Tony Ranasinghe

Deshabandu Tony Ranasinghe (1937-2015), was a renowned Sri Lankan actor who performed in film, theater, and television. Considered one of the greatest Sri Lankan actors of all time, he was renowned for his distinctive facial expressions, voice, and body language, as well as his ability to embody challenging and intense roles, such as Sarath's role in Ahasin Polowata, Nissanka's role in Delovak Athara etc.^[1][2] According to critics, he is the last Crowned king in Sri Lankan cinema to die after Gamini Fonseka and Joe Abeywickrama.^[3]

He appeared in 115 films, 43 of which were starring roles. He played 72 supporting roles. He also worked as a screenwriter on two films.^[4]

Personal life

Ranasinghe Hettiarachchilage Ignatius Anthony Silva, who later became popular as Tony Ranasinghe, was born July 31, 1937, in Modara to Emmanuel Cyril and Lilian Fernando as the second of the family.^[1] He had 8 siblings in the family - The eldest is the Ralex. Other younger members include Stella, Marie, Gina, Romwell, Christopher, and Daya. He studied at St. Anthony's College, Wattala, and De LaSalle College, Modera.^[5] His father worked as a Technical Officer in the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. He joined de la Salle College, Modera in 1948 to study English. He was a cricket fan during school times and used to collected photographs of Don Bradman.

He started his career as an English stenographer and quit from the job after few months. He changes his name to an advertisement for the 1962 drama "Bodinkarayo" with the influence from his brother Ralex.^[3]

He was married to longtime partner Sirima Indrani Wickramasuriya. The wedding was celebrated on 30 April 1962.^[6] Ranasinghe died on 16 June 2015 at a public hospital in Colombo at the age of 77.^[7]

Career

Ranasinghe began his career in theater with a role in Dharmasiri Wickramaratne's Ran Thodu in 1963, which won him the Governor General's Award for Best Stage Actor. This award was presented by minister T. B. Ilangaratne. His first film appearance was for Sirisena Wimalaweera's Punchi Amma but was not screened due to an economic crisis.^[6]

Ranasinghe made his film debut with Lester James Peries' Gamperaliya (1964) and followed it with Ran Salu with a different villain role in the film. He worked with Peries again on Delovak Athara, in which he had the starring role.^[8] He continued to play many main protagonist role in several critically acclaimed blockbuster movies such as Parasathu Mal, Baddegama, Hulawali, Duhulu Malak, Hanthane Kathawa, Pawuru Walalu and Le Kiri Kandulu.^[3]

In his early days, Ranasinghe also appeared in many stage dramas with the collaboration with Sugathapala de Silva's drama group "Ape Kattiya".^[6] He acted in the plays Bodimkarayo, Thattu Gewal, Waguru Bima, Virupi Muhuna, Harima Badu Hayak, Julius Caesar and Veniciye Velenda.^[3]

He also acted in few television serials such as Awarjana, Suwanda Kekulu, Raigam Yaluwo, Ekata Getuma, Hathe Wasama, Manokaya, Soorya Vinsathi and Kadamuna.^[6]

In addition to acting, he contributed to the script and drama production. Some of them include Koti Waligaya, Awaragira, Tharanaya, Pawuru Walalu, Kelimadala and Duwata Mawaka Misa.^[3] He worked as the producer of stage plays Julius Caesar, Balawa Nawaka Aruma and Dolosweni Rathriya. He was also a talented author. He wrote the books Jogi Hamarai, Hemadama Oba Mage and Mata Kawuruth Adare Na. Then he wrote the novel Adaraneeya Ayra in weekly parts to Sarasaviya magazine.^[6]

Selected Television Series

• Siri Sirimal

Author work

• Adaraneeya Ayra^[9]
• Doloswana Rathriya^[10]
• Haemadama Oba Mage^[11]

Awards

Ranasinghe was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Sarasaviya Award in 1966 for his role in Parasathu Mal. Subsequently he won Best Actor Awards for Hanthane Kathawa (1969), Duhulu Malak (1976) and Ahasin Polawata (1979). In 1980 he played the father of the protagonist in Ganga Addara. 1993's Saptha Kanya won him Best Actor Awards from Sarasaviya, Swarna Sanka, Presidential and OCIC.

Ranasinghe has dabbled in screenplay writing, winning Sarasaviya Awards for Koti Waligaya, Keli Mandala, Awaragira (1995) and Pavuru Walalu. Ranasinghe was honoured with the Deshabandu award, third highest national honour awarded in Sri Lanka in 1988.

Filmography

Script writing

Stage dramas