Kalasuri Palamakumbura Herath Mudiyanselage Sriyani Weerakoon Kumarihami (born 14 June 1944 as
ශ්රියානි අමරසේන), popularly as Sriyani Amarasena, is an
actress
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...
in
Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a producer. Sriyani has appeared in several critically acclaimed
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 ...
' movies including ''Golu Hadawatha'', ''Desa Nisa'' and ''Ahasin Polawata''.
Personal life
She was born on 14 June 1944 in Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka. Her father worked at Colombo Municipal Council. She had her education from three schools, primary education from Meetotamulla College, and then from
Musaeus College Musaeus, Musaios ( grc, Μουσαῖος) or Musäus may refer to:
Greek poets
* Musaeus of Athens, legendary polymath, considered by the Greeks to be one of their earliest poets (mentioned by Socrates in Plato's Apology)
* Musaeus of Ephesus, liv ...
and Gothami Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo.
She is married to former journalist Arthur U. Amarasena. The couple has one daughter, Inoka Amarasena and one son, Sampath Amarasena. Inoka also acted in few films such as ''Kristhu Charithaya'' and ''Gehenu Lamai''.
Acting career
During school time, she acted few dramas like ''Hathara Beeri Kathawa'' and ''Koheda Yanne Rukmani''.
Then, she met Siri Perera and entered to Lama Mandapaya program in the SLBC. Amarasena first appeared on stage drama with P. D.L Perera's ''Thammanna'', and then gain popularity with the role daughter of
Dayananda Gunawardena
Hettipathirannehelage Dayananda Gunawardena ( Sinhala: දයානන්ද ගුනවර්ධන) (15 October 1934 – 24 June 1993), better known as Dayananda Gunawardena, was a Sri Lankan playwright, actor, lyricist, dramatist, radio pla ...
's stage drama ''Naribana''.
Some of her other stage dramas include ''Hitha Honda Ammandi'' and ''Ves Muhunu''.
Her maiden cinematic appearance came through a feature film ''Wings Over Ceylon'' directed by Pagngnasoma Hettiarachchi.
Then she acted in a minifilm ''Keti Kathawa'' directed by
D.B. Nihalsinghe. This film is recorded as the first cinemascope film produced in Sri Lanka.
After the marriage, Amarasena entered mainstream cinema, where her maiden acting came through in the blockbuster film ''Golu Hadawatha'' in 1968. This in turn opened door to enter popular cinema industry. Some of her notable dramatic roles came through the film such as ''Desa Nisa'', ''Ahasin Polawata'', ''Viragaya'' and ''Mahagedara''. Apart from dramatic roles, Amarasena also acted many commercial films of many genre, such as ''Kalyani Ganga'' and ''Raththaran Amma'', which earned her positive critical responses.
In 1993, she was awarded the Sarasaviya award for the film ''Kulageya''.
Her maiden teledrama production came through ''Dath Kekulu Pala''. Then she produced three television serials, ''Ira Bata Taruwa'', ''Hemanthaye Wasanthayak'' and ''Hangi Muttham'' where they made partly in London for England-based Sri Lankan audiences. In 2003, she directed and produced the tele series ''Peraliya'', which was shot in Australia. In 2005, she directed the serial ''Thusharaye Chaya'' which was shot in USA. In 2011, she directed the serial ''Mayura Asapuwa''.
In 2019, he was honored with Janabhimani Honorary Award at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. In 2021, he was honored with the 'Deshabhimani Keerthi Kalabushana' award.
Filmography
As actress
As producer
References
External links
Face 2 Face with Sriyani Amarasena Journalist cum actress
*
මම කිසිදේකින් සැලෙන්නේ නෑ - ප්රවීණ රංගවේදිනී ශි්රයාණි අමරසේන
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amarasena, Sriyani
Living people
Sri Lankan film actresses
1944 births
Alumni of Musaeus College