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S. M. Nayagam
Sundaram Mathura-Nayagam (24 September 1906 - 03 February 1972) was a pioneer of Sinhala cinema, producing the first ever Sinhala talkie, ''Kadawunu Poronduwa''. Career Hailing from Madurai, South India, Nayagam was originally an industrialist, making soaps and perfumes at factories both in Madurai and Ceylon. With the flourishing of Indian cinema in the 1940s, he established his own cinema company, ''Sri Murugan Navakala Limited'', named after the Hindu deity Murugan. The company was based in Madurai, owning a studio (''Chitrakala Movietone'') at Thiruparankundram. Nayagam's first venture into film was the 1946 Tamil language film '' Kumaraguru'', directed by Bengali director Jothish Sinha. His second film, a patriotic film entitled '' Thaai Nadu'', was also in Tamil, being released on the day of India's independence. ''Kadawunu Poronduwa'' According to Nayagam, his Sinhala friends enjoyed Hindi and Tamil films but were disappointed that they did not have films in their own l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sinhalese Language
Sinhala ( ; , ''siṁhala'', ), sometimes called Sinhalese (), is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken by the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka, who make up the largest ethnic group on the island, numbering about 16 million. Sinhala is also spoken as the first language by other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, totalling about 2 million people as of 2001. It is written using the Sinhala script, which is a Brahmic script closely related to the Grantha script of South India. Sinhala is one of the official and national languages of Sri Lanka. Along with Pali, it played a major role in the development of Theravada Buddhist literature. The early form of the Sinhala language, is attested as early as the 3rd century BCE. The language of these inscriptions with long vowels and aspirated consonants is a Prakrit similar to Magadhi, a regional associate of the Middle Indian Prakrits that has been used during the time of the Buddha. The closest relatives are the Vedda language (an endangered, i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prema Tharangaya
''Prema Tharangaya'' (Sinhala, ''Love Contest'') is a 1953 Sri Lankan film directed by A. B. Rajj and produced by S. M. Nayagam. The film stars Aruna Shanthi and Ayesha Weerakoon in lead roles along with Hugo Fernando, Mark Samaranayake and Laddie Ranasinghe in supportive roles. Music was directed by R. Muttusamy. The musician Dharmadasa Walpola debuted as a playback singer in this film. Plot Love story of Premadasa and Mallika. Cast * Aruna Shanthi as Premadasa * Ayesha Weerakoon as Mallika * Hugo Fernando as Walpola Mudalali * Mark Samaranayake as Wickrama * Laddie Ranasinghe as Gunasiri * Richard Albert as Tarzan * Dharma Sri Ranatunga * Latha Walpola * Girley Gunawardana as Dancer * Benedict Fernando as Teacher * David Dharmakeerthi * Nancy Dias as Piyasili * Jemini Kantha as Podihamy * Devika Rani Devika Rani Choudhuri (30 March 1908 – 9 March 1994), usually known as Devika Rani, was an Indian actress who was active in Hindi films during the 1930s and 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sirimathi Rasadari
Sirimathi Mary Fernando (born 10 May 1932 - died 3 September 1992 as :si:සිරිමතී රසාදරී, සිරිමතී රසාදරී) [Sinhala]), popularly as Sirimathi Rasadari, was an actress in Cinema of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan cinema, as well as a renowned Kathak dancer. Considered as the first in Sri Lanka to mastered the art of dancing, acting, singing and writing at the same time, she is the pioneer to establish United Ceylon Fan Club in 1957. Personal life She was born on 10 May 1932 in Nainamadama, Dummalawarama, Wennappuwa as third of the family. She had two sisters and five brothers. She was educated at Dummaladeniya Roman Catholic School. She can write, speak and read Hindi as well as can speak Tamil and English. She was married to Rathna Dissanayake, who was a lecturer at Giragama Aesthetic University. Rasadari also served as a visiting lecturer at the University of the Visual and Performing Arts. Rasadari died on 3 September 1992 at the age of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruby De Mel
Ruby Jasmine de Mel (born as රූබි ද මැල්) inhala 4 December 1917 – 8 November 2004) was a Sri lankan film actress in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. One of the earliest pillars in Sri Lankan film history, de Mel is best known for her roles in films ''Siriyalatha'', ''Kawata Andare'', ''Nalangana'' and Granny in television serial ''Amba Yahaluwo''. She died on 8 November 2004 by finishing a career that spanned more than six decades. Personal life De Mel was born in Moratuwa Kaldemulla area to an Anglicized Sinhala family as the youngest of a family with 12 siblings. Her father was James Perera and mother was Mary Liyanora. She attended to Princess of Wales' College, Moratuwa and Newstead Girls College, Negombo. She was an announcer for Radio Ceylon at its inception. She married at the age of 17 and then divorced when she was 27 years old. Acting career de Mel broke into acting with a role in the theatrical play ''Handahana'' directed by T. B. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Abeywickrema
Deshabandu Gammana Patabendige Don John Abeywickrama ( Sinhala:ජෝ අබේවික්රම) (22 June 1927 – 21 September 2011), popularly as Joe Abeywickrama, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Initially famed as a comedic actor in early 1950s, Abeywickrama became one of the greatest film actors of alltime in Sinhala cinema with several critically acclaimed award winning dramatic performances."The struggle of the common man for self-dignity is very profound" ''World Socialist Web Site''. Retrieved December 18, 2006. . Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). Retrieved August 05, 2014. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vijitha Mallika
Gamamathige Vijitha de Silva (born 5 July 1943 – died 16 October 1992 as විජිත මල්ලිකා) inhala, popularly as Vijitha Mallika, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema. One of the most popular film actresses in early Sinhala cinema, Mallika appeared in more than 40 films including popular films, ''Suvineetha Lalani'', ''Sengawunu Menika'', ''Dheewarayo'', ''London Hamu'' and ''Sweep Ticket''. Personal life Mallika was born on 5 July 1943 in Negombo as the eldest of the family. Her father Gamamathige Silva was a businessman came to Negambo from Induruwa and started a business. Her mother was Mary Wickramasinghe. Mallika has three younger brothers - Austin, Sunil, Mahinda - and two younger sisters - Chandra and Swarna. Mallika's father's younger sister was married to film actor Boniface Fernando. Also, Vijitha's cousin, Milissina was a stage actress. Mallika's mother's brother, Benjamin Fernando, was a playwright and stage actor in Negombo at the time. Benj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rita Ratnayake
Rita Philomina Ratnayake (18 February 1934 – 6 November 2006 රීටා රත්නායක) was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema. She became very popular in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s early Sinhala cinema particularly with the role 'Daisy Attanayake' in the blockbuster ''Kele Handa'' in 1953. Personal life She was born in 1934 in Matale, Sri Lanka. Her father Emil Ratnayake was a famous violinist. She grew up in her mother's hometown of Matale and studied at St. Agnes' College, Matale (currently known as St. Thomas' Girls' College). During school period, she played the role 'Queen Pramila' in the stage play ''Daskon''. Also known as a school singer, she was famous among Matale students for singing the song ''Ko Mama Nandage Male''. Rita also worked for the Sri Lanka Hotel Corporation for some time. Rita married W.A. Wilfred Silva on February 18, 1960. Wilfred is best known as a songwriter, storyteller and film director. The couple had a daughter and a son named Sadhan ... [...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] |
Leena De Silva
Liyanage Don Leena Piyasili de Silva (born 30 October 1936 as ලීනා ද සිල්වා) inhala, popularly as Leena de Silva, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. One of the earliest pillars of Sri Lankan cinema, de Silva has contributed many critically acclaimed films of her generation with a career spanning more than six decades. Personal life de Silva was born on 30 October 1936 in Maligakanda, Colombo. Her father, Don Simon de Silva worked as a supervisor at Ceylon Cargo Board Company. Her mother was Alice Silva. She has two sisters, Trilicia Kusuma and Merlyn Thilaka and one brother, Jayampath Sam. She completed education from Ananda Balika Vidyalaya, Kotte. She was married to fellow actor Ravindra Rupasena from 11 November 1960 to his death in 1978. She met Rupasena during her maiden film ''Ahankara Sthree'' and then the couple appeared in many film together, including ''Surathali'', ''Sohoyuro'', ''Sundara Birinda'', ''Suneetha'' and '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ravindra Rupasena
Ravindra Rupasena ( Sinhala:රවීන්ද්ර රූපසේන) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema. Early life and education Rupasena was educated at Nalanda College Colombo Rupasena was married to fellow popular actress, Leena de Silva Liyanage Don Leena Piyasili de Silva (born 30 October 1936 as ලීනා ද සිල්වා) inhala, popularly as Leena de Silva, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. One of the earliest pillars of Sri Lankan cinem ... from 11 November 1960 to his death in 1978. He met Leena during his maiden film ''Ahankara Sthree'' and then the couple appeared in many film together, including ''Surathali'', ''Sohoyuro'', ''Sundara Birinda'', ''Suneetha'' and ''Nalagana''. The couple has one son and one daughter. Rupasena died on 15 April 1978 by a sudden heart attack at the age of 49. Career Rupasena made his maiden cinematic appearance through the 1954 film ''Ahankara Sthree'' directed by A.B. Raja. Then he contin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Girley Gunawardana
Dona Girley Grace Gunawardana (born 15 November 1935 – died 11 March 2012 as ගර්ලි ගුණවර්ධන) inhala, popularly as Girley Gunawardana, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema. She is the mother of popular actress Sabeetha Perera. Personal life Gunawardana was born on 15 November 1935 in Mount Lavinia as the fifth child of the family. She had three elder brothers - Titus, Lionel, Erwin - and one elder sister and one younger sister, Rose. She was educated at Girls High School Mount Lavinia. Gunawardana was married to popular film actor Stanley Perera. She identified Stanley through her friends Bhadra Marapana and A.J. De Zoysa. On 21 July 1956, they secretly got engaged. It was a secret, even though both were acting together. The couple have four daughters - Sandya, Sadna and Sabeetha and Chandima. Third daughter Sabeetha Perera is a popular actress in Sinhala cinema, who acted in more than 70 films. Sabeetha also won Sarasaviya Award for the best actres ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prem Jayanth
Hettiarachchige Emanuel Aloysius Rodrigo (1933–17 March 1997), better known as Prem Jayanth, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema as well as a producer and art director. Considered as the first male superstar in Sinhala cinema, Jayanth rose to prominence with starring roles in the popular films Sujatha (1953) and ''Seda Sulang'' (1955). Personal life Jayanth was born in Layards Broadway, Grandpass and attended Joseph’s College, Grandpass and St. Lucia's College Colombo 13. Jayanth married actress Nanda Leelanayake sometime in the 1960s and had seven children, two boys - Jagath and Janith - and five girls - Sunila, Sandhya, Anusha, Nirma and Shiroma. His son, Jagath Rohan appeared in few film including 1980 film ''Sabeetha''. Jayanth died on 17 March 1997 at the age of 64. Nanda died on 26 September 2014 at the age of 84. Cinema career He entered the school stage. In 1932, he first joined the public stage through the stage drama ''Carnival'' produced by A. D. J. Mathupala ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
