Swarna Mallawarachchi (born 1 August 1948: si, ස්වර්ණා මල්ලවාරච්චි), 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 Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...

. Often known as the "Golden star of Sinhalese cinema", Swarna began her acting career whilst still a schoolgirl, starring in the 1966 blockbuster film ''

Sath Samudura ''Sath Samudura'' (English language, "Seven Seas") is a landmark Sri Lankan film directed by professor Siri Gunasinghe and released in 1967. This film was critically acclaimed and is considered a major work in Sri Lankan cinema. It depicts the p ...

'' directed by

Siri Gunasinghe Siri Gunasinghe ( Sinhala: සිරි ගුණසිංහ ; 18 February 1925 – 25 May 2017) was a Sri Lankan academic, poet, Sanskritist, art historian, author and filmmaker. He played a crucial role in honing the creativity of free Sinhal ...

. During a career that spanning over 40 years, Swarna has won the 'Best Actress Award' 26 times, most by a Sri Lankan actress.

Personal life

She was born on 1 August 1948 in Kosgas Junction, Grandpass, Colombo. She completed education at Vijayaba Maha Vidyalaya, Grandpass. In a Colombo municipal election, Swarna, along with other communist leaders such as Peter Kehnemann and K. P. de Silva, fielded Abeysena, a candidate from his party in the Northern Grandpass division.

Career

In school times, she collaborated her friend Kanthi Kalyani Atugoda for the Handwritten school magazine "Pipena Kumudu". Through the magazine, she showcased her abilities. Swarna left Sri Lankan cinema for a brief period in the 1970s to live abroad. When she returned after a four-year absence there was an influx of new actresses. Swarna accepted supporting roles from directors during this period however obtained the Best Actress awards for these roles during these years. In 1983, she played the main role 'Ranmali' in the thriller drama film ''Dadayama'' directed by

Vasantha Obeysekera Vasantha Obeysekera (1937 – 2017), was a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter. Early life and career Kala Keerthi Vasantha Obeysekera who was regarded as one of the foremost film makers in the 70s decade graduated from the University ...

. After receiving positive reviews by the critics, she won the Best Actress award at Sarasaviya Awards for the role. She was appointed the

UNHCR The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integrati ...

ambassador for women's rights in Sri Lanka since 2004. Swarna's truly unique role as an actress is evident in films such as

's ''Dadayama'' (''The Hunt'') and ''Kadapathaka Chayava'' (''Reflections in the Mirror''),

Dharmasiri Bandaranayake Dr. Dharmasiri Bandaranayake (born 06th of October 1949) is a Sri Lankan film director and playwright. Particularly work as a playwright, Bandaranayake is an artist who attempts to connect the sociopolitical environment with the civil society thr ...

's ''Suddhilage Kathawa'' (''The Story of Suddhi'') and ''Bava Duka'' / ''Bava Karma'',

Sumitra Peries Kala Keerthi Sumitra Peries (born 24 March 1934) is the first Sri Lankan female filmmaker and is known by all as the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema". She also held the post of Sri Lanka's ambassador to France, Spain and the United Nations in the ...

' ''Sagara Jalaya'' (''Letter Written in the Sand'') and

Prasanna Vithanage Udaya Prasanna Vithanage ( si, ප්‍රසන්න විතානගේ) (born 14 March 1962) is a Sri Lankan filmmaker. He is considered one of the pioneers of the third generation of the Sri Lankan cinema. He has directed eight feature ...

's ''Anantha Rathriya'' (''Dark Night of the Soul)''.

Filmography

* No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.

Awards

Presidential Awards

, - , , 1981 , , , ''Hansa Vilak'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1986 , , , ''Suddilage Kathawa'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1997 , , , ''Bawa Duka'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1998 , , , ''Channa Kinnari'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 2017 , , , ''Age Asa Aga'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 2017 , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Lifetime Achievement , ,

OCIC Awards

, - , , 1982 , , , ''Ridi Nimnaya''
''Biththi Hathara''
''Yahalu Yeheli'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1983 , , , ''Dadayama'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1984 , , , ''Maya'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1985 , , , ''Suddilage Kathawa'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1988 , , , ''Sagara Jalaya'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1989 , , , ''Kadapathaka Chaya'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1996 , , , ''Anantha Rathriya'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1997 , , , ''Bawa Duka'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1998 , , , ''Channa Kinnari'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 2017 , , , ''Age Asa Aga'' , , Best Actress , ,

Sarasaviya Awards ''Sarasaviya Awards'' (Sinhala:සරසවිය සම්මාන) is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Sinhala cinema, each year by the Sarasaviya weekly newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers ...

, - , , 1983 , , , ''Dadayama'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1985 , , , ''Suddilage Kathawa'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1988 , , , ''Sagara Jalaya'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1997 , , , ''Bawa Duka'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1998 , , , ''Channa Kinnari'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 2014 , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Lifetime Achievement , ,

Swarna Sanka Awards

, - , , 1988 , , , ''Sagara Jalaya'' , , Best Actress , , , - , , 1989 , , , ''Kadapathaka Chaya'' , , Best Actress , ,

Hiru Golden Film Awards ''Hiru Golden Film Awards'' (Sinhala:හිරු රන් සිනමා සම්මාන) is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Sri Lanka's silver screen, awarded by the Asia Broadcasting Corporation, Sri Lan ...

, - , , 2014 , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Lifetime Achievement , ,

Sumathi Awards ''Sumathi Awards'' ( si, සුමති සම්මාන) is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with Sri Lanka's television screen, each year by the Sumathi Group of Company, Sri Lanka in recognition of the contributions m ...

, - , , 2017 , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Lifetime Achievement , ,

Derana Film Awards ''Derana Film Awards'' (Sinhala:දෙරණ සිනමා සම්මාන) is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Sri Lanka's silver screen, each year by the TV Derana, Sri Lanka in recognition of the contributi ...

, - , , 2017 , , , ''Age Asa Aga'' , , Best Actress , ,

Other Awards

, - , , – , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Bangladesh Film Development Board Award , , , - , , – , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Zonta Woman of the Year , , , - , , – , , , Contribution to Cinema , , Sanpac Felicitation , ,

References

External links

Swarna Mallawarachchi's Biography in Sinhala Cinema DatabaseOfficial Website - National Film Corporation of Sri LankaOfficial Website of Lester James Peries in association with Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka Swarna Mallawarachchi in Sinhalaස්වර්ණා මල්ලවාරච්චි අසංක දේවමිත්‍ර පෙරේරා සමඟ හෘදයාංගම කතාබහක...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mallawarachchi, Swarna Sri Lankan film actresses Sinhalese actresses Living people 20th-century Sri Lankan actresses Kala Keerthi 1956 births