Titus Thotawatte | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva 17 April 1927 Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Died | 15 October 2011 (aged 84) |
| Alma mater | Ananda College, Colombo, Heywood Institute of Art[1] |
| Occupation(s) | film director, screenwriter, editor |
Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva (Sinhala:ටයිටස් තොටවත්ත), popularly as Titus Thotawatte, was a Sri Lankan director and editor who made several popular Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later developed Sinhala children's programmes. Thotawatte died on 15 October 2011 in Colombo.[2]
He was born on 17 April 1927 in Colombo.[3] He was the second child in a family of three children, with 1 elder brothers and one younger sister. He attended Ananda College in Colombo and studied art under J.D.A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe and Matara Technical College.
Thottawatte joined Lester James Peries and Willie Blake[4] as editor to make Rekava in 1956.[5] It was an attempt to make a truly Sinhalese movie in contrast with the Southern Indian copies then in vogue.
Thottawatte debuted as a director with Chandiya in 1965. The film starred Gamini Fonseka in the first villains role of Sinhala Cinema.[6] Other early films include Kauda Hari (1969), Thewatha (1970) and Haralaksaya (1971).[7]
In 1980,Thotawatte wrote and directed the children's movie Handaya,[7] which was awarded Best Picture at the Sarasaviya Film Festival.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he dubbed English cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Doctor Dolittle and Top Cat into Sinhala for Sinhalese audiences with the popular titles Ha Ha Hari Hawa, Dosthara Honda Hitha and Pissu Pusa respectively. He is considered to be the pioneer of dubbing programmes in Sri Lanka. These continue to air on Sinhala Television channels. Thotawatte created puppet characters like Eluson.
When the first National Media Awards took place in Sri Lanka, Thotawatte, was awarded a gold medal for his contribution to television and media in Sri Lanka.
| Year | Film | Roles | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Rekava | Film Editor | |
| 1960 | Sandesaya | Film Editor | |
| 1962 | Daskon | Film Editor, Technical Advisor | |
| 1962 | Ranmuthu Duwa | Film Editor | |
| 1964 | Getawarayo | Film Editor | |
| 1964 | Dheewarayo | Film Editor | |
| 1965 | Saaravita | Film Editor | |
| 1965 | Chandiya | Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor | [8] |
| 1966 | Parasathu Mal | Film Editor | [9] |
| 1967 | Sorungeth Soru | Film Editor | |
| 1967 | Vasanthi | Film Editor | |
| 1968 | Punchi Baba | Film Editor | |
| 1969 | Baduth Ekka Horu | Film Editor | |
| 1969 | Hanthane Kathawa | Film Editor | [10] |
| 1969 | Kawuda Hari | Director, Film Editor | |
| 1970 | Thevetha | Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor | |
| 1971 | Haaralakshe | Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor | [11] |
| 1972 | Atheethayen Kathawak | Assistant Director, Film Editor | |
| 1974 | Sihasuna | Director, Film Editor, Producer | |
| 1974 | Sagarika | Director, Film Editor | |
| 1975 | Sikuruliya | Film Editor | |
| 1976 | Mangala | Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor | |
| 1977 | Maruwa Samaga Wase | Eddie. Director, Film Editor | |
| 1979 | Handaya | Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor |