Malini- Forever in bloom

Clad in a pulsating orange sari, Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, the quintessential Queen of Sinhala cinema blended in perfect harmony with Nepenthes Malaniwhen a new cultivar of Nepenthes (Pitcher plant) or Bandura, as it is locally known, was named in her honour more than ten years ago.

- BY RANDIMA ATTYGALLE

The globally reputed leader in production and export of artificially propagated Nepenthes, Borneo Exotics, led by Robert Cantley and his partner Diana Williams, both British citizens, honoured Malini at an event which took place at the trade fair, Reflection of Sri Lanka, held parallel to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at Ape Gama in Battaramulla in November 2013. Two years earlier in 2011 Borneo Exotics had named their gold-medal winning exhibit after Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren at the Royal Horticulture Flower Show at Hampton Court Palace. Robert Cantley (who first arrived here in 1997), would draw parallels with Dame Helen in whose name he launched Nepenthes Helen, and observe: “Since her debut in the early 60s, Ms. Fonseka’s contribution to the Sri Lankan cinema has been exceptional. So, I thought why not honour an iconic artiste whose cinematic journey span five decades.”

Malini the exotic Bandura

Watching Malini lying amidst white roses as the nation bid her a teary farewell a few days ago, I look 12 years back when I was fortunate to have been privy to the momentous moment of her being immortalized beyond the world of cinema; in horticultural circles as well.

“I feel that I have blended with mother nature today,” Malini would say flashing her trademark smile which captivated several generations of Lankans. In her typical unassuming way and in her beautifully modulated 'screen voice', Malini would go on to remark: “naming a Bandura in my honour after 50 years in the film industry is not just a milestone in my life. The gesture is also a tribute to the Sinhala cinema and its fans as much as a personal compliment to me.” She would recall a bright green Bandura from her childhood and add, “with its beauty comes its snaring nature, trapping insects which it digests in the pitchers, making bandura exotic in every sense.”