''Veera Puran Appu'' ( si, වීර පුරන් අප්පු, italic=yes) is a 1978

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 Sinhala epic biographical film directed by

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 ...

and produced by former cabinet minister

Tyronne Fernando Tyronne Fernando PC ( Sinhala:ටිරොන් ෆර්නැන්ඩො) (8 August 1941 – 26 February 2008) was a Sri Lankan politician who served as foreign minister from 2001 until 2004. Early life and education Fernando was born on ...

for Shalanka Films. It stars

Ravindra Randeniya Liyanage Boniface Walter Perera (born 5 June 1945), popularly known by his stage name Ravindra Randeniya, is a Sri Lankan actor and former politician. He rose to fame in Lester James Peries's film ''Desa Nisa'' in 1972, and was a popular actor d ...

and

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 ...

in lead roles along with

Malani Fonseka Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly as Malini Fonseka ( Sinhala:මාලිනී ෆොන්සේකා) (born 30 April 1947, in Kelaniya) is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well as a director. ...

and

Tissa Abeysekara Deshanabu Tissa Ananda Abeysekara (7 May 1939 – 18 April 2009 as තිස්ස අබේසේකර) was a Sri Lankan filmmaker, actor, writer, director, screen playwright and political activist. He is better known as a script writer for th ...

. Music composed by

Premasiri Khemadasa Deshamanya Kala Keerthi Dr.Premasiri Khemadasa ( Sinhala: ආචාර්ය ප්‍රේමසිරි කේමදාස ) (25 January 1937 – 24 October 2008) also known as "Khemadasa Master" was a Sri Lankan music composer. Exploring ...

. It is the 399th Sri Lankan film in the

Sinhala cinema Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the Sri Lankan film industry. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with '' Kadawunu Poronduwa'' produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone. Sri Lanka ...

. The film screened in 17 cinemas in the fifth board. The film completed box office 100 days at the Webley Cinema Hall, Kandy. In the film, it is noted that more than 1,500 actors contributed to the success of the film. In 1979 SIGNIS Awards ceremony, Tissa Abeysekara was awarded the memorial award for his role as Kudapola Thero.

Plot

The film centered around the story behind national patriot

Veera Puran Appu Weerahannadige Francisco Fernando alias Puran Appu ( Sinhala පුරන් අප්පු) is one of the notable personalities in Sri Lanka's history. He was born on 7 November 1812 in the coastal town of Moratuwa. He left Moratuwa at the ag ...

and his Matale rebellion in 1848 for the freedom from British. Though he was executed by the British by firing squad, his influence to the country's independence has been highly praised and thus Puran Appu is highlighted as a national hero of the Sri Lankan history.

Cast

Puran Appu Weerahannadige Francisco Fernando alias Puran Appu ( Sinhala පුරන් අප්පු) is one of the notable personalities in Sri Lanka's history. He was born on 7 November 1812 in the coastal town of Moratuwa. He left Moratuwa at the ag ...

'Franciscu Fernando' *

Malini Fonseka Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly as Malini Fonseka ( Sinhala:මාලිනී ෆොන්සේකා) (born 30 April 1947, in Kelaniya) is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well as a director. ...

as Bandara Menike *

Tissa Abeysekera Deshanabu Tissa Ananda Abeysekara (7 May 1939 – 18 April 2009 as තිස්ස අබේසේකර) was a Sri Lankan filmmaker, actor, writer, director, screen playwright and political activist. He is better known as a script writer for th ...

as Ven. Kudapola Sri Rahula Thero *

Gongalegoda Banda Wansapurna Dewage David alias Gongalegoda Banda (a.k.a. Peliyagoda David) (13 March 1809 – 1 December 1849 ) was the leader of the Matale rebellion in 1848, pretender to the throne of Kandy and a national hero of Sri Lanka. Early life Bor ...

'King David' *

Sriyani Amarasena Kalasuri Palamakumbura Herath Mudiyanselage Sriyani Weerakoon Kumarihami (born 14 June 1944 as ශ්‍රියානි අමරසේන), popularly as Sriyani Amarasena, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a produ ...

as Kuda Manike 'Kumarihamy' *

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 ...

as Punchi Rala *

Robin Fernando Pattiyage Robin Steven Fernando (born 15 June 1937 – died 8 January 2022 as රොබින් ප්‍රනාන්දු in inhala, popularly as Robin Fernando, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a stunt coord ...

as Hanguranketha Dingirala *

David Dharmakeerthi Kalukapuge Don David (born 1 September 1913 – died 10 September 1987 as ඩේවිඩ් ධර්මකීර්ති), popularly known as David Dharmakeerthi was an actor Sri Lankan early Sri Lankan cinema. Personal life He was born on 1 ...

as Gunnepana Arachchi *

Somasiri Dehipitiya Dehipitiyage Don Somasiri (born January 29, 1933 – died April 27,1982), popularly as Somasiri Dehipitiya, was a popular Sri Lankan character actor. He is best known for performances in Dharmasena Pathiraja and Vasantha Obeysekera films. Per ...

as Puran Appu's brother * Basil de Seram as British gunman * Jean-Pierre Hautin as Captain Neville Watson * Alfred Berry as Government Agent Bullen * John Burgess as Governor Torrington * David Thackeray as Sir Emerson Tennent * Elson Divithurugama as Village crier *

Vincent Vaas Andara Vaas Patabedige Vincent (7 November 1922 – 6 May 2004 වින්සන්ට් වාස්), popularly known as Vincent Vaas was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema. Often considered one of the best character actors in Sinhala cinema, ...

as Cruel Master *

Cletus Mendis Gammada Liyanage Cletus Paulinus Mendis, popularly as Cletus Mendis (born July 17, 1949 as ක්ලීටස් මෙන්ඩිස් Sinhala) is a Sri Lankan actor, mainly works in cinema and television. He has received a number of awards ...

as one of Puran Appu's soldiers *

Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi (born 30 June 1947 as බුද්ධදාස විතානාරච්චි) inhala is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. He is also a former member of the political party National Freedom ...

as Rebel *

Wilson Karunaratne Wilson Karunaratne, popularly known as Wilson Karu (28 October 1942 – 3 May 2022) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, and stunt director. Considered one of the best villains in Sinhala cinema, Karunaratne acted in more than 240 films across ma ...

as Rebel *

Granville Rodrigo Senadhipathige Granville Rodrigo,(born 22 September 1958 – died 14 January 1999 as ග්‍රැන්විල් රොද්‍රිගෝ) inhala, popularly known as Granville Rodrigo, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama an ...

as Rebel *

B. S. Perera Balasuriyage Steven Perera (born 31 March 1924 – died 24 June 1982 as බී. එස්. පෙරේරා) inhala, popularly as B. S. Perera, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and theater as well as a director and singer. One of the earlie ...

Songs

References

1978 films 1970s Sinhala-language films {{SriLanka-film-stub