Kala Keerthi The Kala Keerthi ( si, කලා කීර්ති) is a Sri Lankan national honour awarded "''for extraordinary achievements and contributions in arts, culture and drama''". It is the highest national honour for arts, culture and drama in Sri Lan ...

Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka () (21 March 1936 - 30 September 2004 as ගාමිණී ෆොන්සේකා), was a Sri Lankan film actor, film director and politician. Often considered as the Greatest Actor in the Sinhala Cinema, Fonseka dominated the cinema in 1960s and 1970s to bagged Best Actor award in multiple times. Apart from acting, he was the Deputy Speaker of Sri Lanka Parliament from 1989 to 1994 and Governor of the North-Eastern Province from 1995 to 1998. He is widely regarded as the King of Sri Lankan cinema history and first Crowned King out of three (

Joe Abeywickrama 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 ...

and

Tony Ranasinghe Deshabandu Ranasinghe Hettiarachchilage Ignatius Anthony Silva (31 July 1937 – 16 June 2015 as ටෝනි රණසිංහ), popularly as Tony Ranasinghe, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. He is known as the Lov ...

are others) to die.

Personal life

Fonseka was born on 21 March 1936 in Dehiwela the third child of William and Daisy Fonseka. Starting school at a Presbyterian institution, he moved on to

S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia , motto_translation = Be Thou Forever , song = Thomian Song , athletics = Yes , sports = Yes , nickname = Thora , denomination = Anglican , patron ...

. As a youngster, he gained repute for imitating administrative figures at school. Foneska also prospered in the study of the

Sinhala 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 s ...

and literature (under the guidance of D. S. Jayasekera, who is also reputed to have introduced him to acting in stage plays) and placed in the upper fourth for a Sinhala literature prize. The award for this achievement was presented to him by S. Thomas' graduate and Sri Lankan Prime Minister

D. S. Senanayake Don Stephen Senanayake ( si, දොන් ස්ටීවන් සේනානායක,; ta, டி. எஸ். சேனநாயக்கா; 21 October 1884 – 22 March 1952) was a Ceylonese statesman. He was the first Prime Mi ...

. Foneska was also an accomplished cricket player. Fonseka was married to his longtime girlfriend Dorothy Margaret Valencia also known as "Tina" in 1962 and had four children Chamila, Thanuja, Dammith and Ishara. Many years later he also fathered Kaushalya and Poornima with his partner Angela Seneviratne. Through them came his 10 grandchildren: Yasara, Vivek, Indula,Daniel, Tarik, Janik, Hrithik, Ruveka and Tiasha. He remained married to Tina until his death in September 2004. His son Damith was a popular film actor in 1990s. He acted in many commercially successful films such as ''Chandi Rejina'', ''Ira Handa Illa'', ''Chandiyage Putha'', ''Cheriyo Darling'', and ''Raththaran Malli''. Fonseka died on 30 September 2004 at the age of 68 at his residence in Ja-Ela.

Film career

Fonseka abruptly ended his secondary education and dove into the film industry. He originally wanted to be a

cameraman A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task. In filmmakin ...

and in this line worked as the second Assistant Director on David Lean's ''

Bridge on the River Kwai ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle. Although the film uses the historical setting of the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943, the pl ...

'' and

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, a ...

's '' Rekava'' (1956). Fonseka was first on-screen in ''Rekava'' as part of a crowd. He also did some work on an English television series filmed in Sri Lanka. Fonseka's first credited acting role was in ''Daiwa Yogaya'' (1959) in which he played a small role. Lester James Peries ''

Sandesaya ''Sandesaya'' ( Sinhalese language word meaning ''The Message'') is a 1960 film. The film based on the war between the Sinhalese people and the Portuguese invaders in Sri Lanka. It was directed by Sri Lankan film director Lester James Peries. It ...

'' (1960) first established him in a leading role. With films like ''

Adata Wediya Heta Hondai Adata Vediya Heta Hondai (Sinhala, ''Tomorrow Is Better Than Today'') is a 1963 Sri Lankan film directed by Indian filmmaker M. Masthan and produced by producer K. Gunaratnam. The film starring Gamini Fonseka and Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya. It was ...

'', ''

Ranmuthu Duwa ''Ranmuthu Duwa'' ( en, Island of Treasures) was the first colour full-length Sinhalese language film to be produced in Sri Lanka in 1962. It was co-produced by Shesha Palihakkara, Arthur C. Clarke and directed by Mike Wilson, who also made his de ...

'', ''

Getawarayo ''Getawarayo'' is a 1964 Sri Lankan drama film co-directed by Mike Wilson and Tissa Liyanasuriya and produced by Shesha Palihakkara. The film starring Gamini Fonseka in lead role along with Sobani Amarasinghe, Joe Abeywickrema, Jeevarani Kurukula ...

'', and ''Dheevarayo'' Fonseka achieved popularity and became a box-office draw. Seeking to not play just commercial roles, Fonseka appeared as Jinadasa in the groundbreaking '' Gamperaliya'' (1964) working again with Peries. In

Titus Thotawatte 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 ...

's ''

Chandiya Chandiya or Chandia is a village near the town Anjar, the taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Village is located 21 km from nearest town Anjar. History Many castes and religious groups live in Chandiya, such as So ...

'', Fonseka played the first anti-hero role in Sri Lankan cinema and in Mike Wilson's ''Sorungeth Soru'' (1968), he played the role of Jamis Banda, the Sinhala James Bond. In 1964 at the first awards ceremony of the United Ceylon Fan Club held on 12 January at the Royal College Hall, Colombo, Gamini won the Best Actor award in 1963 for his role as Jinadasa in the film 'Gamperaliya'. This was Gamini's first award. Fonseka also tried out directing many accolades. His debut directorial work ''Parasathu Mal'' was warmly received. He directed a political satire Sagarayak Meda. The other films that were directed by him include ''Koti Waligaya'' and ''Nomiyana Minissu''. He entered television as well and became the best teledrama actor for the role he played in ''Kalu Saha Sudu''. Fonseka's role as Willie Abeynayake in '' Nidhanaya'' (1970) and as ASP Wicrema Randeniya in "''Welikathara''" are considered his crowning achievement. Both films have been recognised with Presidential awards among the 10 best Sri Lankan film. In 1980 Fonseka played Jaffna Tamil clerk Nadarajah in

Sunil Ariyaratne Vidyodaya Vibhushana Sahithya Kala Shiromani Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne Kuruwita Bandara (born 28 July 1949 as සුනිල් ආරියරත්න), popularly as Sunil Ariyaratne, is a Sri Lankan scholar, film director, author, poet and a ly ...

's ''Sarungale''. He has also has written some songs for the movies ''Sarungale'' (1979) and ''Mayurige Kathawa'' (1980).

Political career

In 1989, Fonseka entered politics after he joined the

United National Party The United National Party, often abbreviated as UNP ( si, එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය, translit=Eksath Jāthika Pakshaya, ta, ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி, translit=Aikkiya Tēciyak Kaṭci), ...

. He was elected to

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

in 1989 as a representative of the

Matara District Matara ( si, මාතර දිස්ත්‍රික්කය ''Mātara distrikkaya''; ta, மாத்தறை மாவட்டம் ''Māttaṛai māvaṭṭam'') is a district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. It is one of 25 districts ...

with the highest number of preferential votes and was appointed Deputy

Speaker of Parliament The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

of Sri Lanka. He was later appointed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga as Governor of the former North-East Province.

Awards

Filmography

As director

He has directed 10 films across many genre. * ''Parasathu Mal'' (1966) * ''Uthumaneni'' (1980) * ''Mayurige Kathawa'' (1980) * ''Sagarayak Mada'' (1981) * ''Ra Manamali'' (1981) * ''Sakwithi Suwaya'' (1982) * ''Koti Waligaya'' (1986) * ''Nomiyena Minisun'' (1994) * '' Anthima Reya'' (1998)

As actor

Until his death, Fonseka acted on 108 films, where 86 of them as lead actor and 19 more as a supporting actor. He directed 10 films and produced 2 films.

As film producer

References

External links

*
Official Website – Gamini Fonseka FoundationOfficial Website – National Film Corporation of Sri LankaGamini Fonseka: A Man of the Troops Gamini's Film History in Sinhala
*http://www.nfc.gov.lk/artist/gamini-fonseka-132/
ගාමිණී 13 යි

දැවැන්ත වෘක්ෂයේ සෙවණ ලැබූ අපේ සිනමාවේ සරුඵල