Damayanthi Fonseka

She was born on 25 August 1960 in Kelaniya in a family with 11 siblings.{{Cite web |title=My father was watching the road with his cane curled up in a chair |url=http://www.silumina.lk/2021/04/03/රසඳුන/වේවැල්-කැඩුණු-පුටුවේ-වක-ගසා%C2%AD-ගෙන-මඟ-බලා%C2%ADගෙන-හිටියේ-මගේ-තාත්තා |access-date=4 June 2021 |website=Silumina}} Her father Gilbert Fonseka worked at a Government Press. Her mother Seelwathie Fonseka from Peliyagoda, Kelaniya and was a housewife.

Though she received a government teaching appointment to Habarana, she refused to move far from home.{{cite web |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2013/05/16/?fn=sa1305162 |title=Today she look like polished diamond |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=17 November 2017}} She is married to popular Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage.{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2018/10/18/?fn=sa18101828 | title=I have no other restrictions on him except one | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=18 February 2020}}

Three of her sisters - Malini, Sriyani, Rasadari - and two of her brothers - Dayananda and Ananda - are a part of the cinema industry. Her elder sister Malini Fonseka is considered the Queen of Sinhala cinema, has acted many critically acclaimed films since 1963[http://www.dailymirror.lk/2006/09/18/life/2.asp Malani leaves for London] and has received many Best Actress awards in the local award festivals.

Like her siblings, Damayanthi's several relatives are in the Sinhala film industry. Actor Karunarathna Hangawaththa is her brother-in-law, Actresses Samanalee Fonseka and Senali Fonseka are her nieces, Actor Ashan is her nephew{{cite web | url=http://www.divaina.com/2012/06/29/cineart04.html | title=Insights from the platform is the strength in my career - Ashan Fonseka | publisher=Divaina | access-date=18 February 2020 | archive-date=16 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116203309/https://www.divaina.com/2012/06/29/cineart04.html | url-status=dead }} and Actress Kushenya Sayumi of Rookada Panchi fame is her grandniece.{{cite web |url=https://mirrorarts.lk/featured/4353-new-child-actress-from-fonseka-family |title=She is the latest child actor in cinema |publisher=Mirror Arts |access-date=17 November 2017}} Apart from her popular nieces, Samanalee and Senali, five of her other nieces - Shivanya, Ruwani, Tharindi, Manori and Sanduni - are also in the drama industry.{{cite web |title=Malani talks about her young generation |url=http://webgossip.lk/sonalo-fonseka-malani-fonseka/ |access-date=17 November 2017 |publisher=webgossip}}

Damayanthi's older brother Actor Dayananda died in 2012 and her other brother Ananda died aged 70 in 2020.{{Cite web |title=Ananda Fonseka ends his life |url=https://thepopcorns.com/ananda-fonseka-passes-away/ |access-date=1 December 2020 |website=thepopcorns}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2012/12/20/?fn=sa1212202 |title=Malani reminds her brother|publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=17 November 2017}}

She started acting as a child artiste at the age of 10 while attending school.{{cite web | url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20120806/282948152371419 | title=Damayanthi fonseka the Determined actress | publisher=Daily Mirror | access-date=18 February 2020}} She acted in the short film Piyek Saha Minisek by I.M. Hewawasam.{{cite web | url=http://gossip.hirufm.lk/30089/2019/02/damayanthi-fonseka.html | title=Cinema has been revised | publisher=Hiru FM | access-date=18 February 2020}} Her maiden cinematic appearance came through 1976 film Madol Duwa directed by Lester James Peries under the influence by elder sister Malini. However her first screened film was Edath Suraya Adath Suraya in 1972. Since then she acted in many supportive roles in commercially successful films such as Umayangana, Dolosmahe Pahana, Angulimala, Shakthiya Obai Amme and Prathiroo.{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2800249/ | title=Damayanthi Fonseka films | publisher=IMDb | access-date=18 February 2020}}

She has also produced two films, Purahanda Kaluwara and Anantha Rathriya which were directed by her husband, Prasanna Vithanage{{cite web | url=http://www.films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-damayanthi-fonseka-407.html | title=Damayanthi Fonseka filmography | publisher=Sinhala Cinema Database | access-date=18 February 2020}} and the film Guru Geetha directed by Upali Gamlath. She also helped support the production side of Vithange's newest film Ae. In 2013, Damayanthi established a drama school.{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2017/07/27/?fn=sa1707279 | title=I want to make a good group of students | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=18 February 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://divaina.com/daily/index.php/visheshanga3/23457-2019-01-31-10-20-55 | title=With the advancement of technology, the creativity of today's generation is diminished | publisher=Divaina | access-date=18 February 2020}}

She has acted in many stage plays and television serials.{{cite web | url=https://damayanthifonseka.blogspot.com | title=Damayanthi Fonseka official blog | publisher=damayanthifonseka.blogspot.com| access-date=18 February 2020}} She won an award for her role as a villain in the television serial Hopalu Arana. She won a Jury award for the acting in stage play Avi and then received a Special Merit award for the film Umayangana in 1993 Sarasaviya Film Festival.{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2016/10/06/?fn=sa1610062 | title=Malini said the name was recommended | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=18 February 2020}}

Her maiden theatre production came through Ape Aeththo.{{cite web | url=http://www.divaina.com/2015/07/03/cineart01.html | title=It is bringing 'Old Pinak' with the new generation | publisher=Divaina | access-date=18 February 2020}} In 2003, she produced the play Popiyana Uyana and introduced her nephew Ashan Fonseka onto stage. She further produced two stage plays Gasthuwa Keeyada, a Sinhala adaptation of the play "Farewell" by Alexander Vampilov in 1966,{{cite web |title=Damayanthi back on stage |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2014/10/02/?fn=sa1410029 |access-date=18 February 2020 |publisher=Sarasaviya}} and Parana Pinak in 2015{{cite web |title=Today the stage is getting a low treat - Damayanthi Fonseka |url=https://www.dinamina.lk/2015/06/04/විශේෂාංග/අද-වේදිකාවට-ලැබෙන්නේ-කුඩම්මාගේ-සැලකිලි-දමයන්ති-ෆොන්සේකා |access-date=18 February 2020 |publisher=Dinamina}} and in 2017, she directed the tele-serial Rankiri Amma where her sister Malini acted in a main role.{{cite web | url=http://www.sirilakanews.com/2017/11/දමයන්ති-ෆොන්සේකාගේ-අධ්‍ය/ | title=Ranmakri Amma is the first teledrama directed by Damayanthi Fonseka | publisher=sirilakanews | access-date=18 February 2020}}{{cite web | url=http://rasagossip.lk/අක්කාට-අණ-දෙන-නංගි/ | title=Damayanthi Fonseka directs Malini Fonseka | publisher=Rasa Gossip| access-date=18 February 2020}} She also directed the tele-drama Iragala Nekatha.{{cite web | url=https://www.mawratanews.lk/heart/දමයන්ති-ෆොන්සේකාගෙන්-අලු | title=Latest from Damayanthi Fonsekaa | publisher=mawratanews | access-date=18 February 2020}}

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• Amal Biso
• Api Kawuda
• Avi
• Awalan Kalla
• Balawa Namaka Aruma
• Bheema Bhomi
• Boniki Gedara {{cite web | url=https://archives.dailynews.lk/2006/11/22/art02.asp | title=Woman's role in a male - oriented world | work=Daily News | access-date=18 February 2020}}
• Debiddo
• Deshapaluwa
• Devlowa Yanakan
• Dukganna Rala
• Dvitva
• Erabadu Mal Pottu Pipila
• Ex Girlfriend
• Kadadasi Oru
• Little Animal's Home
• Loka Dekai Eka Minihai
• Man Nilame
• Nari Bena
• Paarajika
• Rajakiya Wendesiya
• Sivamma Dhanapala
• Ukdandu Hewana
• Viyanga
• Wes

{{Div col end}}

{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}

• Andiri Hewanella
• Amanda
• Ambu Daruwo
• Divya
• Garunda Damana
• Hopalu Arana
• Kumarihami
• Mudiyanse Mama
• Nenala {{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/teledramas/2020/09/24/19033/නාලන්ගේ-නෑනලා-රූපවාහිනියට-එති |title=Nalan's 'Nenala'' come on TV |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=24 September 2017}}
• Pabalu Menika
• Prarthana Mal
• Piya Saha Daruwo
• Sudu Nelum Vila
• Pujasanaya
• Ranmasu Uyana
• Sanda Madala Kaluwarai
• Sath Mahala
• Senehasata Adarei
• Sihina Genena Kumariye
• Sinahawata Paata Denna
• Sisila Ima
• Sohoyuro
• Thurya
• Tikiri Nilame
• Tikiri Saha Ungi
• Udumbara Kumariyak
• Uragala
• Wana Sarana
• Yaddehi Gedara

{{Div col end}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=116922 MR trying to replace Muslim leadership with Salman Khan]
• [http://www.deshaya.lk/article/52/හදසර/4179/තරු-ජෝඩු තරු ජෝඩු]
• [http://www.hirunews.lk/sinhala/entertainment/111598/ගෝලයෝ-දමයන්ති-ෆොන්සේකාට-පරණ-පිනක්-පාදයි ගෝලයෝ- දමයන්ති ෆොන්සේකාට "පරණ පිනක්" පාදයි]
• [http://www.lankadeepa.lk/world_news/ඉතාලි-නාට්‍යකරු-දාරියෝ-ෆෝ-මියයයි/14-468218 ඉතාලි නාට්‍යකරු දාරියෝ ෆෝ මියයයි]
• [http://sinhala.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=48053 මෛත්‍රී ගත් තීරණයෙන් පුරවැසියන්ගේ පිබිදීමක් ඇතිවෙලා]
• [http://www.helawoodpopcorn.com/2019/06/06/who-is-that-interesting/ කවුද අනේ එයා.. ‘ හෙළවුඩයේ fun කතාවක්]
• [http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2016/01/21/?fn=sa16012131 ජලා හුටා වලව්වේ මැණිකෙත් වැවේ]
• [http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2017/07/20/?fn=sa17072024 බජට් හදන්න මරු]
• [http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2015/06/11/?fn=sa1506116 කලාකාරියක්වීම පිනක් ආදරය දිනාගැනීමත් පිනක්]
• [http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2020/09/03/18528/දමයන්තිගේ-උපන්-දිනයේ-නිළි-රැජන-හා-පිරිවර දමයන්තිගේ උපන් දිනයේ නිළි රැජන හා පිරිවර]

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Category:Living people

Category:Sri Lankan film actresses

Category:1960 births