Hugo Fernando


Kanupulage Ugo Singho, 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.

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

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. 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.
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". 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.
Fernando worked extensively in the 1950s in such trades as assistant director on Banda Nagarayata Pemineema and Prema Tharangaya, screenwriter on films like Puduma Leli, Ahankara Sthree, Mathalang and Duppathage Duka and music director and singer in Pitisara Kella and Saradiel. 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. In 1954, five of his songs in the film Ahankara Sthree were popular.
Subsequently, Fernando has portrayed characters in such films as Sandesaya, Dheewarayo, Allapu Gedara, Surekha, Sihasuna, Sahayata Danny, Kawda Raja, Chin Chin Nona and Hitha Honda Minihek.
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.
Hugo also worked as an assistant director in the film Vana Mohini.

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-
1956DostharaBandaLyricist-
1956Duppathage DukaSethanLyricist-
1956SoorayaScreenwriter-
1957SiriyalathaJurmis Perera-
1957Soorasena-
1958SepaliLyricist-
1958Wana MohiniScreenwriter-
1960SandesayaVithana Rala-
1960Veera VijayaScreenwriter-
1963Adata Wadiya Heta HondaiGabriel 'Mudalali'Screenwriter-
1964DheewarayoScreenwriter-
1965ChandiyaAppuhamyScreenwriter-
1965La Dalu-
1965Allapu GedaraVisharada 'Master'Screenwriter-
1966Oba Dutu Da-
1967Rena GirawVirindu singer-
1967Sura Chauraya-
1968Ruhunu KumariScreenwriter, Lyricist-
1968Amathikama-
1968Ataweni PudumayaDialogue Writer-
1969Mee Masso-
1969Pancha-
1970Thevetha
1970Suli SulangScreenwriter-
1970Dan MathakadaCaretaker-
1970Ohoma Hondada-
1972Singapore Charlie-
1974Sagarika-
1974Sahayata Danny-
1974Surekha-
1974Sihasuna-
1975Hitha Honda MinihekMaster-
1975Suraya SurayamaiMartin Appuhamy 'Daddy'-
1975Kokilayo-
1975Rajagedara Paraviyo-
1976Ganga-
1976Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai-
1976Mangala-
1976Kawuda RajaLoku Hamu 'Daddy'-
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-