Dilina - Roar Media Archive

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Notorious Nicknames: Stories Behind The Names Of Sri Lankan Gangsters

With the recent recapture of drug kingpin Sunil Shantha, after his crafty escape using a fake prison transport vehicle, the fact that he shares a name with famed singer Sunil Santha has reignited interest in mobster nicknames. In Sri Lanka, the most dangerous mobsters sometimes have the most ludicrous names, such as ‘Barrel Sunil’, ‘Maalu Nihal’ or ‘Laddu Roshan’.

The Murders That Inspired The Movie: The Crimes Of Father Mathew Peiris

The film “According to Matthew” has renewed interest in the ‘vicarage murders’, the real-life crimes that the film was based on. From newspaper clippings and interviews, we pieced together the sequence of events that inspired the making of the movie.

Stories Behind The Songs Of Premakeerthi De Alwis

Premakeerthi de Alwis is one of Lanka’s best lyricists and someone with a character so loved that there are many stories about him, like these.

Shortchanging Our Past: A Conversation On Coin Collecting With Dr. Kavan Ratnatunga

With a history that spans millenia, Sri Lanka is a treasure trove for coin collectors. We speak to Dr. Kavan Ratnatunga, one of Sri Lanka’s foremost numismatists, on how our ancient coins are being treated today.

A Brief History Of English Language Films Made In Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cinema is overwhelmingly Sinhalese-the language of its majority, but that doesn’t mean that only Sinhala films were made here. Tamil cinema had some humble beginnings but was nipped in the bud by the unrest in the country. It’s only recently that it’s shown signs of a comeback, with the stellar Komaali Kings. As far as English films go, Chandran Rutnam’s ‘According to Mathew’ is gaining traction. But what are the other English films the country has produced?

Three Of Sri Lanka’s Baila Champions

It’s hard to imagine Sri Lanka without the sweet sounds of baila. We wouldn’t have had a rich legacy of baila without ‘baila champions’ like these three greats.

The Tsar That Came To Ceylon

From the times of kings to great figures in modern times, Sri Lanka has been a desired stop for travelers over the centuries. One such figure that seems almost forgotten is the last Tsar of Russia; Nicholas the Second.

Three Other Times Our MPs Fought In Parliament

November 2018 isn’t the only time our MPs turned the Parliament into a fighting pit.

Taking A Musical Legacy Forward: The Khemadasa Foundation Today

Premasiri Khemadasa was a titan in Sri Lankan music. He was so respected and loved that he is referred to as ‘Master’. The foundation he founded to help the underprivileged learn music and the arts, carries on his legacy.

From The Dutch To The Digital Age: The Story Of A Font

Sri Lanka has a long written history, but our printed history began with the Dutch colonisers who brought the first printing press to our shores and began printing in native languages. Now, a team of young designers is translating that history to the digital age with a newly developed font.

The Gustav Mahler Society Creates A New Symphony

If you were in the vicinity of Royal College on an August evening, you may have heard an orchestral melody wafting from the Navaranghala area. The musical notes were the work of the Gustav Mahler Society of Colombo, practising late into the night for their August 28 debut. Colombo’s newest orchestra of Western classical music is different from its peers when it comes to its aims.

Is Sri Lanka Becoming A Regional Hub For The Heroin Trade?

The amount of heroin Sri Lankan authorities have seized in the last few years has raised concern about drug trafficking in the island. Here’s what we know about where these drugs come from.

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