Manike Attanayake


Attanayake Mudiyanselage Podi Manike, popularly as Manike Attanayake, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. She is best known for the role in television serial Palingu Manike. In 1987, she was honored with "Kalasuri", becoming the youngest Sri Lankan to win that award.

Personal life

Manike Attanayake was born on 23 August 1947 in Thalwatte, Kandy as the youngest of the family with five siblings. Her father, Wilson Attanayake was a renowned Sokeri actor in Kandy who worked at Cargills Company. Her mother Ran Manike Attanayake was a housewife. Attanayake completed education from Senkadagala Maha Vidyalaya, currently known as D. S. Senanayaka College, Kandy and Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy. One of her elder sisters, Kumari Manike also acted in many stage dramas.
She is married to retired police officer Raja Attanayake and the couple has two sons and one daughter.

Acting career

Attanayake joined with "Ranga Shilpa Shalika" at Lionel Wendt Art Centre to start stage drama acting. She studied drama and theater under renowned dramatist Dhamma Jagoda, who converted her name into stage name "Manike Attanayake". Her maiden stage drama acting came through Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Maname in 1976. In 1979, Attanayake engaged as a singer in Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation with a versatile range of singing in Noorthi, Nadagam and Classical.
Meanwhile, she started to act in many popular stage plays such as Sarachchandra's Sinhabahu, Lomahansa, Mahasara, Wessanthara, R.R. Samarakoon's Kelani Palama, W.B. Makuloluwa's Depano, Dayananda Gunawardena's Nari Bena, Dikthala Kalagola and Modara Mola. In 1981, Attanayake won the award for Best Actor at State Drama Festival for the role "Paththini" in the play Mini Salamba.
She is one of the earliest pillars in Sri Lankan television history. She acted in many popular serials including Palingu Manike, Ella Langa Walawwa, Yashorawaya, Parana Tawuma, Nelli Gedara and Anu Nawayen Nawaya.
Her maiden cinematic experience came through 1981 film Sudda directed by Rathnaweera De Silva. She generally acted in many supportive roles in cinema. Some of her popular films are Niliyakata Pem Kalemi, Seilama and Parliament Jokes.

Selected television serials

YearFilmRoleRef.
1981Sudda
1982Ridee NimnayaPrabha
1983Niliyakata Pem KalemiHamu's wife
1984Birinda
1985Rejina
1985Du Daruwo
1987Mangala TheggaMekhala
1987ViragayaOfficer Hamine
1989Okkoma Rajawaru
1989Waradata Danduwam
1990Pem Raja Dahana
1990Wana Bambara
1991Asai Bayai
1991Esala Sanda
1993SurabidenaMidwife
1993Saptha KanyaMrs. Silva
1993Nelum Saha Samanmalee
1994SujathaSinger
1994Dhawala PushpayaMatron
1995SeilamaMarcus' wife
1995Deviyani Sathya Surakinna
1996Soora Daruwo
1997Duwata Mawaka MisaManike Aththanayaka
2002Parliament JokesManike
2002SathkampaYasawathi
2003Yakada PihatuLoku Nena
2005One ShotRani
2008Nil Diya YahanaShanuka's mother
2012Super SixJulo's mother
2015Lantin Singho
2015GindariMinister's wife