Dr. Diongu Badaturuge Nihalsingha (known as D. B. Nihalsinghe, 27 May 1939 – 21 April 2016) was an accomplished Sri Lankan film director, cinematographer, editor, producer. He was noted for his versatility : as a film cameraman, as a film director, as a (pioneering) television director, as an administrator, and as a teacher. He is a pioneer who introduced professional television production to Sri Lanka (in 1979), commencing with Sri Lanka's and South Asia's first color teledrama, Dimuthu Muthu. He was the founding Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Sri Lanka's National Film Corporation and a distinguished alumni of the then University of Ceylon, Peradeniya (presently University of Peradeniya). He is the only Sri Lankan who has been conferred Life Fellowship of the Society of Motion picture and Television Engineers USA, the oldest film organisation in the world, established in 1915. The Society determines film and television standards worldwide.
His best known work is Welikathara, Sri Lanka's first and South Asia's second Cinemascope film, included as among the ten best Sri Lankan films awarded the Sri Lanka Presidential award, while Maldeniye Simiyon is also noted for the award for its actress Anoja Weerasinghe as Best Actress at the 16th New Delhi International Film Festival. Two more of his films, Ridei Nimanaya and Kelimadala are also noteworthy, with the latter winning the highest number of national awards at that time. He is also notable for being the pioneer with first ever degree for TV and cinema degree from the University of Kelaniya.
Biography
Early life
Nihalsinghe was an accomplished student leader as Head Prefect and as Sergeant of the cadet platoon at Ananda college and originally hoped to join the army. By the time he left school he had become more interested in film. As a present for completing the SSC examination, Nihalsinghe's father veteran journalist D.B Dhanapala presented him with a 16mm Bolex cine camera.
Nihalsingha entered the University of Ceylon at Peradeniya and read for a degree in Economics. While at the University he did the camera work for the first documentary to be made by University students, "Niyanada Rata", directed by a student K.K.L de Silva.
After leaving the University, Nihalsingha got an opportunity to enter the film field when a friend of his father offered him a job as a cameraman for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Colombo which he took. In 1965 he was offered a post with Hearst Metrotone News on the weekly newsreel, Metro News for the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam.
Film career
On his return to Sri Lanka, Nihalsinghe was asked to be cameraman and editor of Sath Samudura. He brought to the film a fluid newsreel look, (a total departure from the Indian studio style camera work) hand-holding the 35mm Arriflex film camera- a point which was noted by reviewers. He is famous for the first teledrama in Sri Lanka, Dimuthu muthu.
Nihalsingha received the Cardiff Commonwealth Film Festival award for his first film Bakhti. In 1971, he made the groundbreaking Welikathara in cinemascope. "Welikathara" was South Asia's second CinemaScope film and Sri Lanka's first. Maldeniye Simiyon (1986) won star Anoja Weerasinghe the 'Silver Peacock' as the Best Actress at the 11th Delhi International Film Festival, 1987. Kelimadala (1992) won a dozen awards at the Sarasaviya film festival. Ridi Nimnaya (1982) starred Sanath Gunatileke.
Industry work
After graduating from the University of Ceylon with a degree in Economics, Nihalsingha began his career, winning the Most Promising Filmmaker award for his documentary Bhakthi at the Cardiff International Film Festival in 1965. He then began as a newsreel cameraman for Hearst Metrotone News, the US-based weekly global newsreel, in 1965. He was sent to Vietnam attached to the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MAC-V) to cover war-related work for the NEWS of the DAY weekly global newsreel. Returning to Sri Lanka, he began a career in film encompassing documentary and feature films beginning as cameraman and editor of Sath Samudura, (Nuwan Nayanajith in Nihalsingha:The Pioneering Third Eye) as a milestone in Sri Lankan cinema. His fluid camera work in this film, originating from his newsreel experience, was widely recognised as fresh in an industry where massive Mitchell Indian-style immobile camera work was the norm.