''Anjalika'' ( si, italic=yes, අංජලිකා) is a 2006 Sinhala

romance film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

. It was written by Mahesh Rathsara and directed by

Channa Perera Deepanath Channa Perera (born 16 August 1965 as චන්න පෙරේරා inhala, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a filmmaker and screenplay writer. Personal life Channa Perera was born on 16 August 1965 as the ...

. The film features

Pooja Umashankar Pooja Gauthami Umashankar, mononymously known as Pooja, is an Indian-Sri Lankan actress, who has primarily appeared in Tamil, Sinhala and Malayalam language films. Early and personal life Pooja's mother, Sandhya, is a Sri Lankan Sinhalese and h ...

and

Anarkali Akarsha Anarkali Akarsha ( si, අනර්කලී ආකර්ෂා;born 12 July 1987,as Anarkali Janina Jayatilaka) is a Sri Lankan Film actress, model, singer, TV Host and a politician. She was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2004 and represented Sri Lan ...

in the leading roles while

Rex Kodippili Rex Joseph Kodippili (born 6 October 1938: Sinhala:රෙක්ස් කොඩිප්පිලි) is a Sri Lankan film actor and film director. Primarily acted as a villain for the most of his career, Kodippili appeared in more than 130 ...

, and

Sanath Gunathilake Somsiri Sanath Julien Gunatilake (born 27 October 1955: Sinhala:සනත් ගුණතිලක), popularly as Sanath Gunatilake, is an actor, director, screenwriter in Sri Lankan cinema and film director. A highly versatile actor across ...

play key supporting roles. It was produced by Malith Palliyaguruge, the film had music scored by

Rohana Weerasinghe DR. Rohana Weerasinghe (born February 18, 1949), is a Sri Lankan musician, composer and singer. Early life Weerasinghe was born on 18 February 1949 in Algiriya, Matara in southern Sri Lanka. He was the youngest child to his parents Henry Weer ...

. The film marked the debut acting by Kollywood actress Pooja in Sinhala cinema. Popular television presenter, Narada Bakmeewewa also made his cinema debut with the film. It was released in June 2006 to good reviews and good

box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...

, even though the plot was criticized by critics. This was Pooja's first Sinhala film. The film has been shot in Malaysia, becoming the first Sri Lankan to be filmed in that country.

Synopsis

A young man named Thivanka returns home to Sri Lanka from England to fall in love with a village girl named Anjalika. This proves to be problematic for Thivanka, as Anjalika is the daughter of a plantation caretaker employed by Thivanka's father. Thivanka's childhood friend, Kavya is in love with Thivanka and wants to marry him. The inevitable clash of rich and poor ends in the kidnapping and subsequent death of Anjalika. Thivanka, reeling from grief, decides to accompany a friend to Malaysia to clear his mind. While there, he meets a girl named Uttara who is a look alike of Anjalika. He eventually learns that the girl is Anjalika, and her death was faked by his father, Clifford, who mistakenly thought he was Anjalika's biological father, and that he therefore needed to stop the marriage between Thivanka and Anjalika. Later, it is revealed that Anjalika is not Clifford's child. Finally, Thivanka and Anjalika marry while Kavya marries Thivanka's friend Gagana.

Cast

as Thivanka Imbulgoda *

as Anjalika/Uttara (Voice by Nadeesha Hemamali) *

as Kavya *

as Eardley Samaradivakara, Kavya's father * Narada Bakmeewewa as Gagana, Thivanka's friend *

Maureen Charuni Kurukulasuriya Maureen O'Hara Perera (born 19 September, 1963 as මොරින් චාරුනී) inhala, popularly known as Maureen Charuni, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema theater and television. Highly versatile actress who dominate ...

as Anjalika's mother *

Lakshman Mendis Balapaduwaduge Manukulasuriya Lakshman Mendis (born 19 May 1955: si, ලක්ෂ්මන් මෙන්ඩිස්), popularly as Lakshman Mendis, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television. Personal life He was born on 19 Ma ...

as Piyadasa, Anjalika's father *

as Clifford Imbulgoda *

Rosy Senanayake Bernadine Rose Senanayake, JP, UM (known as ''Rosy Senanayake'') (née Ramanayake; born 5 January 1958) is a Sri Lankan politician, a former beauty queen and also an activist. She is the current Mayor of Colombo, and former Prime Minister's S ...

as Paba Kumarihamy Imbulgoda *

Robin Fernando Pattiyage Robin Steven Fernando (born 15 June 1937 – died 8 January 2022 as රොබින් ප්‍රනාන්දු in inhala, popularly as Robin Fernando, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a stunt coord ...

as Police Officer *Oshadhi Hewamadduma as Meena * G.R Perera

Release

The film opened to good reviews. Chamitha Kuruppu of the ''

Sunday Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...

'' online edition was very complimentary towards Pooja: "All the credit goes to pretty Pooja Umashankar from India who portrays the title character Anjalika. The film will no doubt be a commercial hit, thanks to Pooja's brilliant acting, superb dancing skills and of course her gorgeous looks. Young Pooja's performance as mischievous Anjalika living a carefree life hanging around with children in a village, deserves all the praise. Applause to you Channa for your sweet and worthy 'introduction' to the Sinhala cinema!" "Anjalika will definitely be a commercial hit, thanks to lovely Pooja, breathtaking sceneries(sic) and Rohana Weerasinghe's brilliant music. There is no doubt that Sri Lankan film lovers will welcome Pooja with warm hearts and adore her performance. In simple words, Pooja has stolen the limelight.

References

{{Reflist 2006 films 2000s Sinhala-language films Films set in Sri Lanka (1948–present)