Suminda Sirisena

Suminda Sirisena
Born Kegalle
Occupation Actor
Years active 1966–present
Spouse(s) Leela Sirisena
Awards Kala Keerthi (2017), Kala Bhushana (2014)

Kala Keerthi Suminda Sirisena (Sinhala: සුමින්ද සිරිසේන) (born July 4, 1948) is an award winning Sri Lankan stage, teledrama and film actor, having performed for nearly 60 years. He has played a wide range of starring or supporting roles.[1]

Early life

Sirisena was born on July 4, 1948, in Bossella, a rural village in Kegalle, Sri Lanka. His father was a small-time businessman in the village who also performed traditional Sri Lankan folk dramas and his mother was a housewife. After having his primary education at the village school, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Tholangamuwa Central College in 1963.[2]

At Tholangamuwa, he studied under Ariyawansa Ranaweera, Jayasumana Dissanayake, Daya Alwis and Wijayaratne Athurupane who were scholars and artists that had a major influence on Sri Lankan theatre and arts for many decades. In 1967 Sirisena played the lead role in the stage drama Girikutha which was selected to the final round of State School Drama Festival.[3]

Early career

After his school education, Sirisena moved to Colombo to join the Sri Lanka Railways as a Special Apprentice in 1969. In the same year, he joined the first batch of students of the theatre school Ranga Shilpa Shalika at Lionel Wendt Art Centre founded by Dhamma Jagoda. After completing the studies, he joined the drama group of Ediriweera Sarachchandra and acted in renowned stage dramas such as Maname, Sinhabahu, Bavakadaturawa, Mahasara and Kada walalu.[4]

Television career

Sirisena's first teledrama was Sihina Nimnaya, produced by Sri Lanka Rupavahini in 1985. He gained wide acclaim for his second teledrama Kumarihami, another Rupavahini production, where he played the supporting role of Hicchi Mahattaya. Since then he has acted in more than 40 teleseries, including Charitha Thunak, Monarathenna,[5] Pipi Pium,[6] Weten Eha,[7] Paramitha,[8] Dumriya Andaraya,[9] Mehew Rate,[10] Yasa Isuru,[11] and Boralu Para.[12]

Illness

Since 2012 Sirisena has not taken part in any productions due to illness.[13]

Personal life

Suminda Sirisena lives with his wife Leela Sirisena in Gampaha. They have two children.

Honours

Suminda Sirisena was awarded Kala Keerthi, the highest national honour for arts, culture and drama in Sri Lanka, in 2017.[14][15]

In 2014 he was awarded the Deshanethru award[16] and the Kala Bhushana state award in recognition of the service he had rendered to the country's performing arts.

Filmography

He has also acted on many critically notable films such as Duhul Malak, Saptha Kanya, Uppalawanna, Samanala Thatu,[17] Uduganyamaya,[18] Pitasakwala Kumaraya,[19] Bomba Saha Rosa,[20] Gamani,[21] and Ira Handa Yata.[22]

  • No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.[23]
YearNo.FilmRole
1976 344 Duhulu Malak Upali
1980 454 Dandu Monara Punchi Mahaththaya
1993 770 Guru Gedara Wedding guest
1993 782 Saptha Kanya Sarath
2003 1016 Yakada Pihatu Wilson 'Aiyya'
2004 1038 Gini Kirilli
2005 1247 Udugan Yamaya
2005 1054 Samanala Thatu Soththi Martin
2007 1090 Uppalawanna Veda Mahaththaya
2007 1109 Pitasakwala Kumarayai Pancho Hathai
2010 1144 Ira Handa Yata Trader
2011 1160 Gamani School teacher
2013 1185 Bomba Saha Rosa

Awards

State Drama Festival, Sri Lanka

Year Nominee/work Award Result
1992 Megha Best Supporting Actor Won
1993 Bavakadathurawa Best Actor Nominated
1995 Andarela Best Supporting Actor Won
1997 Romaya Gini Gani Best Actor Won

State Tele Awards Festival, Sri Lanka

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2007 Punaragamanaya Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2013 Monara Tenna Best Supporting Actor Won

Sumathi Tele Awards, Sri Lanka

Year Nominee/work Award Result
1997 Megha Best Supporting Actor Won
1999 Nisala Wila Best Actor Won
2003 Ransirige Sangramaya Best Supporting Actor Won
2004 Ramya Suramya Best Supporting Actor Won

Signis Awards, Sri Lanka

Year Nominee/work Award Result
1995 Siyapatha Best Actor Won
1995 Isiwara Asapuwa Best Supporting Actor Won
2002 Asani Wesi Best Actor Won
2004 Hadavila Sakmana Best Actor Won
2005 Uttamaviya Best Actor Won
2005 Ginikirillee Outstanding Performance Won
2006 Teth Saha Viyali Best Actor Won
2011 Abarthu Atha Best Supporting Actor Won

Raigam Awards, Sri Lanka

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2003 Punchirala Best Actor Won
2018 Excellence of Drama [24] Special Merit Award Won

References

  1. ↑ "Suminda Needs You". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  2. ↑ Premasiri, Tissa (June 8, 1987). "සුමින්ද ඇවිත්" [Suminda has arrived]. නවලිය (in Sinhala). Colombo. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  3. ↑ Gunawardena, Thilak (June 22, 2012). "සුමින්ද සුව වී යළි රඟපාන්න" [Suminda, get well and act again]. දිවයින (in Sinhala). Colombo. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. ↑ Gunawardena, Thilak (June 22, 2012). "සුමින්ද සුව වී යළි රඟපාන්න" [Suminda, get well and act again]. දිවයින (in Sinhala). Colombo. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  5. ↑ "Monarathenna on Swarnavahini". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Sumithra's 'Pipi Pium' on mini screen". Sunday Times. March 11, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  7. ↑ ""Weten Eha", a tale of neighbours". Sunday Times. November 18, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Paramitha felicitated". Sunday Times. July 27, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  9. ↑ "'Railway Stories': for a novel journey in teledrama". Sunday Times. September 21, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  10. ↑ "'Mehew Rate' to bring back folktales". Sunday Times. January 25, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  11. ↑ "'Yasa Isuru' tackles avarice of man". Sunday Times. May 17, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  12. ↑ "'Boralu Para' A plot on a policeman with principle". Sunday Times. August 19, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  13. ↑ Samaraweera, Kishani (January 15, 2017). "Now That There's Freedom of Expression: Artistes Take Up The Cudgel". Sunday Observer. Colombo. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  14. ↑ "National Honours — 2017". The Daily Mirror. Colombo. March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  15. ↑ "National Honours after 12 years". The Sunday Times. Colombo. March 19, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  16. ↑ "ජාතික සංස්කෘතියේ කලා නිකේතනය වූ මහනුවර අංග සම්පූර්ණ රඟහලක් ඉදි කරනවා" [We will build a complete theatre in Kandy, the heart of national art and culture]. දිවයින (in Sinhala). Colombo. September 15, 2014. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  17. ↑ "'Uppalawanna' completes 75th day landmark". Sunday Times. October 21, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  18. ↑ "'Uduganyamaya' on Rupavahini on Sunday". Sunday Times. October 28, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  19. ↑ "'Pitasakwala Kumaraya': A plot on an alien prince". Sunday Times. July 20, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Anuruddha arms with 'Bombs and Roses'". Sunday Times. March 29, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  21. ↑ "'Gamani': rolls strong". Sunday Times. August 16, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  22. ↑ "'Ira Handa Yata' honourably mentioned". Sunday Times. August 1, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Sri Lankan Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  24. ↑ "Raigam Tele'es 2017 award winners". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
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