Thilak Kumara Rathnayake

Deshashakthi Deshabandu Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Thilak Kumara Rathnayake (born 16 December 1960 as තිලක් කුමාර රත්නායක) [Sinhala]), popularly known as Thilak Kumara Rathnayake, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television.[1][2] One of the most popular television actors in Sri Lanka, Rathnayake is most notable for the trade mark role "Somadasa" in the television serial Kopi Kade. Apart from acting, he is a well known announcer and host in outdoor musical shows.[3]

Thilak Kumara Rathnayake
තිලක් කුමාර රත්නායක
Born
Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Thilak Kumara Rathnayake

(1960-12-16) December 16, 1960
Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationTerrence N. De Silva Maha Vidyalaya
OccupationActor, Announcer
Years active1982–present
Spouse(s)Anusha Lakmali (m. 1992)
Children3

Personal life

He was born on 16 December 1960 in Kolonnawa.[4] He completed education from Terrence N. De Silva Maha Vidyalaya, Kolonnawa.[5]

He also worked as a member of the Colombo Municipal Council.[3] He worked as the media secretary in the Ministry of Productivity Promotion from 2013 to 2019 as well as Media Secretary to Minister Daya Gamage.[6][7] He also worked as a consultant to the National Youth Services Council, to conduct workshops for the students who follow the Advanced Levels.[8]

In 2012, Rathnayake crashes into a three-wheeler and his right arm was broken near the elbow. However he continued to act in Kopi Kade with the banded arm.[9]

Rathnayake is married to Anusha Lakmali and the couple has two sons – Anjana, Harshana – and one daughter, Tharushi.[10][5]

Career

He started to act in several village outdoor plays since child age in 1976.[5] Later he received a job in stage plays as a prompter as well as food supplier under the guidance of B. Siritunga Perera. After few months, he was selected to the stage play Gini Kandu. In 1984, he won the award for the Best supporting actor at State Drama Festival for the play Pathalaye Soldaduwa.[10][11] His maiden television acting came through Sath Hiru Paya. However, it was not telecast.[6]

In 1987, Rathnayake was selected to the television serial Kopi Kade by Janaka Mahalpath. His role as "Somadasa" became highly popularized among the public.[12] He appeared in the series from the beginning which first aired on 1 April 1987 and continued to act in the series for more than 30 consecutive years up to date.[13]

Apart from Kopi Kade he has acted in many notable roles in the television serials such as, Himi Ahimi, Rail Peeli and Dimuthu Muthu. In 2011, he played the role "Galawatte Jinadasa" in the popular television serial Ama which gained enormous popularity.[10] His maiden cinema appearance came through 1982 blockbuster Hello Shyama directed by M. S. Ananda.[1]

He has directed two television serials, Gavven Gavva and Gimanata Pawana. Then he worked as a script writer for many episodes in Kopi Kade series.[14] Rathnayake also wrote the screenplay of the 2001 film Wasanthaye Kunatuwak.[10] In 2012, he was award the honorary title "Siri Sarasavi Prasadini Kolonnawa Abhimani" by the Kolonnawa Urban Council.[15]

Apart from acting, Rathnayake is a popular announcer in outdoor musical stage as well as television. His first television hosting was for "Shanida Wasanawa" lottery along with popular singer and announcer Charitha Priyadarshani. Since then, he worked as the announcer in many television programs such as "Ayubowan", "Shanida Ayubowan" and lottery programs. He was the announcer when LTTE made a bomb blast to assassinate Gamini Dissanayake in 1994. Luckily, he was survived from the bomb.[6]

Selected stage plays
  • Ahasin Watunu Minissu
  • Deyyoth Danne Na [16]
  • Ee Gawa Ge [17]
  • Gini Kandu
  • Kalani Palama [18]
  • Malwadam Anawashyay [19]
  • Pathalaye Soldaduwa

Selected television serials

Filmography
YearFilmRoleRef.
1982Hello Shyama
1982Kele Mal
1983Karate Joe
1985Varsity Kella
1989Badulu Kochchiya[22]
1990Pem Raja Dahana
1990Wana Bambara
1991Obata Pamanai Adare
1991Salambak Handai
1992Sinhayangeth Sinhaya
1995Deviyani Sathya SurakinnaJeevani's boyfriend
1997Punaruthpaththiya
1999Re Ru
2001Wasanthaye Kunatuwak
2003Sundarai AdareLionel Dissanayake
2012Vijaya KuweniJuthindar Senadhipathi[23]
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gollark: Oh, and about the lack of HTTP, backgrounds, that sort of thing (well, it's early alpha, so that makes sense). Still, it is definitely extremely cool.
gollark: Shame about the CC OS thing not being able to support teletext characters and whatnot. I wonder if there's a way to make it use a custom font.
gollark: And you can do better: `os.setComputerLabel(""..os.clock())`.
gollark: Do you even need the tostring?

References
  1. "Actor Thilak Kumara Rathnayake". films.lk. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  2. "Thilak Kumara Rathnayaka films". IMDb. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  3. "Tilak Kumara Ratnayake popularly called Somadasa in 'Kopi Kade'". The Island. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  4. "Live has become a theater". Ada. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  5. "During my first love - Thilak Kumara Ratnayake". The Island. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  6. "Chat With Thilak Kumara Rathnayaka". gossiplankalive1. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  7. "Army caterpillar epidemic has become a national threat". Dinamina. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  8. "An advisory post for Thilak". Silumina. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  9. "Thilak Kumara accident". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  10. "I still love the stage – Tilak Kumara Ratnayake". Divaina. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  11. "Still I am the Underworld Soldier in stage". Saaravita. Retrieved 2020-07-04.
  12. ""In politics, people don't make money" – Veteran announcer and actor Thilak Kumara Ratnayake". Dinamina. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  13. "Kopi Kade". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  14. "Kopi Kade gets stronger with every programme". Daily News. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  15. "'Honorary title for Thilak Kumara Rathnayake". sinhala.news. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  16. "Heart broken by art should be healed". Lankadeepa. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  17. "'Ee Gawa Ge' by Sarath Kulanga". Mirror Arts. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  18. "'Kalani Palama' at N M Perera MMV theatre". Daily News. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  19. "Live has become a theater". Ada. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  20. "Seven Iconic Teledramas In Sri Lanka's Television History". roar. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  21. "Sudu Anguru". lankahitgossip. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  22. "Badulu Kochchiya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  23. "Vijaya Kuveni is an unspecified Mahavamsa is our genealogy". Navaliya. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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