Birthday surprise from Kumar and daughter

The team that created the birthday surprise, with Kumar (left) and Anarkali (third from left)

Sri Lanka’s internationally acclaimed film maker, Sumitra Peries, was pleasantly surprised on her birthday morning recently, when media personality Kumar de Silva presented her with his cover version of ‘Ganga Addara’, the song from her 1980 movie of the same name.

This cover version, with his daughter, Anarkali, sharing the vocals, came as total surprise from Kumar. He has been known for many talents, since he first burst into the limelight, exactly 35 years ago, in 1986, with the programme ‘Bonsoir.’

Says Kumar:

“This was just a wild idea I shared with my daughter, who had no choice but to agree with me.

“I’ve known Mrs. Peries, and her late husband, Lester James Peries, since my first day on Bonsoir, and seeing the look on her face as she listened to the song, that birthday morning…made my day”.

Kumar added that Anarkali and he brand themselves as totally amateur singers. “We sing at home and we sing in the car and that’s it. The difference in this cover version is that it came from the bottom of our hearts”.

So, what’s next in his pipeline? “There’s another new collaboration which will be launched at the end of this month,” Kumar said, adding that it’s not another song.

“No not at all. That’s a total surprise”, he said.