Hugo Fernando

Who was Hugo Fernando?

K. Hugo Fernando, popularly known as Hugo Master, was a Sri Lankan film personality. Debuting in the first Sinhalese film Kadawunu Poronduwa, Fernando had an over 30 year career as a character actor, lyricist, assistant director and music director.

Fernando was born in Periyamulla, Negombo. He attended Dalupotha Roman Catholic School but was forced to drop out in the seventh grade to support his poverty stricken family. He took to working at coir mills, estates, tobacco stores, fish stalls and in masonry to this end.

An encounter with W. M. Perera, better known as Malathias Master, led to Fernando joining the musician's orchestra as a mouth organ and mandolin player. He then joined the Minerva Theatre Group and wrote music for B. A. W. Jayamanne's play Awatharaya. Fernando contributed to the recording of Rukmani Devi and H. W. Rupasinghe's song "Sri Buddha Gaya Vihare" in 1939.

In 1947, Fernando took a triple role in the production of the first Sinhalese film Kadawunu Poronduwa, an adaption of a B. A.W. Jayammane play. In addition to playing a role in the movie, he sang the song "Sandyawe Shriya" with Rukmani Devi and penned its songs such as Eddie Jayamanne's "Lapate Rupe Age".