Hugo Fernando

Kanupulage Ugo Singho (14 July 1912 – 12 April 1999), popularly known as Hugo Master or Hugo Fernando, was a Sri Lankan film personality. Debuting in the first Sinhalese film Kadawunu Poronduwa, Fernando had an over 30 year career as a character actor, 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
OccupationActor, composer, lyricist, screenplay writer
Years active1947-1996
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Fernando (m. 1935)
Children6
Parents
  • Peduru Fernando (father)
  • Liyanage Elizabeth Fernando (mother)

Personal life

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

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 a B. A.W. Jayammane 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
YearFilmActing roleOther roles
1947Kadawunu PoronduwaSettiyarComposer, Lyricist, Playback Singer
1952Banda Nagarayata PeminimaBlind singerAssistant Director, Lyricist
1953Pitisara KellaMusic Supervisor
1953Puduma LeliLata's fatherLyricist, Dialogue Writer
1953Prema TharangayaWalpola MudalaliScreenwriter, Lyricist, Playback Singer
1954SaradielMusic Arranger
1954Ahankara SthreeSiamis MudalaliScreenwriter, Lyricist, Assistant Director
1955MatalanChitravali's father[4]
1956DostharaBandaLyricist
1956Duppathage DukaSethanLyricist
1956SoorayaScreenwriter
1957SiriyalathaJurmis Perera
1957Soorasena
1958SepaliLyricist
1958Wana MohiniScreenwriter
1960SandesayaVithana Rala
1960Veera VijayaScreenwriter
1963Adata Vediya Heta HondaiGabriel 'Mudalali'Screenwriter [5]
1964DheewarayoScreenwriter
1965ChandiyaAppuhamyScreenwriter
1965La Dalu
1965Allapu GedaraVisharada 'Master'Screenwriter [6]
1966Oba Dutu Da
1967Rena GirawVirindu singer[7]
1967Sura Chauraya
1968Ruhunu KumariScreenwriter, Lyricist
1968Amathikama
1968Ataweni PudumayaDialogue Writer
1969Mee Masso
1969Pancha
1970Thevetha
1970Suli SulangScreenwriter
1970Dan MathakadaCaretaker[8]
1970Ohoma Hondada[9]
1972Singapore Charlie
1974Sagarika
1974Sahayata Danny
1974Surekha
1974Sihasuna
1975Hitha Honda MinihekMaster
1975Suraya SurayamaiMartin Appuhamy 'Daddy'[10]
1975Kokilayo
1975Rajagedara Paraviyo
1976Ganga
1976Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai
1976Mangala
1976Kawuda RajaLoku Hamu 'Daddy'[11]
1976Hariyata HariMudalaliDialogue Writer
1977Chin Chin Nona
1977Maruwa Samaga WaseMudalali
1978Apsara
1978Deepanjali
1979Muwan PalessaArachhila
1980Hondin Inna
1980Seetha
1980Muwan Palessa 2Korale Mahathaya
1980Kinduru KumariGurunnanse
1981KolamkarayoClub owner
1982Thakkita Tharikita
1982Kadawunu Poronduwa remake
1983Muwan Palessa 3Arachhila
1983SandamaliMudalali
1983Hithath Hondai Wadath Hondai
1984Mala GiraviMeena's Appa
1984Kekille Rajjuruwo
1986Yali HamuwennaiPriyanthi's father
1987Kele KellaMudalali
1987Obatai Priye AdareJohnny
1988Chandingeth Chandiya
1989Waradata DanduwamaLyricist
1990Jaya Kothanada
1991Cheriyo DoctorPatient
1991Alibaba Saha Horu HathalihaDialogue Writer
1992Sinha Raja
1992Okkoma Kanapita
1992Muwan Palesse Kadira
1992Sakkara Suththara
1994Okkoma Hondatai
1995Cheriyo CaptainParty goer
1996Sathi

References
  1. "The cinema legend laughed through dialogues". Sarsaviya. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  2. 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. "All about the film "Adata Wadiya Heta Hondai"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  6. "All about the film "Allapu Gedara"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  7. "All about "Rena Giraw"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  8. "All about Dan Mathakada". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  9. "All about the film "Ohoma Hondada"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  10. "All about the film "Suraya Surayamai"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  11. "All about the film "Kawuda Raja"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
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