Geetha Kumarasinghe


Kumara Vidugalage Dona Geetha Samanmalee Kumarasinghe, popularly known as Geetha Kumarasinghe, is a Sri Lankan film actress and Politician.She made her debut in veteran director K. A. W. Perera's 1975 film, Wasana but it was Neil Rupasinghe's Lassana Kella which was released first. Since then, she has appeared in over 80 movies, winning the Sarasaviya Best Actress Award four times, in 1991, 1996, 2000 and 2004. She has also receive the Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award several times.

Early life

Geetha Samanmalie Kumarasinghe was born as the eldest daughter of Wijaya Kumarasinghe, a journalist and Udula Kumarasinghe in 1955 at Badulla. She grew up in Bentara, Elpitiya and had her education at Elpitiya Ananda College, Aluthgama and Holy Family Convent, Kalutara.
As a child, she showed her talent for singing and dancing. She was crowned a beauty Queen, competing among 100 contestants in a beauty contest organised by a local newspaper in 1973.

Career

Though Geetha’s father did not approve of a career in movies or her participation in the beauty pageant, her mother was always with her. Her aunt, Anula Wickramapala, was also a friend of renowned director Lester James Peiris. Incidentally, her aunts' mansion was used as the location for his film Ransalu. Little Geetha, who used to spend her school vacations in her aunt’s house in Kollupitiya would imitate Punya Heendeniya, her childhood heroine.
She signed contracts for 21 films before her debut film was released, a record in Sri Lankan Cinema.
It was in the year 1975 that Geetha debuted in K.A.W. Perera's Vasana but it was Neil Rupasinghe's Lassana Kella which reached cinemas first.
Kumarasinghe, who is often cast in controversial roles, has also performed the foreign films Pakistani, Hindi, Japanese, Tamil and French productions. She acted opposite Sivaji Ganesan in Mohana Punnagai which was released on 1981.
She received critical acclaim in roles such as 'Dulcie' in Pembara Madhu, 'Dotty' in Palama Yata, 'Punna' in Lokuduwa and 'Amali' in Ran Diya Dahara. In 2006, she launched official website with a ceremony at Water's Edge at Battaramulla.
She produced the films Palama Yata, Salambak Handai, Loku Duwa, Anuragaye Ananthaya, Wasuli and Geetha. Both of her productions, Palama Yata and Loku Duwa won her the Best Film Awards at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival.

Awards

Political career

Geetha was an ardent supporter of Mahinda Rajapakse at 2010 presidential elections and was appointed as the chief organizer to Elpitiya electorate. She unsuccessfully contested at the 2010 general elections and blamed election irregularities for her defeat.
She contested the provincial council elections in 2014 and took oath as a counselor at the Southern Provincial Council.
Geetha contested for the 2015 Parliamentary Election from Galle District. She was elected to the 15th Sri Lankan Parliament by receiving 63,955 preferential votes.
On 3 May 2017, the Sri Lanka courts disqualified her as a member of parliament because she had held dual citizenship in Sri Lanka and Switzerland. Under the constitution of Sri Lanka, no person can be elected to the parliament if they hold dual citizenship. She applied in supreme courts, but the supreme courts reconfirm that she is disqualified to hold office as a member of parliament because she had held dual citizenship in Sri Lanka and Switzerland.

Controversy

In a parliament session in November 2015 Kumarasinghe complained the lack of time given to her and made a communal statement claiming that ethnic minority Tamil members from the north received more time than her unaware that the time allocated for her was decided by her own party. She also criticised the lifting of highly discriminatory taxes on imported English and Tamil dramas. Kumarasinghe's parliamentary seat could be taken away as a result of the ongoing court case challenging her becoming a lawmaker while holding Swiss nationality and is having her own court battle after being accused of ignorance of the constitution.

Injury

On 2 September 2017, she was admitted to a private hospital in Colombo with burn injuries. Reports said that injuries sustained in a domestic accident when a gas leak caused an explosion in her home, where her abdominal area and legs were sustained with injuries.

Filmography

Though her first act came through film Wasana, it was released on cinemas on 1975 after two of her late films were screened. She quit from cinema after award winning film Randiya Dahara and focused on politics. However, after 10 years, she played a minor role in Siri Daladagamanaya in 2014.
YearNo.FilmRole
1975317Lassana KellaGeetha
1975324Damayanthi
1976336WasanaPushpa
1976341Kolomba SanniyaSusila
1976347Asha
1976351Onna Mame Kella Panapi
1976358Ran Thilaka
1977366Niluka
1977367Pembara Madhu
1977375Chandi PuthaGeetha
1977377Aege Adara KathawaKanthi
1977378Maruwa Samaga WaseMenika
1978408Ahasin Polawata
1978389Seetha DeviGoddess Ramba
1978391MaduwanthiMaduwanthi
1978396SaaraSara
1978403Deepanjali
1978407ApekshaMenaka
1979410SamanmaleeSamanmali
1979412Minisum Athara MinisekIndu
1979414Jeevana KanduluGeetha
1979428Akke Mata AwasaraThanuja
1979430Sawdan JemaVinodani
1979433Podi MalliNalika
1980449Siribo AyyaEmma Nona
1980455Ganga AddaraMiss de Soysa
1980456KarumakkarayoJ.A Somawathi
1980466Api DedenaHimali
1981Mohana PunnagaiGawiri. Tamil film, acted with Sivaji Ganesan
1981470KolamkarayoNaticia
1981473RangaSunali "Punchi Hamu"
1981477WalampuriRasamma
1981494Anjana
1981497Sathara Diganthaya
1981495Hodama Naluwa
1982506MahagedaraKumari Malwinna
1982526Kiri SuwandaMadani
1982527Sithara
1982530Thakkita Tharikita
1982532Major Sir
1983550Yali Pipunu Malak
1983549Siv Ranga SenaSurangi
1983573Hithath Hondai Wadath Hondai
1983575BonikkaRenuka 'Renu' Serasinghe
1984602MayaNeela Dias
1984597HimakatharaManika
1984610Jaya Sikurui
1985613Mawbima Nathinam Maranaya
1985615Chalitha RangaliProducer and actor
1986Nobody Is Perfect
1986645Jaya Apitai
1986646Koti WaligayaNilmini
1986648Sura SaradiyelThangamma
1986652Sinha Patau
1987661Yukthiyada Shakthiyada
1987665RajawadakarayoRekha
1987668Obatai Priye AdareTina
1988672Ayya Nago
1988676Amme Oba Nisa
1988679Durga
1989686Badulu Kochchiya
1990709Palama YataDottie. Also as producer.
1991720Dolos Mahe Pahana
1991731Salabak Hadaialso as producer.
1992752Malsara DoniTeena
1992764Muwan Palessey Kadira
1993787Nelum Saha Samanmali
1993789Lagin Giyoth Aehak Naha
1993791Madara ParasathuJinadari Dias
1994802Abiyogaya
1994799Ambu SamiyoNandawatte Manike
1995820Inspector GeethaInspector Geetha
1995841ChandiniChandini
1995843Sudu Walassu
1996857Hitha Honda Gahaniyak
1996860Loku Duwaalso as producer.
1997884Raththaran Minihek
1998892Yuda Gini Mada
1999926SathaydewiChandrawathi
2000938Rajya Sevaya PinisaiMahesha Upamali
2000943Anuragaye AnanthayaKanchana Swarnadipathi. also as producer.
20041045Randiya DaharaAmali
20141203Siri Daladagamanaya