Kovilage Anton Vijaya Kumaranatunga, popularly known as Vijaya Kumaratunga, was a Sri Lankan actor, playback singer and a politician, regarded as one of the most popular icons in Sri Lankan cinema of all time. He was married to former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaranatunga from 1978 until his assassination in 1988. He was the Founder of Sri Lanka Mahajana Party.
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 Lankan films are usually made in Sinhala and Tamil, the dominant languages of the country.
Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly known as Malini Fonseka is a Sri Lankan actress, theatre artist and a director. Often considered the "Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema", Fonseka first became widely known when she won the 'Best Actress Award' at the 1969 National State Drama Festival, followed by Sarasaviya Best Actress Awards for Hingana Kolla in 1980, Aradhana in 1982 andYasa Isuru in 1983.
Swarna Mallawarachchi, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema. 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 directed by Siri Gunasinghe. During a career spanning over 40 years, Swarna has won the 'Best Actress Award' 26 times, most by a Sri Lankan actress.
Tennakoon Mudiyanselage Jayaratne, also known as T.M. Jayaratne (Sinhala:ටි.එම්.ජයරත්න) in Dodangoda, Sri Lanka is a popular Sri Lankan vocalist and a violinist.
Ganga Addara was a 1980 Sinhalese language film directed by Sumitra Peiris and produced by Sumathi Films. The film stars Vasanthi Chathurani and late Vijaya Kumaratunga in the lead roles. Adapted from a novel by Letitia Botejue, its script was written by veteran director Tissa Abeysekara. The music and English lyrics were composed by Nimal Mendis. It was translated into Sinhala by Augustus Vinayagaratnam and was sung by Vijaya Kumaratunga, who also made his mark as a playback singer. Ganga Addara, which was the second production of Sumathi Films was set in Kandy, colonial Sri Lanka. Its plot is about a tragic love story between a boy and his uncle's daughter, where all the incidents take place around river Kalani, a famous river in Sri Lanka.
Ahasin Polowata is a 1978 Sri Lankan drama film directed by Dr Lester James Peries and written by Tissa Abeysekara. The film stars Tony Ranasinghe as Sarath, an abusive husband who is haunted by his wife's death.
Bambaru Avith (The Wasps are Here) (Sinhala: බඹරු ඇවිත්) is a 1978 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Dharmasena Pathiraja and produced by director himself with Thilak Godamanne for Saranga Salaroo. It explores tradition and exploitation following the introduction of capitalism to a tiny fishing village and the subsequent clash between the local boss and the urban outsider.
Deshabandu Tony Ranasinghe, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television.Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Sinhala cinema of all - time, Tony is highly praised for his unique facial expressions, voice, the variety of body languages & some of the hard - tensioned roles which were extremely difficult to act, such as Sarath's role in Ahasin Polowata, Nissanka's role in Delovak Athara etc
Cyril Wickramage is an actor and director in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television as well as a singer. Wickramage is known for participating mainly in artistic Sinhala films. Performed as a charismatic actor in all three art forms: stage, cinema, and teledrama, Wickramage is most notable for the dramatic roles in the films, Bambaru Avith, Karumakkarayo, Seilama and Dheewari.
Dehipitiyage Don Somasiri, popularly as Somasiri Dehipitiya, was a popular Sri Lankan character actor. He is best known for performances in Dharmasena Pathiraja and Vasantha Obeysekera films.
Hiru Golden Film Awards is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Sri Lanka's silver screen, awarded by the Asia Broadcasting Corporation, Sri Lanka and organised by Hiru TV, in recognition of the contributions made by them to the Sri Lankan cinema industry. First commenced in 2014, is held every two years, Hiru Golden Film Awards ceremony is one of the most popular cinematic program events in Sri Lanka. The ceremony was held thrice with the participation of popular Bollywood film stars along with Sri Lanka's finest stars together.
Saranga Disasekara is a Sri Lankan actor, singer, model and a host by profession. Saranga was awarded the most popular television actor in Sri Lanka award at Sumathi Awards, Raigam Tele'es and SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards several times. Currently, he is hosting Sri Lanka's most popular reality programme Hiru Star.
Derana Film Awards 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 contributions made by them to the Sri Lankan cinema industry and cinema achievements. The Derana Film Awards ceremony is one of the most popular cinema award events in Sri Lanka. The awards were first introduced in 2012 with Unilever Sri Lanka has been the main sponsors of this Film festival.
Wanniarachchige Samanalee Fonseka, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema and television. Apart from acting, she is also a social activist who stands against racism, gender inequality and other social issues in Sri Lanka.
Kaushalya Fernando, is a Sri Lankan actress, director, producer and civil activist. Fernando is a five-time winner of the prestigious best actress award at the State Drama festival. She is the daughter of popular theatre director late Somalatha Subasinghe.
Virginia Sandhya Peiris [Sinhala]), better known as Veena Jayakody, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. Jayakody started as a child artist and has played critically acclaimed roles in films Sagarayak Meda, Ra Manamali and Sarungalaya.
Ramya Wanigasekara was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television. A pioneer of Sri Lankan radio, she was a Radio Ceylon news reader for more than two decades. She was also a playback singer.
Ranasinghe Rajapakse Samarakoon [Sinhala]), popularly as R.R. Samarakoon, was a Sri Lankan dramatist, playwright, translator and author. One of the earliest pillars of Sri Lankan drama, he is well known for several stage plays directed and produced in 1970s including Kelani Palama and Ahasin Wetunu Minissu.
Herath Mudiyanselage Jayawardena, popularly as H. M. Jayawardena, was a Sri Lankan flutist, musician and composer. One of the most respected musicians in Sri Lanka, Jayawardena started his musical career as a flutist and later became a popular music director and composer.
