (2006). "Hugo Master: The Multi-Faceted Entertainer". Daily Mirror.
  3. ^ "Hugo Master". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  4. ^ "All about "Matalan"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  5. ^ "Gunaratnam–Meyyappan–Dosthara". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  6. ^ "All about the film "Adata Wadiya Heta Hondai"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  7. ^ "All about "Chandiya"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
  8. ^ "All about the film "Allapu Gedara"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  9. ^ "All about "Rena Giraw"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  10. ^ "All about Dan Mathakada". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  11. ^ "All about the film "Ohoma Hondada"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  12. ^ "All about the film "Suraya Surayamai"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  13. ^ "All about the film "Kawuda Raja"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  14. ^ "Chin Chin Nona, who came before Tom Pachaya". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
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