Douglas Ranasinghe


Douglas Ranasinghe, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater, and television. He acted in many supportive roles in movies including Akkara Paha, Yuganthaya, Viragaya, Sri Siddhartha Gautama and Dharmayuddhaya.

Personal life

Douglas Ranasinghe was born on 27 May 1945 in Thorawathura village, Kurunegala as the fourth child of the family. He has three elder sisters, one younger brother and two younger sisters. His sisters Malkanthi Guanratne is an author and Tilaka Ranasinghe worked at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Thilaka was married to singer Narada Disasekara. The couple has one son Saranga Disasekara, an actor in Sinhala cinema and television. Saranga was married to popular actress Umali Thilakarathne, until divorced in 2016.
He studied at St. Anne's College, Kurunegala and excellent in sports. After the school, he was interested to become a lawyer and applied for Law College. However, then he applied for the post of Sub Inspector. He failed twice, but succeeded in third attempt. He was then transferred to a training course at Kalutara.
Ranasinghe is married to Sandya Kumari, and the couple has one son, Shribodhi Indrakeela.

Career

He was chosen to play the role in stage drama Hunuwataye Kathawa by Henry Jayasena. This turned him towards the drama career. He acted in many critically acclaimed stage plays including Henry Jayasena's Apata Puthe Magak Nathe and Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Hotabari Yuddhe. His last stage drama acting was Kusa Pabawathi.
His maiden cinema acting came through 1970 film Akakra Paha, however his second film Romeo Juliet Kathawak directed by G.D.L. Perera released before Akkara Paha. He acted in the short film Bhavana, directed by the Paul Zils. With that film, he was able to entered into the Berlin Film Festival of 1970/1971. Then he completed a three-year course at the London School of Filmmaking. After the course, he was asked to stay back and take part in Shakespearean productions. However, he refused the offer and landed to Sri Lanka.
He has directed few stage plays and television serials including Ranmasu Uayana and Sasara Chakra respectively.

Selected television serials

YearFilmRoleRef.
1969Romeo Juliet KathawakRomeo
1970Akkara PahaSamarasena
1981Saranga
1982Thana GirawiRathnapala
1982Kele MalTissa
1983Siw Ranga SenaJanaka
1984Adara GeethayaThushara
1984Niwan Dakna Jathi Dakwa
1985Wathsala Akka
1985Du Daruwo
1985YuganthayaAravinda
1987ViragayaSiridasa
1992Kulageya
1994YuwathipathiJanaraja
1994Le livre de cristalSiri de Silva
1996Hiru Sanduta Mediwi
1996Amanthaya
2000Indrakeelaya
2003IrasmaSonali's husband
2001AswesumaSenior Police Officer
2006AmmawaruneDivisional Secretary
2008Adara Meena
2013Sri Siddhartha GautamaKing Suppabuddha
2016WeerawarnaAyesha's father
2016ZoomFather of two daughters
2017Aloko UdapadiThanasiwa
2017DharmayuddhayaUpali
2018Nidahase Piya DSRichard Aluwihare
TBDAkarshaa
TBDCineMaa
TBDVisangamanayaDissanayake