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W. Jayasiri

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W. Jayasiri
ඩබ්ලිව්. ජයසිරි
Born(1947-05-01)1 May 1947
Galle, British Ceylon
Died22 September 2024(2024-09-22) (aged 77)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
EducationSt. Thomas' College, Matara Vidyaloka College, Galle
Occupation(s)Actor, lyricist, screenplay writer
Years active1966–2024
AwardsBest Supporting Actor (Presidential Film Awards)

Weerapullige Jayasiri (1 May 1947 – 22 September 2024), popularly known as W. Jayasiri, was a Sri Lankan actor in film, television and on stage, and who also worked as a script writer and lyricist.[1]

Personal life

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Jayasiri was born in Hirimbura, Galle on 1 May 1947.[2] He had three brothers.[3] His first school was Kithulampitiya Central Girls' College. Then he moved to Matara, and studied at Sumangala Vidyalaya. Next he attended St. Thomas' College, Matara until S.S.C exam. He was revoked from the school due to his misbehaviours and finally attended Vidyaloka College, Galle.[3]

Jayasiri was selected to University of Colombo for higher studies on Economics, Indian history and Sinhala. At the university, he engaged in several drama festivals and also worked as the editor of drama circle. At that time he organized drama festivals where he met Sugathapala de Silva, and became close friends.[3]

After series of losses in drama career, he went to Saudi Arabia for work in US company. After few years, he returned and started to play in drama again. He was married and the couple has two daughters.[3]

Death

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Jaysiri died in Colombo on 22 September 2024, at the age of 77.[4]

Acting career

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Jaysiri was also a close friend of renowned director Dharmasena Pathiraja, at that time he used to play cameo roles in stage dramas. According to him, he started to play major roles only after he turned 40 years of age. His maiden stage drama acting came through Harima badu Hayak second edition in 1966. He played roles in de Silva's popular stage dramas such as Dunna Dunugamuwa, Muthu Kumari and then in Pathiraja's Eya Dan Loku Lamyek. He became popular with the films Seilama and Visidela, both directed by H. D. Premaratne.[5]

His critically acclaimed stage drama acting came through stage drama Mara Sade in 1985, which is considered a milestone in the Sinhala theater.[6] He is the lyricist of popular film Bambaru Awith.[3] In 2005, Jayasiri translated the television script Sanda Mudunata which was originally written by director Samy Pavel in French.[7]

Selected stage dramas

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  • Dunna Dunugamuwa
  • Muthu Kumari
  • Eya Dan Loku Lamayek
  • Dolahak[8]
  • Guti Kemata Niyamithai[9]
  • Dhawala Bheeshana[10]
  • No Return[11]
  • Makarakshaya[12]
  • Handa Nihanda[13]

Selected television serials

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Radio plays

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Refusal of award

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In 2018, he refused to attend the Kalabooshana state awards festival to protest the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister. On social media, he condemned the president, Maithripala Sirisena, and refused an award offered by him.[50]

Filmography

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Jayasiri started his film career with a minor role in 1973 film Dahakin Ekak directed by Meril Albert.[51] He contributed to several critically acclaimed films such as Seilama, Wisidela, Bawa Duka, Duwata Mawaka Misa, Sankranthi and Gamani.[52]

Year Film Role Ref.
1973 Dahakin Ekek Club drunk fighter
1976 Diyamanthi Caldera's thug [53]
1978 Bambaru Awith Micheal
1980 Para Dige
1980 Hansa Vilak
1981 Soldadu Unnahe
1982 Ridee Nimnaya
1994 Handana Kinkini
1995 Mee Haraka Mansoor
1995 Seilama Marcus
1995 Chitti
1995 Ayoma
1997 Duwata Mawaka Misa
1997 Bawa Duka Officer [54]
1997 Bawa Karma
1997 Mother Teresa Mr. Goma
1997 Visidela Gunapala [55]
1999 Surangana Yahana
1999 Mandakini [56]
1999 Sathyadevi Jinadasa [57]
2000 Pem Kekula [58]
2001 Daru Upatha
2001 Me Mage Sandai [59]
2002 Sathkampa Benjamin [60][61]
2002 Arumosam Wahi [62]
2002 Mamath Geheniyak
2003 Thani Thatuwen Piyabanna Doctor [63]
2003 Sudu Kaluwara Arachchi [64]
2004 Mille Soya [65]
2007 Sankranthi Dr. Gerad [66]
2009 Rosa Mal Sayanaya
2011 Gamani Sumedha, chief monk [67]
2013 Abhinikmana Chief monk [68]
2014 Swaroopa Gregory Samson [69]
2014 Que Sera Ananda [70]
2014 Death in a Noble Day
2015 Suhada Koka Minister Gajanayake [71]
2016 Sakkarang Jeramiyas [72]
2016 Weerawarna Ivan Salgadu [73]
2017 Kaala Wattaka Nilame [74]
2017 Aloko Udapadi Jain Nighantha Giri [75]
2018 Punchi Andare [76]
2019 Asandhimitta Old Wickramasekara [77]
2019 President Super Star Minister [78]
2020 Nim Him [79]
2020 Soosthi Soosa's father [80]
2022 Night Rider [81]
2023 Swara
TBD Anora
TBD Akarsha [82]
TBD Elakandiye Marcus [83]
TBD Suvisi Vivarana [84]

Awards

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He won a Presidential Film Award for the Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie Duwata Mawaka Misa in 1997.[1]

1997 - Best Supporting Actor (Duwata Mawaka Misa)

  • Derana Lux Film Awards

2012 - Best Supporting Actor (Gamani)[85]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Sri Lankan actors - W. Jayasiri". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  2. ^ "W. Jayasiri turns 70". Mirror. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Interview with W. Jayasiri". Janayugaya. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Veteran Sri Lancan Actor W. Jaysiri Dies at Age 77, Leaving Behind a Rich Legacy". lancasara.com. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Unsung hero of the arts scene". Daily News. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  6. ^ "A book not to be missed". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  7. ^ "A director with a mission". Sunday Times. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Dolahak with Athula pathirana". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Comedy of Trio". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  10. ^ ""Dhawala Bheeshana" Back Again". Mirror Arts. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Glamour of theatrical reality in genuine art". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Makarakshaya". Time out. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  13. ^ "SLASA presents 'Handa Nihanda'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Kapila's Adisi Nadiya on the tele screen by Chandana". සරසවිය. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  15. ^ "'Ado' Viewers live a big dream until it ultimately shatters - News Features | Daily Mirror".
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  17. ^ "Treat yourself to Arungal". Daily News. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
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  19. ^ "Range of An Arrow - Dandubasnamanaya". MUBI. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
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  21. ^ "'Dambulugala Sakmana' on Rupavahini". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
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  26. ^ "Koombiyo: Story Of A Criminal Mastermind". asianmirror.lk. 11 August 2017.
  27. ^ "'Laabai Apple' underway". Sunday Times. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  28. ^ "'Mage Kaviya Mata Denna' : Mano's filmic dream". Sunday Times. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  29. ^ ""Manikkawatha": The television is ready for a turning point in the art of teledrama - ITN News රස බර". ITN News (in Sinhala). 10 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  30. ^ "රෝෂන් මිණි මුතු සමඟ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
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  35. ^ "'Rankiri Soya' gives kids a hand". Sunday times. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
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  48. ^ "Jayalath Manorathna - Radio Play (Tharuwansaranai)". youtube. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  49. ^ "Critics 'tune' in to wrong frequency". dailymirror. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  50. ^ "W. Jayasiri rejects state award". Sri Lanka Mirror. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  51. ^ "W. Jayasiri - ඩබ්ලිව් ජයසිරි films". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  52. ^ "W. Jayasiri filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  53. ^ "All about Diyamanthi". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  54. ^ "Sinhala screened films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  55. ^ "The Fishing Net (1994)". IMDb. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  56. ^ "Mandakini - මන්දාකිනි". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  57. ^ "'Sathyadevi' comes with a human touch". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  58. ^ "'Pem Kekula' goes back to a hilarious past". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  59. ^ "'Me Mage Sandai' breaks all traditions". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  60. ^ "සිංහල සිනමාවේ එදා මෙදා තිරගත වූ චිත්‍රපට". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  61. ^ "'Sathkampa' tells of a woman's tragedy". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  62. ^ "'Arumosam Wehi' to storm Lankan cinema". Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  63. ^ "FLYING WITH ONE WING". WordPress.com. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  64. ^ "The Intruders (Sudu Kaluwara) - A cinematic spring of patriotism". The Island. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  65. ^ "Laudable exercise in free cinema concept". Daily News. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  66. ^ Indeewara Thilakarathne (6 May 2007). "Review: The Tender Trap (Sankranthi) Room for maturity". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  67. ^ "Rear Admiral (Dr) Sarath Weerasekera's debut cinema creation 'GAMANI' in cinemas island-wide". Ada Derana. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  68. ^ "Abhinikmana – අභිනික්මන". cinema.lk. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  69. ^ "පතිරාජගේ ස්වරූප හෙට එයි". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  70. ^ "Que Sera; a movie for a noval audience". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  71. ^ "සුහද කොකා අද ඇඩ්ඩ්‍රස් නෑ හෙට". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  72. ^ "'Sakkarang' Film about transformation from feudalism to modernity". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  73. ^ "Weerawarna". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  74. ^ "Kaala". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  75. ^ Susitha R. Fernando (27 November 2016). "World premiere for 'Aloka Udapadi' at IFFI". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  76. ^ "Punchi Andare is the work after immense dedication". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  77. ^ "Handagama's new movie 'Asandhimitta' to hold its World Premiere". Sunday Times. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  78. ^ "The presidential stage where four people are competing". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  79. ^ "The oscillation between love and hate – plot of Nim Him". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  80. ^ "Their journey that is not theirs". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  81. ^ "Nonviolent girl caught in a mob". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  82. ^ "'Akarsha soon on cinema". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  83. ^ "Tale of Elakandiye Marcus". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  84. ^ "සිත් මල විකසිත සිතුවිලි නර්තනය සූවිසි විවරණ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  85. ^ "Awards at Derana Film Awards 2011". Derana.lk. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
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