Senesh Dissanaike Bandara


Senesh Dissanaike Bandara සෙනේෂ් දිසානායක බණ්ඩාර is a film director and a television drama director in Sri Lanka. His first film Aadaraneeya Wassaanaya in 2004 was screened for more than 100 days island wide.
Senesh is a member of the State Television Arts Panel of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka.

Early life and education

Senesh was educated at Nalanda College, Colombo.Senesh is a graduate with honors from University of Kelaniya, a postgraduate from University of Sri Jayewardenepura and New York Film Academy, National Radio and Television Administration in China, Korean Broadcasting System in South Korea.

Career

Television

Senesh started his media career as a television program producer at Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in 1991 as a teenage school leaver. Senesh produced musicals, talk shows, sports coverage, documentaries, entertainment and television magazine programs such as The News Station, Udaa Vikashaya, Rasa Kalasa, Visi Ekveni Peya and a current affairs magazine program called 9.05.
Senesh was one of the pioneer music video directors in Sri Lanka, with his musical/magazine program called Yaathra. Senesh has also been a television presenter and a host since 1997 of television talk shows, entertainment and music programs such as Gee Hatha, Ayubowan, Rividina Sithumina, Rhythm Chat, Watts 33000.
In 2000, Senesh directed a television drama series named Fantasy Avenue for Sirasa TV. It led him to direct a made-for-TV or telefilm for national television during 2001 called Sulanga Wenna Numba Ethakota for the World Habitat Day 2001.
His other television drama serials are Pulina Praasaada 2003, Arunoda Kalaapaya 2005, Rala Bindena Thena 2007, Wehi Pabalu Seala 2010. Rala Bindena Thena won the maximum number of awards in all three national television based award festivals that was held in Sri Lanka in 2008 and also Rala Bindena Thena awarded him the Best Director Award in the festivals.

Film

was released in May 2004 with his own screenplay based on a Sri Lankan Novel "Wassaana Sihinaya".
The debutante's film romantic musical was a commercial success and brought the youth-oriented film audience in Sri Lanka back to film watching, while achieving appreciation from film critics. Senesh commenced his film career with a rebellious film making technique and technology, which is shooting the film by video and screening the film by celluloid. This is the evident trend now, but then it was an experiment, a decade ago. "Aadaraneeya Wassaanaya" won 14 awards including for direction, music, camera, editing, acting and film was nominated for 15 Categories in Presidential Awards, Sarasaviya Awards, and SIGNIS Awards Film Festivals in Sri Lanka.
Senesh was invited for his second movie Heart FM venture by EAP Films and Theaters in mid-2006 and the movie Heart FM was released in January 2008. This 35mm Cinemascope / DTS film had the earliest experience of DI, DO involvement in Sri Lankan popular cinema.

Print

Senesh has published a handbook on Single Camera Television Techniques Roopalekha – Aadhunika Television Nishpaadakawarayage Athpotha the Sinhala translation of Prof Wayne Levy and Asian Mass Communication and Information Center publication in 1994 and he is the initial editor of Mawbima – Sandaeliya the Sunday tabloid since 2006 to 2007.

Selected filmography

Film