Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi
බුද්ධදාස විතානාරච්චි
Born (1947-07-30) July 30, 1947 (age 76)
Kegalle, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationSt. Mary's College, Kegalle
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present
SpouseSitha Lalani Hemamala
Children3

Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi (born 30 June 1947 as බුද්ධදාස විතානාරච්චි) [Sinhala]) is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television.[1][2] He is also a former member of the political party National Freedom Front.[3] He is known for the roles in teledrama Dandubasna Manaya, Akala Sandya[4] and stage drama Mahasupina.[5]

Personal life

He was born on 30 June 1947 in Kegalle, Sri Lanka. He received primary education at the village school and secondary Education at St. Mary's College, Kegalle. Since an early age, he showed ability to speech, perform in school theatre as well as drawing.[6]

He is married to his longtime partner Sitha Lalani Hemamala, postgraduate who did Masters Degree in Nursing from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Sitha began her career as a Staff Nurse and retired as Head of the Department of Nursing at the Open University of Sri Lanka. Later she worked as the Head of Nursing at Katsu International, a private university in Sri Lanka. The couple has two daughters: Priyanwada, Sulochana and a son, Siddhartha. His youngest daughter, Sulochana acted in few stage plays, teledramas and worked as a TV presenter in Sri Lanka. His son worked as a producer for the Rupavahini Corporation. Priyanwada is married to Rukman, Sulochana is married to Udaya and Siddhartha is married to Kanchana.[6]

Career

In the early seventies, he came to Colombo to pursue his drama career. Then he studied drama and theater at the Lionel Wendt Theater where he first entered stage dramas. Vithanarachchi started television acting in 1990s. His most notable television acting came through Jayantha Chandrasiri's epic serials: Dandubasna Manaya and Akala Sandya.[6]

Vithanarachchi started his film career with Veera Puran Appu back in 1978, directed by Lester James Peries with a minor role.[7] His most popular cinema acting came through films Agnidahaya, Sri Siddhartha Gautama and Aloko Udapadi.[8]

Apart from acting, he presented weekend programs on Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation for about 15 years.[6]

Notable television works

Political career

Vithanarachchi joined the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) way back in 1960. In 1981, he contested for the development committee elections from Gampaha district and was able to win under the JVP ticket. However, during the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987, Vithanarachchi was arrested and detained at the Welikada Prison for one and half years. In 1971, he was a prominent member of the JVP Islandwide singing group. Following the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection, he joined the JVP again and later became a member of the National Freedom Front (NFF) under the leadership of Minister Wimal Weerawansa. However, on 2010, he resigned from the party.[43]

Radio Play

Filmography

Year No. Film Role Ref.
1978 Veera Puran Appu Rebel [47]
1993 Guru Gedara Horatio
1995 Maruthaya
1996 Anantha Rathriya Lionel Ranasinghe
1996 Sihina Deshayen
1998 Channa Kinnari
1998 Dorakada Marawa Coroner [48]
2002 Agnidahaya Herath [49]
2003 Sudu Kaluwara Maddu Nilame Appuhamy [50]
2003 Sulang Kirilli Driver [51]
2005 Guerilla Marketing [52]
2006 Samaara Indu's father [53]
2012 Vijaya Kuweni Anurdha Purohita [54]
2013 Sri Siddhartha Gautama Guru Vishma Mitra [55]
2013 Samanala Sandhawaniya Vadisha's farther [56]
2014 Ahelepola Kumarihami Rev. Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thero [57]
2014 Parapura Chethana's father [58]
2015 Maharaja Gemunu Monk Mahasiva [59]
2017 Premaya Nam Samadhi's father [60]
2017 Aloko Udapadi Chief monk Mahatissa [61]
2017 Seema Na Akase Apeksha's father [62]
2018 Nidahase Piya DS D B Jayathilake [63]
2021 Kawuruth Danne Na [64]
TBD Gunananda Himi Migettuwatte [65]
TBD Thanapathilage Gedara [66]

References

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  6. ^ a b c d "I will never retire - Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi". Silumina. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
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  8. ^ "Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
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  66. ^ "Plot of Thanapathilage Gedara". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 October 2019.

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