Rukmani Devi

Rukmani Devi, was born as Daisy Rasammah Daniels to a Tamil Colombo Chetty Christian family on 15 January 1923 at Ramboda in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Second, in a family of five, her father, John Daniel worked on a plantation and her mother, Helen Rose was a teacher.[3]

She grew up in Colombo and had her early education at St. Matthew's School and then moved on to St. Clare's School, Wellawatte.

As a little girl, Daniels showed an inborn talent to sing and dance. At the age of seven, she was picked to sing Christmas carols. Impressed with her ability to sing, dance, and also to act, she was selected to perform a main role in a Christmas play, 'The Shoemaker's Wife'.

The stage play was trained and presented by St. Clare's School, Wellawatte.

Watching her play this role much enthusiastically, Walter Abeysinghe, a drama producer sought permission from her father, to invite her to play the lead role of 'Sita' in his drama 'Ramayanaya.' Thus, in 1935 at the age of just 12 years she performed in this stage play, presented by the 'Sinhala Natya Sabha'.

She was married to veteran dramatist, actor and singer, Eddie Jayamanne, whom she fell in love with as a result of her close association with him, when performing in dramas produced by "Minerva Dramatic Club" founded by B. A. W. Jayamanne. They lived at "Jaya Ruk", at Angurukaramulla, Negombo.

Rukmani Devi sings before public audience at Dewalapola in May 1976.

This marked the beginning of an illustrious career that would span over four decades. As her performances were highly appreciated by the packed audience, well-known dramatist Dick Dias chose her for two of his stage plays, "Jana Kiharanaya" and "Mayawathie". She was now flooded with stage dramas, as she became Mayawathi in Charles Dias' 'Mayawathi', Juliet in a Sinhala adaption of Romeo and Juliet, playing the lead female role in all of them.

With her first audio recording of the famous song "Siri Buddhagaya Vihare" with Master "H. W. Rupasinghe". in 1938, she captured the hearts of the masses and she shaped her career from that of an actress to that of an actress turned singer. This song was recorded to 78 rpm (gramophone) record label HMV with the number N-9300 and issued in 1939 by the Cargills Ltd, local agents for HMV

Her unique voice attracted many music directors, as her singing career moved from the stage to the silver screen.

It was also, around this time that her name underwent a change from Daisy Daniels to the well known 'Rukmani Devi'. There are two schools of thinking as to how the name "Rukmani Devi" originated. According to one school, the late H. W. Rupasinghe maestro created the name, while the other believe that Jayantha Weerasekara and Michael Sannas Liyanage who is in his 90s, created it.[4]

B. A. W. Jayamanne, founder of "Minerva Dramatic Club" of Negombo took Rukmani to perform remarkable roles in his dramas, such as 'Apparition', 'Broken Promise', 'Changing Fate, 'Defeated Aim', 'Evasive Denial', 'Fanatic Faith', 'Grisly Guardian', 'Hasty Decision' and lastly 'Irangani'. Above-mentioned plays followed the English alphabet.

The popular play 'Broken Promise' (Kadawunu Poronduwa), was adapted into a film by B. A. W. Jayamanne. This was the first Sinhala film – Kadawunu Poronduwa, screened on 21 January 1947. Rukmani Devi, who also began her film career through the role of 'Ranjani' in this film, also became the first local cinema actress. Her film career, which thus began spread over a period of more than three decades.

According to Sri Lankeya Cinema Vanshaya (pp 637 – 638) written by Nuwan Nayanajith Kumara, from Kadawunu Poronduwa in 1947 to Ara Soyza in 1984, Rukmani Devi had played different roles in 99 films, up to the time of her death.

An equally talented singer, some of the immortal songs she sang for films are Sandyave Sriya for 'Kadawunu Poronduwa', Pinsara Mage Soyura for 'Kapati Arakshakaya', Gala Kandeni, and Moranawa Preme Hade for 'Weradun Kurumanama', Nindede Rathri Yahane for 'Peralena Iranama', Mavila Pena vi Rupe for 'Kela Handa', Pem Sihina Loke Maya for 'Mathabhedaya', Melavi Yanna Hada Mage for 'Daiva Yogaya', Suva dena Sita Sanasum for 'Ladalu' and Doi Doi Puta for 'Ahasin Polavata'.

In 1975 Rukmani sing "Pem Rajatahane" with Milton Mallawarachchi.

In the mid sixties she joined the sinhala calypso musical group 'Los Cabelleros' led by late Neville Fernando. They recorded ever popular sinhala songs such as 'Malbara Himidiriye','Menike Obe sinawe' & 'Sandak nage'.

Rukmani Devi was also featured prominently on the airwaves of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia.

• Ada Handanawa Himiyani Yasodara
• Adara Nadiya Gala
• Adara Pana Suda
• Adaraya Nisa Harde Bandena
• Adaraya nisa
• Adarayai Karunawayi
• Alokaya Hama Thana Pathire
• Anna Sudo Ara Pata Wala - (with Mohideen Beg)
• Ara Ramani Pem Handa Akase - (with Dharmadasa Walpola)
• Ase Geethe Madura Jeewe - (with Dharmadasa Walpola)
• Asure Nisa Me
• Chandra Mage Ko Ane
• Dadi Kala Matha
• Dalwaw Bathi Adara Pem
• Danno Budunge
• Deerghayu Siri Labewa - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe & Kokila Devi)
• Denna Priye Dathata Oya Datha
• Deviyan Ko Saman Deviyan
• Dewa Gini Mawa
• Dharmaraja Maraji - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Doi Doiya Putha
• Dushmantha Aho Kimado
• Gala Kandeni
• Giye Aida Mawa Thanikara
• Hada Gilei Ama Mihire - (with Mohideen Beg)
• Herdhey Pina-aei
• Jaya Mangala Gatha
• Jeewithe Ma
• Kiyanna Rankanda
• Koheda Yanne Ran Menike Oya
• Lakmenige Darukela - (with master H.W.Rupasinghe & Kokila Devi)
• Mage Prema Raja
• Manike Obe Sinahawe - (with Neville Fernando)
• Mata Mata Gamini Mata - (with master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Mawa Penwala
• Muhude Pathule Kimidee - (with Mohideen Beg)
• Muniraja Diyana Swami - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Muni Sri Dalada - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Nilambare Paya - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Pem Rajadhane Ahas Maligavo - (with Milton Mallawarachchi)
• Pem Rajaya
• Pem sagare
• Raja Sri Mangala - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Sandyawe Pena Pena - (with master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Saranawewa Wasana - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe & Kokila Devi)
• Siri Buddhagaya Vihare - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Siri Pada Kamal - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Silpa Satara Loke - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Srimuni Gautama - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Siriyavi Mage - (With Mabel Blyth)
• Sudata Sudey - (With Mohideen Baig)
• Thayam Mayam
• Thribhuwana Jana Puja - (With master H.W.Rupasinghe)
• Wandimee Sadaren - (with master H.W.Rupasinghe & Kokila Devi)
• Wasana wantha kala laba - (with Dharmadasa Walpola)

Rukmani Devi, died in a tragic motor accident near St. Mary's Church, Thudella on 28 October 1978. She was returning after a musical show in Uyanwatte, Matara. Her funeral ceremony was attended by a very large gathering; film makers and dramatists, friends, politicians, relatives and her beloved fans.

She was the most celebrated Sri Lankan artiste and a statue in memory of her was erected at the Kanuwana Junction. The road on which the Rukmani Devi Museum in Negombo is located was also renamed 'Rukmani Devi Mawatha' by President Ranasinghe Premadasa, on 28 October 1990.

• Best background Singer for the song 'Doi doiya putha' in the film 'Ahasin Polawata' at the inaugural Presidential Awards Ceremony in 1976.
• Best actress Award for 'Kele Handa' at the 'Deepasika' awards ceremony conducted by 'Lankadipa' Newspaper in 1956.
• Voted Best Actress with a majority of 16,221 votes at the 'Reader's Contest' conducted by 'Dinamina' Newspaper in 1955.

She was the one and only Sri Lankan actress on the cover page of popular Indian Film Magazine "Filmfare" and was also featured in "My like and dislike" in 1958 in the Filmfare. The second generation Toyota Hi-ace is known in Sri Lanka as the 'Rukmani Model', because she was travelling in one when she had her fatal accident.

On 12 August 2011, a former mayor of Negombo and a former Minister of the Parliament Mr. Ananda Munasinghe was allegedly charged and arrested by the Negombo Police for dislodging the statue of Rukmani Devi, erected on her grave by one of her fans Mrs. Sriyani Achala Dissanayake. Several popular media bloated this incident as an attack by an unidentified group of criminals to Rukmani Devi's grave,[5] and a protest rally to this incident was organised in Negombo on 14 August 2011.[6] However, later it was revealed that Mr. Ananda Munasinghe who is also the Son-in-Law of Bernard Aloysius Jayamanne (B. A. W. Jayamanne) is in fact the present owner of this grave and he has dislodged the statue to erect a proper statue of Rukmani Devi as the statue which was erected earlier was a disrespect to the beauty and looks of Rukmani Devi.

The grave Rukmani Devi is buried is the ancestral family plot of the Jayamanne family and all her in-laws are buried there. This can be seen on the tombstone erected and is evident on the deed title held by the family. The statue erected by "Mrs. Sriyani Achala Dissanayake" was a cheap publicity stunt to restore her lost fame to make a living. She did not take approval from the family nor informed the family. She fabricated this attack story by providing "favours" to the right people in law and publicity

• Rukmani Devi's official website
• Rukmani Devi's Biography in Sinhala Cinema Database
• National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka – Official Website
• A rare interview with the Radio Ceylon
• Rukmani Devi in Sinhala
• රුක්මණී ගැන ඇත්ත කතාවක්
• Evaluating Rukmani's role in films