Priyankara Rathnayake
Priyankara Rathnayake is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. Highly versatile actor mostly engaged in theater and cinema, Rathnayake is a lecturer and Head of Drama & Theatre and image Arts Unit, Department of Fine Arts in University of Kelaniya by profession.
Personal life
He started drama career under Somalatha Subasinghe's children and youth theater and state drama school. Then he joined Rajitha Dissanayake's drama troupe.He entered to University of Kelaniya in 1989 and obtained the Bachelor of Arts Special Degree in 1992. He completed Master of Arts Degree in Drama and Theatre from University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2005. He is working as a lecturer and visiting lecturer for mass media, drama and theater as well as performing arts in University of Peradeniya, National School of Drama, Tower Hall Theatre Foundation and Sripalee campus of University of Colombo.
Acting career
Rathnayake is credited for introducing famous plays by Sophocles to the Sri Lankan theater with the titles Oedipus and Ada Vage Davasaka Antigone. He also directed Aristophanes' play Lysistrata in 2015 as Visekariyo. In 2016, he directed William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the title Premawantha Kumarayo.In 2016, a four-day theater festival was held at the Lionel Wendt Theatre in Colombo from June 7 to 10 daily at 7 pm.
Notable works
- Ada Vage Davasaka Antigone
- Asinamali
- Bakamuna Weedi Basi
- Oedipus
- Poth Gullee
- Premawantha Kumarayo
- Sihina Horu Aran
- Visekariyo
Selected television serials
- Abhisamaya
- Ahanna Kenek Na
- Charithayaka Paata Denna
- Dhawala Yamaya
- Diya Ginisilu
- Giri Kula
- Kadadora
- Maheshika
- Satya
- Sulangata Enna Kiyanna
- Vishwanthari
Author work
Filmography
Rathnayake started his film career with Thunweni Aha back in 1996, directed by Anura Chandrasiri. His most popular cinema acting came through films Irasma, Bandhanaya and Dedunu Akase.- No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.
| Year | No. | Film | Role | Ref. |
| 1996 | Thunweni Aha | Vimukthi | ||
| 2000 | Rajya Sevaya Pinisai | Janaka shooter | ||
| 2003 | Irasma | Tharintha Wijesundera | ||
| 2005 | Guerilla Marketing | |||
| 2008 | Prabhakaran | Piyasoma | ||
| 2008 | Aba | Yakchanda | ||
| 2017 | Bandhanaya | Ariyapala | ||
| 2017 | Dedunu Akase | Dance teacher | ||
| 2019 | Sulanga Apa Ragena Yavi | Edward | ||
| TBD | Kandak Sema | |||
| TBD | Hithumathe Jeewithe | IP Dasanayake | ||
| TBD | Gunananda Himi Migettuwatte |