Sri Lankan Beauty - Nirosha Perera

I am loved by a lot of people - young people, children, elders - everybody. So, I don't yet have the need to a be loved by a special person", says the presenter cum film star Nirosha Perera when asked whether she has met anyone.

"My family comes first in everything in my life. The trust and love they have enriched me with is immense. Their encouragement brought me to the peak where I am today," she says.

Nirosha was one of those who has had the rare personality of the best-all-rounder in school. Name any event or competition - speech, debating, choir, music, art, dancing, drama, sports, school bands both Western and Eastern, hand writing; she was the 'very happening' and 'hight bright' student there, who broke the record of being the first in class throughout. The prodigy won the Best-All-Rounder's award at school in 1995.

There wasn't a single event without her participation at the BLC International, Colombo in which she excelled both academically and in every extra curricular activity. "Once I really wanted to join the audience and view the happenings on the school stage as I have never ever had the chance to do so.

Question: "Was it the most memorable era of your life?

Nirosha: "Mmm... well, actually I am a person who lives only for the day. I am not a dreamy character. I do things best when I am attending to something. So for me every day, every moment, everything and everybody is memorable - all in my past and present. The future hasn't come yet, no?

Also most of the things that happened in my life were co-incidents. Becoming a TV presenter and a star also fall into that. They just happened."

This dynamic and entertaining young woman has never had any particular hope for the future. "Once our teacher asked the class what our ambitions were. So for the sake of telling something I said 'I want to be doctor'.

Oh! thanks! nobody noticed that I am was student in the Commerce stream even at the time," she giggles. "But all the teachers loved me so much and I loved them too. I still can remember each and every teacher who has taught me. They always and encouraged me. Please mention about them as well."

Nirosha did her O/Ls at BLC International and began doing A/Ls privately. During this time, through her elder sister, Nilushi Perera who did the main tele role in 'Muthu Menik', youth's paper 'Sanda Renu' approached her for a cover page. After a great hesitation, Nirosha appeared for the cover picture. And it was a 'hit'. Swarnavahini TV who was looking for a pretty and witty girl for their newest Sinhala musical programme 'Vega Gee' spotted the little Monroe. In 1997 her very first appearance on the small screen was telecast.

Next was 'Swarnodaya' live in musical concert on the same TV channel. It was a good break for the TV enthusiasts who were fed up of seeing the same faces on the screen. But a very few knew that the young presenter was still a school student.

After A/Ls Nirosha joined the Hotel Taj Samudra as a Public Relations Executive. Still the fun loving benevolent damsel had no high hopes for career. She enjoyed her stay at Taj as she adored the peer association. Simultaneously she presented 'Fun Time' and 'Rivi Dina Sithumina' on Rupavahini.

Nirosha's fluency flows in all three languages. Her excellent fluency in Sinhala, English, French and Tamil has drawn fans of all the nationalities. She knows a little bit of Japanese and Spanish as well. Hence the live in concerts this 'Twity-bird' present are enliven with a different.

From the day she became a TV presenter, offers for teledramas started pouring on. Again after dragging many years she said 'ok' to tele director, Sanjaya Vithanage for his teledrama 'Nil Ahasa Vage' (the blue sky). So far seven to eight teles of her were telecast and three more to come in the near future.

'Lochana' is one of the teles (Friday at 9.00 pm on Swarnavahini) she recalls best as she has got the opportunity to act with her younger sister, Irosha.

Nirosha says she likes to do something different. She names 'variety' as her hobby. That was why she liked the script of 'Dedunu Vessa' (the rainbow rain), the maiden film of young Director Buddhika Jayaratne. The 'rainbow' bridged the small screen to the big screen for her. Playing the main role in it, Nirosha became the newest star thinking the Sri Lankan film world today. The death of her businessman father Austin Perera occurred last February was the saddest moment she faced in her life. "We had a very friendly atmosphere at home.

We never had secrets. Our parents were very broad minded and loving," she sighed. "I forgive people. No matter how many bad things a person has done to me, provided if he or she does any good to me".