Dharmapriya Dias

Dharmapriya Dias ( si, ධර්මප්‍රිය ඩයස්) is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. And a professional dubbing artist since 1995. Dias has titles such as playwright, actor, set designer, choreographer, teacher of art and has a master's degree in theatre and drama. He is the performing arts and sculpture art teacher in Shasthrananda Vidyalaya, Dehiwela.

Personal life

He studied at Sir Jhon Kothalawala College from grade 1 to O-Levels. He completed his education from Piliyandala Central College, where he started drama under Premakumara Karunaratne. He is married to Anoja Milanthi and the couple has two sons - Swarna Rawana and Prawara Bhashana.

Theatre career

Just after advanced level, he started to act in stage dramas. He acted in a stage play together with his fellow school leavers and the drama was selected for the final stage of Stage Drama Festival as well. His talents were polished under the direction of Sri Lanka's renowned artists such as Bandula Vithanage, K. B. Herath, Jayalath Manoratne, Rajitha Dissanayake, Thumindu Dodantenna and Chamika Hathlawaththa.

His maiden stage drama direction came through ''Saadaya Marai Salli Hamarai''. The drama reached a box office success within two years having run more than 200 shows. The drama also won several awards at the Stage Drama Festival, 2015 for the categories of best actor, actress, and stage manager. The final show before the break was staged on 20 November 2016. The drama won the awards for Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Stage management at 2015 State Drama Festival. He won the best Set Designer Award at the stage drama festival for ''Daasa Mallige Bangalawa'' co-directed by Ruwan Malith Peris, and Kalana Gunasekara. He is also the set designer of his own productions such as: ''Gahanu Vada Arabathi'' aka ''Lysistrata'', ''Sadaya Marai Salli Hamarai'', ''Mama Nevei Vena Kenek'', ''Julius Ceaser'', as well as Jayalath Manoratne's ''Lokaya Thani Yayak'', and Rajitha Dissanayake's plays ''Siriwardena Pawula'', ''Sihina Horu Aran'', ''Bakamuna Veedi Basi''.

Notable works

* ''Apahu Heranna Ba''
* ''Arundhathi''
* ''Asinamaali''
* ''Bakamuna Weedi Basi''
* ''Banku Weeraya''
* ''Baraniya''
* "Buruwa Mahaththaya"
* "Dasa Mallige Bangalawa"
* ''Deveni Mahindha''
* ''Dolahak''
* ''Guru Tharuva''
* ''Guti Kemata Niyamithai''
* ''Hari Apuru Dawasak''
* ''Hayina''
* ''Hithala Gaththu Theeranayak''
* ''Jayasirita Pissu''
* ''Julius Caesar''
* ''Kaneru Mal ''
* ''Lysistrata(Gahanu Veda arabathi)''
* ''Makarakshaya
* ''Malima''
* ''Mama Newei Wena Kenek''
* ''Mata Wedi Thiyan Nedda?''
* ''Muhunata Muhuna''
* ''Muthu Ataye Geethaya''
* ''Nathuwa Bari Minihek''
* ''Romaya Gini Gani''
* ''Sadaya Marai Salli Hamarai''
* ''Sihina Horu Aran''
* ''Sihina Sappuwa''
* ''Suriyamal''
* Sukarayek Samaga
* "Vara mal"
* ''Vanisiye Wellenda''
* ''Vasu Deva''
* ''Veeraya Marila''
* ''Visekariyo
* ''Nambu kara vilasini(Respectable Prostitute)''

Short plays

* ''Poparmama Saha Pinthuraya''
* ''Binduwa''
* ''Sanda Sewannella''
* ''Kiri Muttiya Gagegiya''
*Chandravathi samaga rathriyak
* ''Parani Malavun(Based on Franze Kafka's Short Story)''

Television career

With award-winning performances in stage dramas, Dias was able to move into the television drama career with some popular serials directed by Saranga Mendis, Sudatha Rohana, Janaka Siriwardena, and Dee Gee Somapala.

Notable works

* ''Adisi Nadiya''
* ''Deweni Inima'' as Ananda
* ''Gamane Ya''
* ''His Ahasa Yata''
* ''Hiru Kumari''
* ''Husma Saha Oxygen''
* ''Ingammaruwa''
* ''Ithin Ita Passe''
* ''Jeewithaya Dakinna''
* ''Jodu Gedara''
* '' Koombiyo'' as Padmakumara Kasthuri
* ''Lock Down Stories''
* ''Maddahana''
* ''Mahapolawa''
* ''Nadagamkarayo''
* ''Nil Ahasa Oba''
* ''Nilla Penena Manaya''
* ''Oba Nisa'' as Pramodha Dunukebandara
* ''Paradeesaya''
* ''Pawara Menuwara''
* ''Pini Bindu''
* ''Pork Veediya''
* ''Queen''
* ''Rahai Jeewithe''
* ''Ran Siri Mal''
* ''Rantharu''
* ''Sahodaraya''
* "Uthuvan Kande Saradiyal"
* ''Sihina Genena Kumariye'' as Cyril
* ''Snap''
* ''Sulanga Maha Meraka''
* ''Three-wheel Malli''

Filmography

Dias started his film career with ''Walapatala'' back in 2008, directed by Vijitha Gunarathna with a minor role. He played minor roles in Vijitha Gunaratne's ''Wala Patala'' and two other films ''Bora Diya Pokuna'' and ''Nahi Werena Werani''. His most popular cinema acting came through films ''Machan'', ''Puthandiya'' and ''Asandhimitta''. The role in ''Machan'' as Stanley was highly praised by the critics and earned him the award for Best Actor.

Awards and accolades

He has won several awards at the local stage drama festivals and television festivals, for acting, direction and choreography.

Youth Drama Festival Awards

, -
, , 1996 , , , ''Sajeant'' , , Best Supportive Actor , ,
, -
, , 1997 , , , ''Sanda Sewanella'' , , Best Supportive Actor , ,

Stage Drama Festival Awards

, -
, , 2003 , , , ''Hayna'' , , Best Actor , ,
, -
, , 2004 , , , ''Dasa Mallige Bangalawa'' , , Best Set Designer , ,
, -
, , , , , ''Gehenu Weda Arambathi'' , , Best Choreography , ,
, -
, , 1997 , , , ''Popar Mama Saha Pinthuraya'' , , Merit Award , ,
, -
, , 2001 , , , ''Asinamaali'' , , Merit Award , ,
, -
, , 2017 , , , ''Nathuwa Bari Minihek'' , , Best Actor , ,

Sarasavi Awards

, -
, , 2008 , , , ''Machan'' , , Best Actor , ,

References

External links

Funny Money

මම නළුවෙක් වෙන්න හිටපු කෙනෙක් නෙවෙයි – ධර්මප්‍රිය ඩයස්

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dias, Dharmapriya
Sri Lankan male film actors
Sinhalese male actors
Living people
Sri Lankan male stage actors
Year of birth missing (living people)