Thalatha Gunasekara

Abeykoon Mudiyanselage Thalatha Abeykoon (born 17 July 1937 – died 17 September 2003 as Sinhala: තලතා ගුණසේකර) [Sinhala]), popularly as Thalatha Gunasekara, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema.[1] She is the mother of popular actress Nadeeka Gunasekara.[2][3]

Thalatha Gunasekara
තලතා ගුණසේකර
Born
Abeykoon Mudiyanselage Thalatha Abeykoon

(1937-07-17)17 July 1937
Died17 September 2003(2003-09-17) (aged 66)
Kandy, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
Other namesThalatha Abeykoon
EducationHillwood College
Occupation(s)Actress, film producer, screenwriter, lyricist
Years active1963–2002
SpouseStanley Gunasekara
Children4 Including Nadeeka Gunasekara
Parents
  • Tikiri Banda Abeykoon (father)
  • Leelawathi Abeykoon Menike (mother)
RelativesVidya de Saram (daughter)

Personal life

Gunasekara was born on 17 July 1937 in Gampola, Kandy, Sri Lanka as the eldest of the family with five siblings.[4] Her father, Tikiri Banda Abeykoon from Gampola was a Government Health Inspector. Her mother, Leelawathi Abeykoon Menike had the longest surname in the history of Sri Lanka castes where her birth name was Akkada Mukkada Weera Rambukkada Rambuke Jayagath Diyathilaka Koralege Ilanganthilaka Mudiyanselage Leelawathi Ilanganthilaka. It was a noble caste of Kandy who paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic with jasmine flowers. Thalatha had two younger sisters, Sita and Sri Kanthi; and two younger brothers, Senarath and Sena.[5]

She received her primary education at Kingswood College, Kandy. After that, she studied at Hillwood College, Kandy amidst the strict rules of his parents. At school, she studied western music and got prizes for playing the piano.[5]

She was married to Dissanayake Wijesuriya Stanley Gunasekara from Udahenatenna. He worked at Nawalapitiya and Pussellawa post offices.[6] He later served as the Deputy Postmaster General. The couple had one son: Priyantha and four daughters: Nadeeka,[7] Ganga, Vidya and Yamuna, all are actresses.[8] Stanley died on 18 April 2010.

Nadeeka was born on 13 May 1958 in Kandy.[9] In 1973, she attended Pushpadana Girls' College, Kandy and finally to Vishaka College, Bandarawela. She completed A/L from the art stream in Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy. She is married to businessman Suren Hapuarachchi and in 2004, the couple had one daughter, Thenuki Sehansa. She is an actress who starred in several popular blockbuster films in Sinhala cinema including; Kanchana, Chanchala Rekha, Biththi Hathara, Thani Tharuwa, Ahinsa, Oba Mata Wiswasai, Angara Dangara and Daruwane.[10]

Nadeeka's sister Ganga acted in the films Adishtana, Okkoma Rajawaru and Kanchana. Vidya acted in the films Adishtana and Me Desa Kumatada whereas and Yamuna acted in the teledrama Hingana Kolla.[5]

She died on 17 September 2003 at the age of 66.

Early life

After passing the Senior Examination in English medium, she went to Zahira College, Gampola to do further University Entrance. While studying at University Entrance, the principal assigned to teach senior students as well. At the age of 17, she received her first appointment as an English Assistant Teacher at St. Andrew's College, Nawalapitiya where she got to teach her peers. Some popular students were Jenny Winifrida (film actress) and K.S. Venkat (Film Director) and Ahangama Piyasena (Film Actors). In 1957, she was appointed as an English teacher in the Government College, Pussellawa.[5]

Cinema career

Thalatha became interested in acting in a film after seeing Rukmani Devi's performance. This passion grew up when she saw Wimala Vanzia, a friend who lived in Gampola, playing the lead role in the film Dingiri Menika in 1955. One day Wimala forcibly asked Thalatha for a photo and sent it to the producer of the film Deiyanne Rate, S. V. D. S. Somaratnethe. Then Somaratne sent the photo to director Ramachandran. Later, she was cast in the lead role of 'Katherine', but she did not get the chance because of her parents' strong reluctance.[5]

After her marriage, she received an invitation from renowned filmmaker Lester James Peries. During this time the filming of 'Gamperaliya' has begun. She was selected for the role 'Nanda' in the film. However, she lost the role because she is taller than Gamini Fonseka and Henry Jayasena who played the lead roles.[5]

After few years, she sent an application for a film that Cinemas was producing without a name after seen an advertisement in the 'Sunday Observer' newspaper. In 1963, she made her maiden cinema appearance with the film Adata Wadiya Hitha Hondai directed by Indian filmmaker Masthan. In the film, she played the kind wife of the villain played by Christy Leonard Perera. Her first lead role came through the film Sapatha Soya as a wife beaten by a drunken husband.[5]

Then she appeared in several early Sinhala films including, Suba Sarana Sepa Sithe, Samiya Birindage Deviyaya and Patachara. Some of her most dramatic roles came through the film Abhirahasa where she plays the stepmother who falls in love with Vijaya Kumaratunga, a servant of a wealthy household.[5] Then she made a critically acclaimed role of 'Namakka' in the film Podi Malli. Then she appeared several blockbuster films such as Nidhanaya, Sikuruliya, Davena Pipasaya, Hathara Denama Surayo, Hingana Kolla, Sadahatama Oba Mage, Apeksha, Nomiyena Minisun and Maldeniye Simion.

In 1998, she became a film producer and screenwriter with the 1998 film Aye Obata Barai.[5]

Filmography

YearFilmRoleRef.
1963Adata Vediya Heta Hondai[11]
1964Suba Sarana Sepa Sithe
1964Patachara
1964Samiya Birindage Deviyaya[12]
1965Sepatha SoyaShantha
1966Sihina HathakAnula[13]
1966Kommissar XBartender
1966Sanda Naga Eddi
1967Rena GirawVillager[14]
1967Okkoma Hari[15]
1967Sura Chauraya
1968Singithi Surathal
1968Golu Hadawatha[16]
1968Bicycle Hora
1968Indunila
1968Ataweni Pudumaya
1969Kohomada Wade
1969Paara Walalu
1969Pancha
1970Aathma Pooja
1971AbhirahasaMrs. Wanigasekara, step mother[17]
1971Davena Pipasa
1971Hathara Denama SurayoNilmini's step-mother
1972NidhanayaWillie's childhood nanny[18]
1972Veeduru GewalMenaka's lure 'Ira'
1972Me Desa KumatadaVijay's mother
1972VanarajaAssistant Director
1974Vasthuwa
1974Kasthuri SuwandaMaya
1975Suraya Surayamai[19]
1975Sikuruliya[20]
1976Loka Horu
1977Sakunthala
1977Sikuru Dasawa
1978Janaka Saha ManjuManju's mother
1978Apeksha
1978Ahasin Polowata
1979Samanmali
1979Hingana KollaAnnie[21]
1979Raja KollaHopper seller
1979AnushaMrs. Ratnayake's sister
1979Podi MalliNam 'Akka'
1980Kanchana
1980Sasaraka Pathum
1981VajiraVajira's aunt
1981Chanchala RekhaSirisena and Chutti's mother
1982Sakvithi SuwayaMalini's sister-in-law
1982Thani TharuwaTanuja
1982Jeewithayen Jeewithayak
1982Sithara
1983Samuganimi Ma Samiyani
1983Hasthi Viyaruwa
1983Hithath Hondai Wedath Hondai
1984Binari Saha Sudu BandaYaso
1984Sahodariyakage Kathawa
1984Birinda
1985Kirimaduwal
1986Maldeniye SimionRosalin
1987Yugayen Yugayata
1989Sebaliyo
1991Salambak Handai
1991Sihina Ahase Wasanthaya
1991Keli MadalaSugala
1991Bambara Kalapaya
1992Sisila Gini GaniMrs. Dunuwilla
1992Chandi Rajina
1992Me Ware Mage
1992Oba Mata Wishwasai
1992Sinhayangeth SinhayaRohini's mother
1993Sagara Thilina
1993Bambasara Bisaw
1994Nomiyena Minisun
1995Rodaya
1996Anantha RathriyaNarmada's mother
1996Sihina Vimane KumariyaNilmini's mother
1996Mal Hathai
1997Puthuni Mata Wasana
1997Goodbye Tokyo
1998Aeya Obata BaraiSahan's Auntie, Screenwriter, Producer, Lyricist
1998Anthima Reya
1999Ayadimi SamaaTikiri's mother
1999Anduru Sewaneli
1999Mandakini
2000Anuragaye AnanthayaScholarship reneger
2001Poronduwa
2002Surapurata Kanyaviyak

References

  1. "Actresses in Sinhala cinema - Thalatha Gunasekara". Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema - 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  2. "Nadeeka Gunasekara filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  3. "Mothers - daughters". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  4. "Upcountry artists". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  5. "Actress who missed remarkable roles: Thalatha Gunasekara". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  6. "Lesser Known Facts About Nadeeka Gunasekara". Lanka Help. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  7. "Mothers and daughters in our art world". lifie. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  8. "Nadeeka Gunasekera talks about her mother Thalatha". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  9. "Star daughters of Star mothers". saaravita. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  10. "Nadeeka—a part of the film industry". The Island. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  11. "All about the film Adata Wada Heta Hondai". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  12. "May you live long in this world wherever you are: Samiya Birindage Deviyaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  13. "All about the film 'Sihina Hathak'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  14. "All about the film Rena Giraw". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  15. "All about 'Okkoma Hari'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  16. "The dumb heart that has never been read: Golu Hadawatha". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  17. "The mystery of wasps coming in search of honey: Abhirahasa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  18. "Unmatched treasure: Nidhanaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  19. "Come to think of it, big ladies: Suraya Surayamai". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  20. "Sikurulia left me". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  21. "All about 'Hingana Kolla'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
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