Asokamala is a 1947
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
n historical film co-directed by
Shanthi Kumar
Berty Seneviratne (16 September 1916 – 22 February 1967 බර්ටි සෙනෙවිරත්න), popularly known by stage name Shanthi Kumar was an actor, filmmaker and choreographer in Sri Lankan cinema. Considered one of the thr ...
and T. R. Goppu and produced by Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner. It was the second film made in the Sinhalese language and the first by a Sinhalese director. It also was the first film that W. D. Albert Perera (later known as
Amaradeva
Sri Lankabhimanya Wannakuwattawaduge Don Albert Perera ( si, වන්නකුවත්තවඩුගේ දොන් ඇල්බට් පෙරේරා; ta, டபிள்யூ. டி. அமரதேவா; 5 December 1927 – 3 Nov ...
),
Mohideen Baig and
Mohammed Ghouse contributed to. The melodies of the songs of 'Asokamala' were original ones devised by Mohamed Ghouse- a departure from what was to be the copying of Indian melodies in the time to come.
Plot
Prince-heir Saliya gives up the throne to marry the commoner Asokamala.
Cast
*
Shanthi Kumar
Berty Seneviratne (16 September 1916 – 22 February 1967 බර්ටි සෙනෙවිරත්න), popularly known by stage name Shanthi Kumar was an actor, filmmaker and choreographer in Sri Lankan cinema. Considered one of the thr ...
as Saliya 'Kumara'
* Evelyn Dimbulana as Asoka Mala
* Michael Sannas Liyanage as Senadhipathi Vipula 'Senevi'
* Herbie Seneviratne as Sena 'Kumara'
* Don Edward as Ran Kira 'Appucha'
* Austin Abeysekara as Abhaya 'Appa'
* Michael Rodrigo as Maharaja Dutugemunu
* Srimathi Karunadevi as Chitra
*
W. D. Amaradeva
Sri Lankabhimanya Wannakuwattawaduge Don Albert Perera ( si, වන්නකුවත්තවඩුගේ දොන් ඇල්බට් පෙරේරා; ta, டபிள்யூ. டி. அமரதேவா; 5 December 1927 – 3 Nov ...
as Swami
* Sunil Premadasa as Vinitha
* Peter Siriwardena as Mahadavan
Production
This movie was shot at
Central Studios
Central Studios was an Indian film studio in the neighbourhood of Singanallur, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, started by B.Rangaswamy Naidu (a.k.a. B. R. Naidu) and other prominent industrialists like Swamikannu Vincent of Coimbatore in 1935 to ma ...
in
Coimbatore
Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
, India as was many other Sinhala films that were shot in Madras Presidency in center like
Madras
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
,
Coimbatore
Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
and
Salem.
[ ]
Songs
* "Bhave beetha hera" – W. D. Albert Perera (Pandith W.D. Amaradewa)
* "Prithi Prithi" – Bhagyarathi and chorus (lyrics by D.T. Fernando)
* "Ho Premey Babaley" – Mohideen Baig and Bhagyarathi
* "Shantha Mey Rathriye" – Bhagyarathi (Lyrics by D.T. Fernando)
* "Aaley Mage" – Mohideen Baig
* "Ai Kare Yamak Aley" – W. D. Albert Perera (Pandith W.D. Amaradewa, lyrics by D.T. Fernando)
* "Jale Mey Dane" – Bhagratathi
* "Nayana Wani Sudo" – Mohideen Baig and Bhagyarathi (lyrics by D.T. Fernando)
* "Aloke Dey" – Bhagyarathi (lyrics by D.T. Fernando)
* "Suduwa Jaya Sri" – Mohideen Baig and chorus
References
External links
Sri Lanka Cinema Database
1947 films
Films set in the Anuradhapura period
Sri Lankan historical films
1940s historical films
Sri Lankan black-and-white films
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