Dharmasiri Bandaranayake
{{short description|Sri Lankan film director and playwright|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Dharmasiri Bandaranayake
ධර්මසිරි බණ්ඩාරනායක
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|image = Dharmasiri Bandaranayaka.jpg
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|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|10|06}}
|birth_place = Wadduwa, Sri Lanka
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|nationality = Sri Lankan
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|years_active = 1969-present
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|known_for = Film directoring and playwright
|spouse = Swarna Mallawarachchi
|children = 1
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Dharmasiri Bandaranayake (born 6 October 1949) is a Sri Lankan film director and playwright.{{Cite web|url=http://sundaytimes.lk/100808/Plus/plus_19.html|title = Living with 'Dragons and Makarakshayas': Politics of Dharmasiri Bandaranayake's theatre}} Particularly working as a playwright, Bandaranayake is an artist who attempts to connect the sociopolitical environment with the civil society through art.{{Cite web |title=A literary tribute to Dharmasiri's cinematic journey |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/200906/magazine/a-literary-tribute-to-dharmasiris-cinematic-journey-414991.html |access-date=2021-01-11 |website=sundaytimes}}
Career
Bandaranyake's debut Hansa Vilak in 1980 dealt with facets of a society at odds with itself. His other films like Thunveni Yamaya (1983), Suddilage Kathaawa (1984), Bawa Duka and Bawa Karma (1997) followed similar themes. Two films Bawa Duka and Bawa Karma challenged the repressive dogma of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.{{Cite web |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/05/25/imp11.asp |title=Impact | Sundayobserver.lk - Sri Lanka |access-date=2012-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306075612/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/05/25/imp11.asp |archive-date=2013-03-06 |url-status=live }} Common arcs in Bandaranayake's films follow the conflicted lives of men and women, transformation of private lives into public affairs, the unpleasant reality of marriage and society and the dark side of human desire.
He produced many stage plays such as Eka Adhipathi, Makarakshaya, Dhawala Bheeshana,{{Cite web |title='Dhawala Bheeshana' back in Colombo |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/200823/magazine/dhawala-bheeshana-back-in-colombo-412941.html |access-date=2021-01-11 |website=sundaytimes}} Yakshagamanaya and Trojan Kanthavo have all dealt with current issues of national and political importance.{{Cite web|url=http://sundaytimes.lk/100613/Magazine/sundaytimestvtimes_10.html|title = 'Makarakshaya' hunting for dragons in humans}} In 1999, Bandaranyake first staged the play Trojan Kanthawo which adapted Euripides' Greek drama The Trojan Women for a Sinhala and Tamil audience.{{Cite web |title=The Trojan Women Popular play of the decade |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/200906/magazine/the-trojan-women-popular-play-of-the-decade-414988.html |access-date=2021-01-11 |website=sundaytimes}} It is meant as an anti-war statement and proved to be controversial with the Sri Lankan government despite critical acclaim.
Bandaranayake received several death threats in 2001 after he made plans to stage the play in predominantly Tamil areas. In 2021, his film Hansa Vilak, a new copy has been reprinted with colored format and screened in cinemas from March 10.{{Cite web |title='Hansa Vilak' is reborn after 40 years |url=http://www.silumina.lk/2021/03/20/රසඳුන/වසර-40කට-පසු-‘හංසවිලක්’-යළි-උපදියි |access-date=2021-06-04 |website=Silumina}}
Filmography
=As actor=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Film | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Bakmaha Deege | Premadasa | |
| 1978 | Veera Puran Appu | Punchi Rala | |
| 1979 | Palagetiyo | Sarath Gunewardena | |
| 1980 | Sevaneli Aeda Minissu | Victor | |
| 1980 | Hansa Vilak | Nissanka Weerasinghe | {{Cite web |title=All about "Hansa Vilak" |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/films/2018/12/13/1555/මලක්-නම්-එය-මලක්-වුව-මැන-හංස-විලක් |access-date=2021-01-12 |website=Sarasaviya}} |
| 1981 | Bamba Ketu Hati | Sugath | |
| 1981 | Sathara Pera Nimithi | Sudath 'Sadhu' | |
| 1983 | Muhudu Lihini | ||
| 2015 | Bora Diya Pokuna | Desmond |
=As director=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Film | Other roles | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Hansa Vilak | Screenwriter, producer | |
| 1983 | Thunveni Yamaya | Screenwriter | |
| 1985 | Suddilage Kathaawa | Technical Advisor | |
| 1997 | Bawa Duka | Screenwriter | |
| 1997 | Bawa Karma | Screenwriter |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.films.lk/ArtistDetails.php?id=109 Dharmasiri Bandaranayake in Sinhala Cinema Database]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bandaranayake, Dharmasiri, Kalukapuge}}
Category:Sri Lankan film directors
Category:Sri Lankan dramatists and playwrights