Anarkali Akarsha
{{Short description|Sri Lankan actress (born 1987)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anarkali Aakarsha
| image = Anarkali Ak.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birthname = Anarkalli Janina Jayatilaka Aakarssha
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|7|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Colombo, Sri Lanka
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actress, model, politician
| yearsactive = 1995–present
| website = {{URL|www.anarkalli.com}}
| awards = Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award (2004), Presidential Award for performance in Anjalika (2005) Derena LUX Film award most popular actress (2012) & Miss Sri Lanka (2004)
}}
Anarkali Akarsha ({{langx|si|අනර්කලී ආකර්ෂා}};born 12 July 1987 as Anarkali Janina Jayatilaka) is a Sri Lankan actress, model, former politician and beauty pageant titleholder.{{cite web|title=Anarkalli Aakarsha|url=http://www.nfc.gov.lk/artist/anarkalli-aakarsha-172/|access-date=10 September 2017|publisher=National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka}} She was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2004 and represented Sri Lanka at the Miss World 2004 beauty pageant. She has worked as a brand ambassador & a fundraiser.{{cite web|url=http://lkgirls.weebly.com/1/post/2008/12/anarkali-washing-a-car-car-wash.html|title = Anarkali washing a car (Car wash)}} She attended Colombo International School.
Film career
Her first public opportunity to act came when Somaratne Dissanayake and Renuka Balasuriya, who directed and produced the teledrama Iti Pahan in 1995, were in search of a little girl who was fluent in English. In the drama, she performed the role of "Daisy Susan" beside renowned actress Vasanthi Chathurani.{{cite web|url=http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2675|title=Anarkalli in 'Iti Pahan'|publisher=Lankalibrary.com|access-date=2010-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607023736/http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2675|archive-date=7 June 2011|url-status=dead}}
After a nearly seven-year hiatus, she returned to acting in 2003 when, at 15, she was cast in a lead role in Pissu Trible.{{cite web|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2004/01/25/fea17.html|title=Anarkalli Aakarsha in 'Sihinayak Pata Patin'|publisher=Sundayobserver.lk|date=2004-01-25|access-date=2010-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605182306/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2004/01/25/fea17.html|archive-date=5 June 2011|url-status=live}} Subsequently, she performed in several successful movies, and received acclaim in teledrama performances with her roles as "Inoka" in Sihinayak Paata Paatin and 'Tanya' in Santhuwaranaya.[http://sundaytimes.lk/061015/TV/tv25.html Anarkalli in 'Santhuwaranaya'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123045151/http://sundaytimes.lk/061015/TV/tv25.html |date=23 January 2011 }}
She is the youngest actress to date in the history of Sri Lankan Cinema to win the most popular actress award.{{Cite web|url=https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/hindi/movie-actress/anarkali-akarsha|title=Bollywood Movie Actress Anarkali Akarsha Biography, News, Photos, Videos|website=nettv4u}} She has acted as the leading lady in more than 22 movies and 10 teledramas. She also works as a model, brand ambassador and a presenter.[http://www.dailymirror.lk/2006/07/14/ft/26.asp Anarkalli – Brand Ambassador for Veet] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225148/http://www.dailymirror.lk/2006/07/14/ft/26.asp |date=30 September 2007 }}
She has appeared in many music videos. Some of her famous music videos are "Meedum selen" by Bathiya and Santhush, "Jeththu none" by Dushanth Weeraman and "Siththamak wage" by Yashan.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}
Anarkalli also won the glamorous Lux Derana Film Most Popular Actress Award for 2012.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}
In 2019, Anarkalli Akarsha was adjudged amongst the Top Three Most Beautiful and Hottest Sri Lankan Actress and Model by N4M Media {{Cite web |last=N4M |first=Team |date=2019-11-20 |title=List Of Top Most Beautiful & Hottest Sri Lankan Actresses & Models |url=https://news4masses.com/top-most-beautiful-hottest-sri-lankan-actresses-models-n4m-list/ |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=N4M (News4masses) |language=en-US}}
Political career
Anarkalli contested for the Galle District at the 2009 Southern Provincial Council Election,{{cite web|url=http://srilankan-stars.blogspot.com/2009/08/anarkalli.html|title=Anarkalli for Southern Provincial Council Elections|publisher=Srilankan-stars.blogspot.com|date=2009-08-25|access-date=2010-09-08}} and on 29 October 2009, she was elected to the Southern Province Council.{{Cite journal |doi=10.1163/2210-7975_hrd-9970-0059|title=us-elected-to-un-human-rights-council-may-12-2009-1pp|journal=Human Rights Documents Online}} She is the youngest female councillor to date, and the sole female member on the council. {{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}
Career as a host
Anarkalli hosted her own TV show 'Anarkali Live' on TV Derana.{{cite web|url=http://www.derana.lk/show.php?prid=14|title=Show|publisher=Derana.lk|access-date=27 November 2010|archive-date=15 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215063123/http://derana.lk/show.php?prid=14|url-status=dead}} She also hosted Derana Music Awards 2010.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} She hosted her own talk show, LIVE Sunday with Anarkalli on Swarnavahini.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}
Personal life
Anarkalli currently lives in the US and hosts a Youtube channel.{{Cite web|url=https://eonlinesrilanka.com/american-life-of-sri-lankan-actress-anarkali-akarsha/|title=American Life Of Sri Lankan Actress Anarkali Akarsha - E Online Sri Lanka|date=19 April 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.letsengage.com/talent/anarkalli-akarsha|title=ENGAGE - Anarkalli Akarsha|website=www.letsengage.com}}
Filmography
Teledramas
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.anarkalli.com/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806234122/https://www.anarkalli.com/ |date=6 August 2018 }}
- [http://www.films.lk/ArtistDetails.php?id=32 Anarkalli Aakarsha's Biography in Sinhala Cinema Database]
{{Miss World 2004 delegates}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akarsha, Anarkali}}
Category:Sri Lankan television actresses
Category:Sri Lankan film actresses
Category:Sri Lankan female models
Category:Miss World 2004 delegates
Category:Members of the Southern Provincial Council
Category:Sri Lankan beauty pageant winners