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Rekava
''Rekava'' (Sinhala for "Line of Destiny") is a 1956 film based on village life and mythical beliefs in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). It is the first Sinhala film fully shot in Ceylon and was film shot outdoors in the country. It was also the first Sri Lankan film that was free from Indian influence. Many Sinhala films in that time were remakes of South Indian films and were not adapted to the Sri Lankan context, even having unnatural dialog. ''Rekava'' is Sri Lankan director Lester James Peries's first film and was Willie Blake's first time as cinematographer. The film was well-received internationally, having been shown at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival and was included in the main competition. It is still the only Sri Lankan film nominated for the Palme d'Or. Despite its critical acclaim, ''Rekava'' was not a commercial success in Sri Lanka due to its defiance of mainstream film tropes (i.e., boy-girl romance, fighting, comedy, and Hindi-language musicals). Since then, it has bec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lester James Peries
Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries ( Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාභිමාන්ය ලෙස්ටර් ජේම්ස් පීරිස්; 5 April 1919 – 29 April 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Considered as the father of Sri Lankan cinema, Lester worked as a filmmaker from 1949 to 2006, and was involved in over 28 films, including shorts and documentaries. He received critical acclaim for directing ''Rekava'', '' Gamperaliya'', ''Nidhanaya'', ''Golu Hadawatha'', '' Kaliyugaya'', ''Awaragira'' and ''Yuganthaya''. His movie '' Wekande Walauwa'', starring Ravindra Randeniya and Malini Fonseka, was Sri Lanka's first ever submission for the Academy Awards and the film ''Nidhanaya'' was included among the top 100 films of the century by the Cinémathèque Française. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ananda Weerakoon
Don Ananda Weerakoon ( Sinhala:ආනන්ද වීරකෝන්) was one of the early Sri Lankan film actors in the 1950s. Life and career Early life Ananda was born as only son in a family of five children to parents Don William Weerakoon and Amarawathi Kalansuriya. He was educated at Nalanda College Colombo and was also a Bachelor of Arts degree holder. Since school days he had been keenly interested in history and arts. He first participated in a dance to welcome the Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Ceylon together with Shesha Palihakkara and Titus Thotawatte at the Colombo Regal Hall. Film acting He first started acting in a film as a young boy called "Harry" in one of the films directed by Sirisena Wimalaweera. Later on Ananda had been acting in many films directed by Sirisena Wimalaweera such as Asoka (1955 film) and Lester James Peries's Rekava film. In 2021, he was honored with lifetime achievement award during the ceremony held for 21 artists who made an invaluab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sesha Palihakkara
David Sydney Loku Palihakkara (June 5, 1928 – July 12, 2009), popularly as Shesha Palihakkara, was a Sri Lankan dancer, film actor, and producer. He achieved critical recognition with a starring role in Lester James Peries' masterpiece ''Rekava'' and as producer of ''Getawarayo'', ''Saravita'' and ''Ranmuthu Duwa''. Personal life Palihakkara was born in the village of Ruppagoda, in Kadawatha of the Gampaha district. He attended the St. Benedict's College, Colombo in Kotahena and St. Joseph's College in Colombo. At the age of 14, Palihakkara witnessed the Sinhala dancer Chitrasena perform in the Vidura ballet and was inspired to be a dancer. Palihakkara left school without getting his Senior School Certificate in his late teens, and went to India to train at Shanthi Nikethan. He stayed at the school for two years focusing on dance along with painting and sculpting. Palihakkara then enrolled at the Institute of Kala Kshethra in South India majoring in dance. After finishing hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shesha Palihakkara
David Sydney Loku Palihakkara (June 5, 1928 – July 12, 2009), popularly as Shesha Palihakkara, was a Sri Lankan dancer, film actor, and producer. He achieved critical recognition with a starring role in Lester James Peries' masterpiece ''Rekava'' and as producer of ''Getawarayo'', ''Saravita'' and ''Ranmuthu Duwa''. Personal life Palihakkara was born in the village of Ruppagoda, in Kadawatha of the Gampaha district. He attended the St. Benedict's College, Colombo in Kotahena and St. Joseph's College in Colombo. At the age of 14, Palihakkara witnessed the Sinhala dancer Chitrasena perform in the Vidura ballet and was inspired to be a dancer. Palihakkara left school without getting his Senior School Certificate in his late teens, and went to India to train at Shanthi Nikethan. He stayed at the school for two years focusing on dance along with painting and sculpting. Palihakkara then enrolled at the Institute of Kala Kshethra in South India majoring in dance. After finishing his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iranganie Serasinghe
Kala Keerthi Iranganie Roxanna Meedeniya, (born 9 June 1927"Irangani As Told to Kumar de Silva", Kumar de Silva, Samaranayake Publishers, 2013), popularly as Iranganie Serasinghe, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Since her debut in ''Rekava'', Serasinghe has become recognized for playing motherly figures in various films and television serials. She is the aunt of President Ranil Wickramasinghe. Early life and education She was born on 9 June 1927 in Mudungomuwa, Ruwanwella, Sri Lanka to Joseph Hercules Meedeniya, Rate Mahatmaya of Ratnapura and Violet Ellawela. Her paternal grandfather was J. H. Meedeniya, J. H. Meedeniya Adigar was elected unopposed to the Ruwanwella seat in the State Council and her uncles included D. R. Wijewardena and Sir Francis Molamure. Her mother was the sister of Nanda Ellawala's father who was a Member of Parliament for Ratnapura. She had three siblings, Indrani Meedeniya, Kamani Vitharana who married Professor Tissa Vitharana ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ivor Dennis
Kala Keerthi Pasquel Ge Don Augustine Ivor Dennis ( si, ඊවෝර් ඩෙනිස්) (28 May 1932 – 18 June 2018) was a popular Sri Lankan veteran playback singer who was also known as the former student of veteran icon Sunil Santha. He was well known for establishing long time relationship with legendary musician Sunil Santha, who is known as one of the icons and pioneers of Sinhala music. He had worked as a playback singer in many Sinhala films including Sri Lanka's first Sinhala film ''Rekava''. He died on 18 June 2018 at his home in Seeduwa at the age of 86. Career He pursued his career as a vocalist and took part in a song competition at Radio Ceylon in 1952. He sang veteran musician Sunil Santha's famous song ''Waren Heen Sare Redhee Walave'' during the competition and his performance was sooner recognised by Sunil Santha who also came forward to teach music for the latter. Ivor was pursued by Sunil Santha to croon a song on his own and Ivor recorded his fir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sisira Senaratne
Sisira Senaratne ( si, සිසිර සේනාරත්න; 29 March 1935 – 4 February 2015), was a Sri Lankan singer and lyricist also worked as a playback singer in Sinhala cinema. A career spanned for more than six decades, Senaratne has sung several popular songs ''Olu Nelum Neliya'', ''Seeta Diyareli'', ''Nuhuru Nupuruda'', ''Mage Puthuta Mal'', and ''Gaya Geethayan Game''. He along with wife Indrani Wijebandara played a pivotal role in ushering in a new era in Sinhala music in the 1950s. Personal life Sisira was born on 29 March 1935 in Chilaw. He was educated at Maradana Central College and Nalanda College, Colombo. He also worked at Sri Lanka Customs. His father was Henry Soloman Senaratne and mother was M. A. Leelawathi. Sisira's mother died when he was an infant, whereas his father married second time. Therefore he was raised by his grandfather who was an Ayurvedic doctor. He was married to Indrani Wijebandara, who was also a popular singer. Indrani was born ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Somapala Dharmapriya
Somapala Dharmapriya (29 September 1940 – 14 September 1992) ( si, සෝමපාල ධර්මපි්රය), was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema as well as a cinematographer. Personal life Fernando was born on 29 September 1940 in Jaffna even though lived in Moratuwa. He was educated at Lakshapathiya Student College, Moratuwa, Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa and Hunumulla Central College. In March 1990, he suffered from a malignant cancer of the tongue. Doctors had his tongue amputated and underlying teeth were also removed. He could not speak and quit from cinema. There was also a film festival conducted by Lester to help him. In the final days, he only depend on melted food. He died on 14 September 1992 at the age of 51. He was married to Princy de Silva. Career In 1956 he entered cinema as a child artist with the film ''Rekava'' directed by Lester James Peries Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries ( Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාභිමාන ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indrani Wijebandara
Indrani Wijebandara ( si, ඉන්ද්රානි විජේබණ්ඩාර; 15 July 1935 – 23 June 2019), was a Sri Lankan singer, also worked as a playback singer in Sinhala cinema. A career spanned for more than six decades, she has sung several popular children's songs ''Vesak Kekulu'', ''Sudu Sanda Eliye'', ''Olu Nelum Neriya'', ''Rathu Pata Mal'' and ''Mal Sutikko''. She along with husband Sisira Senaratne played a pivotal role in ushering in a new era in Sinhala music in the 1950s. Personal life She was born on 15 July 1935 in Borella as the eldest of the family. She completed education from Musaeus College and then from Devi Balika Vidyalaya. Her father M. M. W. Wijayabandara worked at Department of Health. Her mother Lilian Wijayabandara was a housewife. He has four younger siblings. Indrani was married to Sisira Senaratne, who was also a popular singer. Sisira was born on 29 March 1935 and educated at Central College Maradana and Nalanda College Colombo. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merciline Jayakody
Fr. Marcelline Jayakody ( Sinhala: මර්සලින් ජයකොඩි පියතුමා) (3 June 1902 ─ January 15, 1998) was a Sri Lankan Catholic priest, musician, lyricist, author, journalist and an exponent of indigenous culture. He is attributed with the epithet 'පන්සලේ පියතුමා' (Pansale Piyathuma - Priest in the Temple). Ven. Dr. Ittapane Dhammalankara Thera authored a book on Jayakody's life, ''මල් පැලේ උපන් පන්සලේ පියතුමා'', (''Malpale Upan Pansale Piyathuma''), which is recorded as the first book in the world by a Buddhist prelate on a Catholic priest. Passion Play of Duwa Fr. Jayakody served as the head priest in Duwa in 1939. Duwa is the Passion Play Village of Sri Lanka. Originally, the play used traditional puppets as actors. Jayakody wrote the original script for a passion play, influenced by Fr. Jacome Gonsalves, and composed new hymns to the traditional "Pasan". He next ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Titus De Silva
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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sunil Santha
Sunil Santha was a Sri Lankan composer, singer and lyricist. He was pivotal in the development of Sinhala music and folk songs in the mid to late 1940s and early 1950s. He composed the beloved soundtracks to Lester James Peries' films ''Rekava'' and ''Sandesaya'' in 1956 and 1960. In a later comeback, he produced several experimental works. Personal life Sunil Santha was born on 14 April 1915 on the Sinhalese New Year's Day in Dehiyagatha, Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka. Both his parents died before he was two years old, and Santha was raised by his grandmother. At an early age he came to the limelight when he played King Dutugamunu in a village play. One villager adorned him with a battery-powered lighted necklace.SunilSamara, A collection of articles (CD) – Central Archives Colombo. Sri lanka He had his education at Dehiyagatha Vidyalaya, St. Benedict's College, Colombo, Thudella school and St. Aloysius' College, Galle. At St. Benedict's College, Santha passed the school leaving cert ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |