Malini Fonseka


Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly as Malini Fonseka is a Sri Lankan film actress and former member of Sri Lanka Parliament, who became known as the "Queen of Sinhalese cinema". Her cinema career that has spanned Seven decades began with Tissa Liyansooriya's Punchi Baba in 1968. She first became widely known when she won the 'Best Actress Award' at the 1969 National State Drama Festival This was followed by Sarasaviya Best Actress Awards for Hingana Kolla in 1980, Aradhana in 1982 and Yasa Isuru in 1983. In 2010, she was named by CNN as one of Asia's 25 greatest film actors of all time.

Biography

Early life

Born as the third child of eleventh siblings to Gilbert Fonseka who worked at Government Press and Seelwathie Fonseka at Peliyagoda, Kelaniya. After Malani was born, her family moved to Jambugasmulle, Nugegoda. In 1952 she started her education at St. John's College, Nugegoda until the 5th grade. After moving of the family to Wedamulle, Kelaniya she was enrolled at Gurukula Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya until completing her education. Her eldest brother Dayananda Fonseka died in 2012.

Family background

Three of her sisters - Sriyani, Rasadari, Damayanthi and two brothers - Dayananda and Ananda are entered to cinema. Her sister Damayanthi Fonseka entered cinema with the film Madol Duwa. She is married to filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage. Malini is also the aunt of popular actresses Samanalee Fonseka and Senali Fonseka as well as sister-in-law of Karunarathna Hangawaththa. Her nephew Ashan is also an actor. Her grand daughter Kushenya Sayumi entered cinema with the film Rookada Panchi. She is the daughter of Samanalee's brother Asanga Fonseka and Imalka Samaraweera.
Sister Sriyani has acted in popular films such as Lokuma Hinawa, Hondai Narakai, Thilaka Saha Thilakaa, Niwena Ginna and Selinage Walawwa. Rasadari Fonseka has acted in films such as Situ Kumariyo and Athin Athata. Rasadari is married to fellow actor Karunarathna Hangawaththa. Malini's elder brother Dayananda died in 2012.
Ananda Fonseka started acting with Thilaka Saha Thilakaa and continued to act in some films such as Eya Dan Loku Lamayek, Wasanthaye Dawasak, Anupama, Bamba Ketu Hati and Sasara Chethana. He also directed the film Umayangana. His daughter Samanalee is a popular film and television actress. She acted in critically acclaimed films such as Motor Bicycle, Davena Vihagun and Premaya Nam.
Her brother Upali Fonseka died on 30 May 2020 by COVID-19 complication while at London. He was the father of popular actress Senali Fonseka. Senali started acting with the blockbuster film Siri Parakum and then made popular characters in Haara Kotiya and Vijayaba Kollaya.

Political life

On April 2010, she was appointed to the Sri Lanka Parliament as a National List of United People's Freedom Alliance.

Career

Fonseka started her acting career with stage dramas. In 1963, she made her entry to stage dramas with "Noratha Ratha". In 1968, Fonseka won the best stage drama actress national award for her performance in Akal Wessa. She has since played the lead role in 14 stage dramas. She entered the cinema industry through one of her brothers, Ananda Fonseka, who was both a film director and producer but was introduced to the cinema itself by Tissa Liyansuriya and Joe Abeywickrama.
She made her debut with Tissa Liyansuriya's Punchi Baba in 1968. These films were followed by Abudasse kale, Dahasak Sithuwili and Adarawanthayo in the same year. With the critical success she gained with these, she was offered the lead role by several movie directors of the time. Fonseka has acted in over 140 movies since then, some of which were international movies.
Some of her successful films are Nidhanaya by Lester James Peiris, Siripala Saha Ranmenika by Amaranath Jayathilake, Eya Den Loku Lamayek and Bambaru Ewith by Dharmasena Pathiraja. She achieved a significant milestone in her artistic career with Sasara Chetana in 1984, where she became both its director and producer. She has directed two other films so far: Ahimsa in 1987 and Sthree in 1991.
She paired up with popular Tamil actor, Sivaji Ganeshan in Pilot Premnath in 1978.
Later on, she also worked in the television industry. Fonseka has won praise for her performance in Manalada Puthe Kiri Dunne, Pitagamkarayo, Kemmura, and Ambu Daruwo teledramas. She won the Sumathi Best Teledrama Actress Awards for her roles in Pitagamkarayo and Kemmura.
She also made her mark as a teledrama director, with successful creations such as Sanasili Suwanda. She even had the honour of being the first female teledrama director in the history of Sri Lanka teledrama history, when she, both directed and acted in her first teledrama Nirupamala.
Her latest film is Uppalawanna directed by Sunil Ariyaratne.
Malini's career was enhanced with her work alongside Gamini Fonseka who had a long journey in the history of the silver screen. Malini stated at Gamini's funeral in 2004, "His performance had appeal across the board and I had the good fortune of being associated with Gamini. The cinema of that era is slowly fading away and the passing away of Gamini is another step towards that direction".

Awards

Fonseka was the first Sri Lankan actress to reach international heights, winning a special Jury award at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1975. This was to be the first of her many international awards. She also won an award at the New Delhi Film Festival in 1977.
Apart from the many Sarasaviya Awards she has won, she has also earned other honours like the Presidential Awards, OCIC Awards and also international recognition.
Her most recent awards include the "Best Actress Award" for the teledrama "Kemmura" at the Sumathi Tele Awards Ceremony, 2000 and Wishva Prasadhini Award as appreciation of her service to the cinema industry from the President in 1996.
Malini Fonseka felicitation ceremony titled Maliniye held at the BMICH on 30 April 2003 with the participation of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga for her four decades of contribution to the Cinema of Sri Lanka in more than 150 films.
Sri Lankans living in the US gathered in large numbers at Los Angeles to honour Malini in January 2008. A special dinner was hosted by the Consular General of Sri Lanka Jaliya Wickramasuriya and Mrs. Wickramasuriya to honor her. A special ceremony was organised for her to receive an Appreciative Plaque by the Consulate General of Los Angeles Jaliya Wickramasuriya.

Local

Most Popular Actress Award
Deepasikha Award Festival
Sarasavi Film Awards Festival
Competition for selecting Sarasavi, Janatha Popular Film Actress
Vanitha Viththi Award Festival
Navaliya Vendol Film Awards Festival
Appealing Film Actress -2005
Appealing Film Actress -2006
Appealing Film Actress -2007

Best Supporting Actress Award

First Broadcasting Awards Festival
Reviewers Film Awards Festival
Sarasavi Film Awards Festival
Presidential Awards Festival



Swarna Sanka Film Award Festival

9th Moscow International Film Festival - 1975

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film

Best Actress Award - State Drama Festival
Best Actress Award
UNDA Abhinandana Tele Awards Festival
UNDA Signis Felicitation Tele Awards Festival
Sumathi Tele Awards Festival
Since her first film in 1968, she has acted in more than 150 films through 6 decades.
YearNo.FilmRoleRef.
1968182Punchi BabaMala-
1968184Abudasse kale-
1968196AdarawanthayoSumana-
1968194Dahasak SithuviliLalith's sister-
1969204Kawda HariSubha-
1969214Prawesam WannaGeetha Basnayake-
1969215Parawalalu-
1970223Dan MathakadaSandya Amunugama-
1970224Akkara PahaKumari-
1971241Hathara Denama SoorayoNilmini-
1971249Maahene RiriyakaLeela Livera-
1971242AbirahasaLover-
1971247Samanala Kumariyo-
1972250NidhanayaIrene Abeynayake-
1972251SahanayaRupa-
1972266Adare Hithenawa Dakkama-
1972254Edath Sooraya Adath SoorayaKanthi-
1972263Me Dasa KumatadaMala-
1973269Matara AchchiCyril's city co-worker-
1973271Suhada PathumaChamila-
1973272ThusharaThushara-
1973273Sadahatama Oba Mage-
1973275Hathdinnath TharuPearli-
1973276Hondama Welawa-
1973277Sinawai Inawai-
1973279Hondai Narakai-
1973280Daahakin EkekShyama Abeykoon-
1973281Hondata HondaiChammi-
1974282Ahas GauwaPost office co-worker-
1974285Kasthuri SuwandaKanchana-
1974294SuseeSusee-
1974299Senakeliya-
1975311Awa Soya AdareNilanthi-
1975313Kohoma KiyannadaSamanthi-
1975Sooraya SoorayamaiNilanthi / Mango 'Nanda'-
1975327Sadhana-
1975330SangeethaSangeetha / Geetha -
1975Nayana-
1976332Pradeepaya Maa Wewa-
1976335Kawda RajaChintha-
1976Yaar Aval -
1976336WasanaSudarshi Rajadasa-
1976337Ganga-
1976342DiyamanthiChitra Saparamandu-
1976348Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai-
1976351Onna Mame Kella Panapi-
1976252Saradiyelge PuthaSubha-
1976356Adarei Man Adarei-
1976383Zashis -
1977359Neela-
1977360Sakunthala-
1977365Hithuwoth HithuwamaiApsara-
1977367Pembara Madhu-
1977368Deviyani Oba Kohida-
1977369Eya Dan Loku LamayekKatuwalagedera 'Susila' Susilawathie 'Susee'-
1977376Siripala Saha RanmenikaRanmanika-
1978Pilot PremanathPremnath's wife. Tamil film-
1978388VishmayaNita 'Manike'-
1978395Selinage WalawwaWimalaa-
1978397Kundala KeshiBadhra Kumari 'Kundala Keshi'-
1978399Weera Puran AppuBandara Menike-
1978400Bambaru AvithHelen-
1978401SaleeSalee-
1978406Sandawata Ran Tharu-
1978407ApekshaNiranjala-
1978409AnupamaMarthaa-
1979416Hingana KollaLamahami-
1979418Divi Thibena ThuruSumana-
1979420Muwan PalessaNamali-
1979422Wasanthaye DawasakMala-
1979Malligai MohiniTamil film-
1979421Raan KurulloSujatha 'Kumara Hami'-
1979423MonarathennaSandha-
1979435Nuwan RenuRenuka 'Renu'-
1980443SilvaKumari-
1980444Ektam GeMala Pushpalatha-
1980450RakthaRaktha-
1980454Dandu MonaraAnulawathi-
1980358Raja DawasakRan Manika-
1981474BeddegamaPunchi Menika-
1981475Sathweni DawasaAgadanna-
1981476Sayuru TheraJocelin-
Hathi Mere Sathi -
1981478Bamba Ketu HatiDhammi-
1981479Soldadu UnnehePrema 'Akka'-
1981481Situ Kumariyo-
1981483Ek Dawasak ReAsha 'Aashi' Ranaweera-
1981493GeethikaSamanthi-
1981496Induta Mal MitakNisansala-
1981499AradhanaJinadari-
1981Pani Malargal -
1982531Mihidum SihinaVeena-
1982508Bambara GeethayaMali-
1982511Yasa IsuruSarojini Wickramasinghe-
1982520Anuradha-
1982539Newatha HamuwemuMadhuka 'Madhu' Damayanthi-
1982Piya Saha Daruwo-
1983552Samuganimi Ma Semiyani-
1983557Thuththiri Mal-
1983563Loku Thaththa-
1983567Samanala Sihina-
1983569Muwan Palessa 3-
1983Peter of the Elephant -
1984577Welle Thanu MaligaIsabella 'Isa'-
1984589Bambara Patikki-
1984591KokilaKokila-
1984590HithawathiyaMahesi Jayasekara-
1984593Sasara Chethanaalso as producer.-
1984594WadulaRanmali-
1984603Sahodariyakage Kathawa-
1986636Mal WarusaSarojini-
1986644Dewduwa-
1986647Puja-
1986650Awurudu DaNirupama-
1987662Kele KellaUma 'Kala Kella'-
1987670AhinsaSaroja Madugalla-
1988675Sandakada PahanaMalathi 'Mali' Wijebandara-
1988677AngulimalaAduruthumiya-
1988678Newa Gilunath Ban ChoonDeepa / Chapa-
1989690Shakthiya Obai AmmeNirmala 'Nimmie' Randeniya-
1989693Waradata Danduwam-
1989696Siri MeduraNirmala Samarawickrama-
1990699Jaya Shakthi-
1990702Weera Udara-
1990713Honda Honda SellamSub Inspector Geeta Randeniya / Neeta-
1991718Paradeese-
1991724Hithata Dukak Nathi MinihaNirmala-
1991726Raja Kello-
1991728Madusamaya-
1991737SthreeMagihami-
1991738Suwadena Suwandak-
1992751Ahimi DadamanRathi-
1992756UmayanganaElizabeth-
1992759Ruamathiyay NeethiyayKanchana-
1992763Sathya-
1994803Sanda MadalaEkanayake Mudiyanselage Sandalatha 'Sanda'-
1994811150 MulleriyawaDoctor Sujatha / Juliet 'Julie' Fonseka-
1997881Apaye Thathpara 84000k-
1998901Anthima ReyaLuxmi-
2002984Punchi SuranganaviSinhala teacher-
20031020Vekande WalauwaSujatha-
20041032Aadaraneeya Wassanaya-
20061064Dedunu Wessa-
20061081AmmawaruneSumanawathi-
20071090UppalawannaNayaka Meheniya-
20081111AbaBhadra Kachchayana-
20081114MachanManoj's mother-
20091128Akasa KusumSandhya Rani-
20091120Dancing Starherself. cameo appearance-
20111166SelvamMadhuvani-
20121180PrathirooLeelawathi-
20161265SarigamaMatron-
Udu Sulanga-
Prathiravaya-
Muthuetaye Modayo-
Bhavatharana-
Ayu-
TBDRookada PanchiCameo appearance.-
TBDMonara Vilak-

Director and actor

YearFilmNote
1984Sasara ChethanaAlso as Producer
1987AhinsaAlso as Producer
1991Sthree
1994Sanda MadalaAlso as Script writer