"Sirasa Super Star " - Madness or Mania?

By Ramani D.Wickramaratne

There is a public opinion that "Sirasa TV" is an anti-Sinhala /Buddhist TV channel encouraging cultural programmes which are targeting our rural youth and destroying the cultural fabric of Sri Lanka. The writer sincerely hopes that these opinions are wrong. However, the "Singlish" terminology and vocabulary used by the Sirasa comperes and programme directors, does leave a huge question mark as to the intentions of this TV and Radio channels. Thanks to the money they throw into their programmes, and the "madness" they instill in the young minds, most of our rural youth are growing up without a cultural identity.

The writer walked into BMICH premises on 14th January 2007 and noticed groups of young people carrying musical instruments, practicing songs in every possible nook and corner on the BMICH grounds. One could easily spot out the " prospective contenders" from their attire, "gelled and eerie looking" hairstyles and the put on swing in their walks matched together with the " sankara culture" that Sirasa is famous for.

Most of these youngsters were accompanied by their families and friends and had traveled from all corners of the island to participate in the singing competition which is one of the pre-requisites for becoming the " Sirasa Super Star-2007." The fiasco of the 2006 has just finished not so many moons away! To carry them into this artificial environment one could see a see of Sirasa flags together with those of other sponsors who also aim at making money in the process by selling their commodities like telephones!

This year's programme commenced exactly on the Duruthu Full Moon Day which makes it obvious that Sirasa does have a sinister agenda to drag Buddhist youth away from their village temples. From 3rd to 18th January 2007 is the period set aside for preliminary auditions. Two auditions are held daily for these contenders once in the mornings commencing at 8.30-9.00 a.m.and once in the afternoons commencing at 1.00p.m. Per day, they invite 1,000-1,600 participants per session, into Colombo. One can calculate how many young people converge at BMICH during these 16 days-50,000 youth.

Of these youth who are given auditions apparently only 10 are selected from which the final 3 are selected eventually! For these young misled youth to travel to Colombo and spend an overnight stop to be able to present themselves to Sirasa at the designated time, they come accompanied by family or friends. All expenses for transport, food and stop over expenses have to be borne by themselves for this trip- what a waste of much needed money for the upkeep of a family with absolutely no guarantee of being selected at these auditions.

Most of them turn away to return to their homes utterly disappointed at the manner in which they have been treated- ofcourse, this realization comes rather late to them and at great cost. By year end, when the Sirasa Super Star competition reaches its climax, Sirasa itself has become much richer in terms of income but left a band of youth in a maniacal state unable to figure out what is right from wrong!

We do not expect the country to be in a state of mourning due to the ongoing war with terrorists in the North and East. However, as a responsible media channel we do expect Sirasa to act with a certain amount of decorum and etiquette. Why cannot these auditions be held on a district basis in those districts thereby cutting the costs incurred by prospective contenders? Why do they have to be so selfish and cause inconveniences to those traveling from afar? Throughout the year, those hoping to hit the top 10 and then top 3 will nothing else in their mind whether it be studies or work but "Sirasa Super Star" in their minds!

For a country to grow healthily, there needs to be a balance in everything that is done whether it is media or any other cultural aspect and sadly, with the manner in which Sirasa is setting about their business, one cannot but suspect that their agenda is far more gory than we would like to think! Why do we Sri Lankans need to ape the west and copy only the bad things they adopt? The west has many things which we could learn but nay- we need to exhibit the fact that as a nation we are suffering from a severe "inferiority complex" to overcome which, we need to be whiter than the whites! Just like in the recently held Sports Event in the Middle East where our athletes thought they must be as naked as the western athletes to win a race, while female muslim athletes dressed in their covered track suites beat us handsomely and with pride!

It is high time the relevant authorities decided to monitor what is going on and take measures to bring sanity into this country while maintaining our own cultural heritage and values. What is wrong with that?

Have fun - but with dignity and pride - the pride of our nation.