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Handaya
''Handaya'' ( si, හඳයා, italic=yes) is a 1979 Sri Lankan Sinhala black-n-white children's film directed and produced by Titus Thotawatte for Thotawatte Salaroo. The film is cited as a legend in Sinhala cinema history. It stars many child actors along with Henry Jayasena, J.H.Jayawardana and Pearl Wasudevi in lead roles along with U. Ariyavimal and Gemunu Wijesuriya. Music composed by Somapala Rathnayake. It is the 434th Sri Lankan film in the Sinhala cinema. The film received mainly positive reviews from critics and awarded in many local and international film festivals. ''Handaya'' received 8.8 of ratings from IMDb database. Background Before screening in film halls, the film was screened few times for children orphanages around the country. The premiere screening of the film was celebrated on 2 November 1979 on 10am onward at the Savoy Cinema Hall with the presence of prime minister Ranasinghe Premadasa and lady Hema Premadasa. Film was released to public on 16 November ...
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Titus Thotawatte
Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva ( Sinhala:ටයිටස් තොටවත්ත), popularly as Titus Thotawatte, was a Sri Lankan director and editor who made several popular Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later developed Sinhala children's programmes. Thotawatte died on 15 October 2011 in Colombo. Early life He was born on 17 April 1927 in Colombo. He was the fourth child in a family of five children, with 3 elder brothers and one younger sister. He attended Ananda College in Colombo and studied art under J.D.A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe and Matara Technical College. Career Thottawatte joined Lester James Peries and Willie Blake as editor to make ''Rekava'' in 1956. It was an attempt to make a truly Sinhalese movie in contrast with the Southern Indian copies then in vogue. Thottawatte debuted as a director with ''Chandiya'' in 1965. The film starred Gamini Fonseka in the first villains role of Sinhala Cinema. Other early films include ''Kau ...
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Somapala Rathnayake
Rathnayake Arachchilage Somapala ( Sinhala: සෝමපාල රත්නායක; 7 November 1947 – 18 July 2017), popularly known as Somapala Rathnayake, was a Sri Lankan actor, composer, lyricist and a renowned musician. Personal life Rathnayake was born on 7 November 1947 in a small village near Kadugannawa as the fourth of the family with 10 siblings. His father was Rathnayake Arachchilage Don James. He was popularly known as Rathnayake Veda Mahaththaya, was an apothecary and sang "noorthi gee," a type of Sinhala folk songs. His mother was Abeykoon Mayadunnelage Sumanawathi. He was educated at Kadugannawa Junior School and then attended to Kadugannawa Maha Vidyalaya for secondary education. He learned music under K.M. Sugathapala at the school. One of his elder brothers, Victor Rathnayake is a renowned musician in Sri Lanka. Victor has two daughters and two sons from first marriage with Chithra Rathnayake. His daughter Chandani is a dancer and a vocalist. His elder son ...
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Gemunu Wijesuriya
Gamunu Mahinda Wijesuriya (5 August 1934 – 19 March 2007: as si, ගැමුණු විජේසූරිය), was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre, radio and television as well as a broadcaster, comedian, singer and radio program producer. A tall skinny personality, Wijesuriye is a renowned comedian in Sinhala cinema and a dubbing artist. Personal life Wijesuriya was born on 5 August 1934 in Dewalapola, Sri Lanka. He studied at Udugampola Maha Vidyalaya. He was married to Maali and had two children. Wijesuriya died on 19 March 2007 in Colombo. Career He started his career as a radio artist joining the Radio Ceylon (currently known as Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation) with ''Lama Pitiya'', a popular radio programme produced by Karunaratne Abeysekera for the children of the country. He was a popular radio artist and comedian who contributed the radio programmes like ''Muwanpalassa'' and ''Vinoda Samaya'' and he contributed to the Sinhala Cinema as an actor for Si ...
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Henry Jayasena
Kala Keerthi Dr Bastian Koralage Henry Rudrigo Jayasena (born 6 July 1931 – died 11 November 2009 as Sinhala: හෙන්රි ජයසේන), popularly known as Henry Jayasena, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. With a career spanning more than four decades, Jayasena is considered one of the best dramatists in Sri Lankan drama. Personal life He was born on 6 July 1931 in Bendiyamulla, Gampaha. He attended to the Gampaha branch of Lorenz College for primary education. He then attended to Nalanda College Colombo for his secondary education. During his time at the school, he was classmates with many successful people, among who were Dr. Dharmasena Attygalle, Karunaratne Abeysekera, Dr. Harischandra Wijayatunga, Dr. Hudson Silva, Hon. Rupa Karunathilake, Jayasena was married to fellow actress Manel Ilangakoon in 1962. Manel played the lead role in Jayasena's play ''Kuweni'' and won the best actress award for her performance at the State Drama Fe ...
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Jayalath Manoratne
Kala Suri Kala Keerthi Dr. Keselgaspe Manatunga Jayalath Manoratne ( si, කෙසෙල්ගස්පේ මනතුංග ජයලත් මනෝරත්න; 12 June 1948 – 12 January 2020), popularly known as Jayalath Manoratne, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. He was a lecturer by profession as well as a director and producer. A highly versatile actor from drama to comedy, Manoratne won awards at OCIC (International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisual), Presidential, Sarasaviya, Raigam Tele'es, Sumathi and the State Literary and Drama festivals. He was the best actor back to back in 1991 and 1992 for his performance in ''Socrates'' and ''Dvitva''. He is considered by critics as one of the five actors who have dominated the Sri Lankan Stage. He died on 12 January 2020 while receiving treatment for cancer at the age of 71. Personal life Manoratne was born on 12 June 1948 in Dehipe, Nuwara Eliya as the youngest son in the fam ...
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Pearl Vasudevi
Pearl Peters (born 30 March 1915 – died 19 June 1987 as පර්ල් වාසුදේවි) inhala, popularly as Pearl Vasudevi, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema as well as a singer. Personal life Vasudevi was born as Pearl Peters in Galle on March 30, 1915 to a Burgher family. She studied at the Good Shepherd Convent, Colombo and became interested in theater at a young age. She was married to fellow actor Eddie Junior. The couple has one daughter, Sujeewa Lalee. Sujeewa also acted in few films including maiden acting in ''Sithijaya''. Vasudevi died 19 June 1987 at the age of 72 following a brief illness. Career Vasudevi made her debut as an actress in 1930 playing the role of a princess in the play ''Aparikshakari Nadu Theenduwa'' at the age of 15. With her fluency in English, she also secured a leading role in an adaption of ''Merchant of Venice''. Vasudevi joined Eddie Master's troupe shortly after acting in the role of Seetha in ''Ramayanaya''. The dramatist's s ...
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Sarasaviya Best Director Award
The Sarasaviya Best Director Award is presented annually by the weekly Sarasaviya newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited as part of the Sarasaviya Awards Festival. It was first given in 1964. Following is a partial list of the winners of this prestigious title since then. References {{Reflist Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ... Awards established in 1964 1964 establishments in Ceylon ...
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Sunil Ariyaratne
Vidyodaya Vibhushana Sahithya Kala Shiromani Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne Kuruwita Bandara (born 28 July 1949 as සුනිල් ආරියරත්න), popularly as Sunil Ariyaratne, is a Sri Lankan scholar, film director, author, poet and a lyricist. One of the most popular filmmakers and lyricists in Sri Lankan cinema, Ariyaratne has won six Sarasaviya awards, four Presidential awards from the year 1981 as a film lyricist and then won three awards as a teledrama lyricists. Personal life He was born on 28 July 1949 in Nugegodaas the fourth child of the family with 6 siblings. He completed education from St. John's College, Nugegoda. He has three brothers and two sisters. His brothers, Nimal Kuruwita Bandara is a lawyer and Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara is a journalist and editor. He sat for General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level in 1963. After passing senior examination, he was selected to Vidyodaya Pirivena (currently known as University of Sri Jayewardenepur ...
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Daya Alwis
Thuiappuarachchi Don Daya de Alwis (born 7 November 1942 – died 27 April 2015 as දයා අල්විස්) inhala, popularly known as Daya Alwis, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. He was also a screenwriter and director. He directed about six teledramas. He was the first person in Sri Lanka to receive an award covering all three areas - Stage Drama, Cinema and Teledrama. He died on 27 April 2015 at the age of 72, while receiving treatment after an accident. Personal life Daya Alwis was born on 7 November 1942 in Payagala as the fourth son of the family with seven siblings. He completed his education from Kalutara Vidyalaya. In 1956 at the age of 14, he sang the song ''Laa Dalu Wanamal''. After finishing Bhathkande degree, he entered to Tholangamuwa Central College as the music teacher. He made his first drama, ''Girikuta'', at the school. He was married to Yamuna Dayangani and they had two sons - Sarangadeva and Sapumal Bandara. Acting c ...
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Arisen Ahubudu
Kalasuri Arisen Ahubudu ( Sinhala: අරිසෙන් අහුබුදු; 18 March 1920 – 26 May 2011) was a Sri Lankan writer, orator, scholar, playwright, teacher (Guru), Sinhala lyricist, author and poet. He is a member of the Hela Havula. He has received three government awards for literary works, the title of Kalasuri from the Government of Sri Lanka, and the Sarasaviya Awards film award for best composer. As a composer, he is especially noted for writing music performed by W.D. Amaradeva, such as Gilem Obe Guna. Early life and education He was born on 18 March 1920 in Mudiyallagahawatta in Malalaga, Koggala, Sri Lanka. Ahubudu was the second of the three children of the family of Devundara Devamanimendra Heronis De Silva and Wathugedara Laisohami. The child was named as Ariyasena Arsuboda by parents, which he later converted to fairly pure Sinhala name Arisen Ahubudu. He married Sanda Ahubudu on 8 August 1953 and they have one daughter Sanda Samathi Ahubudu. I ...
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Rupavahini
The Sri Lanka Rūpavāhinī Corporation ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථාව; ta, இலங்கை ரூபவாகினி கூட்டுத்தாபனம்), also known as Jathika Rupavahini (lit. National Television) or simply as Rupavahini, is the national television network of Sri Lanka. Established by Parliament under Act No. 6 of 1982 for the provision of national television service, it produces and broadcasts programmes in three languages. Distinguished civil servant M.J Perera was the founder and chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. SLRC is the largest television broadcaster in Sri Lanka and has an island-wide reception of its channels. SLRC broadcasts its channels in both VHF and UHF frequencies in Sri Lanka. Currently, all of the network's services are only available by analog transmission. But there are plans to upgrade to digital broadcasting. From 2011 Kokavil began to broadcast in DVB-T2 for ...
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