Indrani Wijebandara the songstress with a silvery voice is no more. Her demise at the age of 83 brought grief to all Sri Lankans living here and abroad.
Indrani’s fans would recall her evergreen songs such as Rathu Paata Mal, Dangakari, Hithannako Aiye, Wesak Kekulu, Budu Samine and Oba Gathin Ma Langai with pleasant memories.
The Goddess Saraswathie blessed the husband and wife duo Sisira Senaratne and Indrani Wijebandara by making them encounter each other at the right time in their lives. Even prior to their wedlock in 1962 they did some memorable songs as solo artistes.
The duo represented a clan of artistes who had style and class. The pride of this singing duo was togetherness and living in perfect harmony. The pinnacle of their singing career was staging the musical concert ‘Sisindra’ here and abroad many a time. The concert was performed in London, Paris and Australia to packed houses.
Only a few people knew about Sisira and Indrani’s daughter Subhani Wijetileke until Indrani’s demise. Being the elder sister of Sanjaya and Sameera, Subhani has kept out from the limelight to look after her mother’s wellbeing following her father’s demise.
Speaking to the Daily News, Subhani revealed she is ready to reproduce a few of her mother’s songs.
 Indrani, Subhani and Suhani
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“I would record at least one song belonging to my beloved mother as a gratitude to her. On my mother’s demise I was bombarded with requests from my friends and relatives to record songs. This suggestion was also made by renowned music director Sarath de Alwis. So I gave it a good thought,” Subhani. said
Recalling memories of her parents Subani noted that her parents would often sit together and listen to old Hindi songs.
“My father was a perfectionist. I have seen him as an artiste and as a dedicated Customs Officer. I am the eldest in the family and he treated me like a princess. He would take me to recording studios when he recorded songs. I have seen his dedication towards whatever work he indulged in. My father would humbly request a recording engineer to record a song again and again until he is satisfied with his presentation. He would never sing parts of a particular song even for a music track. After the recording session he would party at home with his close associates. He had style in whatever he did and his peers loved it,” Subhani expressed with pride.
Subhani said her father had great stature and dress-sense and even some film stars of the era had told her that they learned from Sisira Senaratne how to dress for occasion.
“I studied in Anula College, Devi Balika College and Musaeus. My father worked at Customs at the time. Not only my friends but also young teachers were eager to have a glimpse of him when he came to drop me at school”, she said.
“I actively participated in school music events but never thought of pursuing a singing career since my parents were my singing idols. I had my fears too. I thought if I could not match their standards in singing it might harm their reputation,” she added.
Subhani said her parents often indulged in charity work and were thrifty enough to save their wealth.
“They never were in the receiving end when finances were concerned. They earned well and saved their wealth for future use and they wanted us to follow suit. My parents had a vision in life based on Buddhist Philosophy and they set a trend for others to follow,” she said.
Subhani’s daughter Suhani too is a talented singer with a velvety voice. Suhani’s singing of Charlie Puth/Selena Gomez song ‘We don’t talk anymore’ to a music track was perfect by any standard. This resourceful youngster who is a product of an unyielding musical lineage could be groomed as a versatile singer.
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