Leading by example

Have you ever heard of a head of a government department getting into a pair of shorts and starting to clean up the office premises overgrown with weeds? This is exactly what the highly acclaimed cinematographer Dr. D.B. Nihalsingha (DBN) did after he assumed office as Director of the Government Film Unit in 1970.

Having seen that no one was interested in cleaning the place – putting the blame on the lack of funds – he thought about a shramadana. Rather than issuing a circular, he decided to lead. And then of course, the others had no option but to join. And the job was done.

Veteran film-maker Tissa Liyanasuriya, who was a film director at the GFU at the time, narrated this incident to illustrate DBN’s approach to administration. Speaking at the launch of ‘Nihalsingha: The pioneer of the Third Eye’ , the exhaustive biography written by Nuwan Nayanajith Kumara in Sinhala, Tissa L. related several anecdotes to illustrate what a doer he was without sticking to government rules and regulations. He was a practical official, Tissa said.

Tissa recollected how at the time DBN joined the GFU, there was hardly any discipline in the office. People, irrespective of their status, never bothered about the official times they were expected to come in and go off.  They came in whenever they felt like it and once they had come in, used to make a bee line to the canteen and would spend some time there. Invariably, there was a crowd to gossip with. They did the minimum of work and once it was nearing closing time, they would pack up to go.

DBN observed this and did not pull up anybody. He got the attendance register to his office and kept it on his table. He was an early bird who used to be in office by 8 in the morning. He would sign first and then as the others streamed in they had to come and sign in his presence. The process was repeated at closing time. Again no circulars or warnings.

The function of the GFU was to make documentaries and news reels, highlighting government projects and other activities and keep the public informed. There were a number of film directors who had to produce a specified number of films during a stipulated time period. But here was hardly anyone who adhered to a schedule.

DBN insisted that an agreed number of news reels and documentary films must be churned out. He himself gave the lead. He didn’t sit in office but was out in the field, he showed by example how things should be done. Tissa recounted how he produced the documentary on the Pope’s visit to Sri Lanka in record time. There was at least one film director who left the GFU when he found the task was too much for him.

Two speakers – Ravindra Randeniya and Jackson Anthony – were all praise for all what DBN did to uplift the film industry when he was General Manager of the State Film Corporation. He was hailed as “a giant character” in cinema.

Ravindra R. lamented that the Corporation did not proceed with the meaningful reforms DBN brought in. His was the golden age of Sinhala cinema. The Corporation is in a pathetic state today, he stressed.