Sunil Soma Peiris

Pattiyage Sunil Soma Peiris (Pattiyage Sunil Soma Peiris, 13 April 1948 – 10 December 2021) (Sinhala: සුනිල් සෝම පීරිස්) was a Sri Lankan screenwriter, actor, editor and filmmaker in Sri Lankan cinema.[1] He was a prolific director who directed the most films in Sri Lankan cinema with forty five commercial films in various genres.[2]

Sunil Soma Peiris
සුනිල් සෝම පීරිස්
Born
Pattiyage Sunil Soma Peiris

(1948-04-13)13 April 1948
Died10 December 2021(2021-12-10) (aged 73)
Maharagama, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
Other namesP. S. S. Pieris
EducationBuwanekaba Maha Vidyalaya
Occupation(s)Director, producer, screen writer, actor
Years active1968–2010
Spouse
Malani Ayesha Perera
(m. 1971)
Children3
RelativesSudesh Wasantha (son)

Personal life

He was born on 13 April 1948 in Maharagama, Ceylon, as the second child of the family with eight siblings.[3] His father Salaman Peiris, was a businessman and mother was a housewife. He completed education from Buwanekaba Maha Vidyalaya, Maharagama. His school contemporaries are Nuwan Gunawardena, Amarasiri Peiris and Kandupola Kumaratunga.[4]

In 1971, he married his longtime partner, Malani Ayesha Perera. The couple has two sons: Rohana Prema Kumara, Sudesh Wasantha and one daughter, Vasanthika Piyanga Kumuduni.[5] Vasanthika's son Keshan Prasanna is a popular musician.[4] His son Sudesh Wasantha Pieris is also a filmmaker, actor and playback singer of Sinhala cinema.[6][7] Sudesh's daughter Chamathka is a songstress and playback singer.[8]

Since the 1980s, he suffered minor complications with diabetes.[3] In 2016, his body sugar increased and kidneys failed because of the effects of the drugs that he had taken for diabetes.[9] At that time, he had a kidney transplant.[5] Since 2016, diabetes got worse, where the left leg was cut below the knee and removed. In January 2019, a part of the right leg was also removed.[4]

Peiris died on 10 December 2021 at his residence at the age of 72.[10][11]

Career

During school times, he acted in many Vesak dramas conducted in his hometown. Then he joined the drama group of Albert Gurunnanse and acted in Kolam dramas.[3] He entered Sinhala cinema with a minor uncredited role in Henry Chandrawansa's film Vanagatha Kella. Then he made group characters in the films lakseṭa Koḍiya and Vahal Dūpata. While acting in the 1973 film Thushara as a stuntman, he informed the director Yasapalitha Nanayakkara about his passion to become a filmmaker. Therefore, he was finally selected as the second assistant director of the film.[4] After the film, Sunil Soma became the first assistant director of Yasapalitha Nanayakkara and together they completed 18 films.[3]

In 1985, he made his debut cinema direction with Obata Diwura Kiyannam.[12] Then within 25 years, he made forty-five films. Out of the forty five films made by him, eight were co-directed with his son Sudesh Wasantha. In 1986 he co-directed the film Dinuma with Ananda Wickramasinghe. The first seven films (Obaṭa Divurā Kiyannam, Jaya Apaṭai, Mamai Rajā, Raja Wæḍakārayō, Yukthiyaṭa Væḍa, Dinuma and Obaṭai Priyē Aādarē) directed by Sunil Soma were screened for more than 100 days in a row, a record in Sinhala cinema.[5] Also, his film Mamai Raja was screened for more than 200 days, a record in Sinhala film history.[4] In 1993, he directed the Tamil film Sharmilavin Ithaya Ragam. Meanwhile, thirty-eight of his films were produced by Sunil T. Fernando, another record in Sinhala cinema for most films by same director-producer collaboration. Also, Sunil Soma is the second Sri Lankan filmmaker to direct films under two names. In some films, he used the name P. S. S. Pieris. (The first filmmaker was K. Venkatasalam who directed films under the name K. Venkat.)[13]

In 1986, he directed the film Obatai Priye Adare which was screened in 1987. Before the assassination of lead actor Vijaya Kumaratunga in February 1987, the film ran 75 days with less income. But after the assassination, the film ran for 130 days and became a blockbuster. On the final day of screening at Ritz Hall, the film crew donated 10 wheelchairs to commemorate Kumaratunga. In 1989, his film Mamai Raja became a blockbuster hit and passed 100 days. After reaching 100 days, producers Sonia Disa and Sunil T. opened two bank books for Kumaratunga's children, Vimukthi and Yashodara and Rs. 25,000 was deposited.[4] Sunil Soma introduced many actors and actresses to the Sinhala film such as: Anoja Weerasinghe, Anusha Damayanthi, Ruwanthi Mangala, Damith Fonseka, Shashi Wijendra, Arjuna Kamalanath and Anarkali Akarsha.[3]

In 1997, he entered active politics where he became a Member of the Maharagama Urban Council.[4]

Filmography

As a director

YearFilmRolesRef.
1985Obata Diwura KiyannamDirector, Screenwriter, Actor: Record store clerk
1986Jaya ApataiDirector, Screenwriter
1986DinumaDirector, Actor: Station Inspector
1987Raja WadakarayoDirector, Screenwriter
1987Obatai Priye AdareDirector, Screenwriter
1989Mamai RajaDirector, Screenwriter, Actor: Reprimanding Inspector
1989Obata Rahasak KiyannamDirector, Screenwriter
1989Sinasenna RaththaranDirector, Screenwriter
1990Yukthiyata WedaDirector
1990Chandi RajaDirector, Screenwriter
1991Raja SellamDirector, Screenwriter
1991Ran HadawathaDirector, Screenwriter
1992Sakwithi RajaDirector, Screenwriter
1992Chandi RajinaDirector
1992Sinhayangeth SinhayaDirector, Screenwriter, Actor: Inspector Lionel Saparamadu
1993Sharmilavin Ithaya RagamDirector
1993Lassanai BalannaDirector
1995Wasana WewaDirector, Screenwriter, Dialogues
1995Ira Handa IllaDirector
1995Chandiyage PuthaDirector, Screenwriter
1995ChandaniDirector, Screenwriter
1996Raththaran MalliDirector
1997Puthuni Mata WasanaDirector, Screenwriter
1998Aeya Obata BaraiDirector
1998Sathutai Kirula ApeDirector
1998Sexy GirlDirector, Screenwriter
1998Mohothin MohothaDirector
2000Kauda Bole AliceDirector, Screenwriter[14]
2001Hai Baby HaiDirector, Screenwriter
2001Pissu PusoDirector, Screenwriter[15]
2002Sansara PrarthanaDirector, Screenwriter
2002Pissu DoubleDirector
2003Pissu TribleDirector, Screenwriter
2003Jim PappaDirector, Screenwriter
2003Hitha Honda PissoDirector
2003Aege DaivayaDirector, Screenwriter
2004Ohoma HaridaDirector, Screenwriter
2004Katawath Kiyanna EpaDirector, Screenwriter
2005James BondDirector, Screenwriter
2005Mata Thama MathakaiDirector, Screenwriter, Producer
2007Weda Beri TarzanDirector, Screenwriter, Technical Advisor[16]
2007Jundai GundaiDirector, Screenwriter
2008Wada Bari Tarzan MathisabayataDirector, Screenwriter, Dialogues[17]
2009Ali SurathalDirector, Screenwriter
2010Jaya Pita JayaDirector, Screenwriter, Producer[18]

Other roles

YearFilmRolesRef.
1968Vahal Dupathauncredited role
1970Lakseta Kodiyauncredited role
1973ThusharaSecond Assistant Director
1976Pradeepe Ma WewaAssistant Director
1978TikiraAssistant Director
1979GeheniyakAssistant Director
1979MonarathennaAssistant Director, Assistant Film Editor, Actor: Hatha
1980Tak Tik TukAssistant Director, Assistant Film Editor
1980Muwan Palessa 2Assistant Director, Actor: Sagaya
1981Amme Mata SamawennaAssistant Director
1981GeethikaAssistant Director
1982Newatha HamuwemuAssistant Director, Assistant Film Editor, Actor: Canteen Mana
1983Ran Mini Muthu
1983Sister MaryAssistant Director, Assistant Film Editor
1984Jaya SikuruiAssistant Director
1985Aeya Waradida Oba KiyannaAssistant Director
1985Mihidum Salu
1997Savithirige RathiryaScreenwriter
1998Julietge BhumikawaSomasekera
1999Unusum RathriyaScreenwriter
1999Anduru SewanaliScreenwriter
2001Daru UpathaScreenwriter
2002Miss LankaCo-producer
2002Mamath GeheniyakScreenwriter
2003Pin PonScreenwriter

References

  1. "Filmmakers of Sinhala Cinema: Sunil Soma Peiris". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  2. "Sunil Soma Peiris films". Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  3. "Just as the bomb was set, the bomb exploded suddenly: Sunil Soma Peiris". Deshaya. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  4. "Mu Arukgoda was killed by the LTTE ... I have no legs today! ... I am in a wheelchair ... Sunil Soma Peiris". Divaina. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  5. "Seven consecutive films from the director of the highest number of films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  6. "Sudesh Wasantha Pieris films". Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  7. "I'm not a blue film maker: Sudesh Wasantha". Divaina. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  8. "Granddaughter of Sunil Soma Peiris who entered the art world through singing". සරසවිය. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  9. "Sunil Soma needs a kidney". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  10. bugsbunny (2021-12-10). "Popular Sri Lankan movie Director Sunil Soma Peiris passed away". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  11. "Veteran film director Sunil Soma Peiris passes away". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  12. "වාර්තා පොත වසා බොක්ස්ඔෆිස් රජු යන්නට ගියේය". සරසවිය. 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  13. "Who are the directors who have made the most films?". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  14. "'Kauda Bole Alice': a rip-roaring comedy". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  15. ""Pissu Puso" : Local version of 'Crazy Boys'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  16. "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  17. "Weda Bari Tarzan returns". Daily News. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  18. "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 2 May 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
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