Kamal Addararachchi
{{Short description|Sri Lankan actor and singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{EngvarB |date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox person
|image =
|imagesize = 150px |
| name = Kamal Addararachchi
කමල් අද්දරආරච්චි
| birth_name = Addararachchige Gunendra Kamal
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1962|2|5}}
| birth_place = Sri Lanka
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actor, singer, teacher
| yearsactive = 1977–present
| spouse = Anurani Addararachchi
| awards = Sarasaviya Best Actor Award (2002)
}}
Addararachchige Gunendra Kamal (born on 5 February 1962: {{langx|si|කමල් අද්දරආරච්චි}}),{{Cite web |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2005/05/15/mag03.html |title=Kamal Addararachchi – Profile |access-date=2 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930171708/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2005/05/15/mag03.html |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=live }}{{cite news
|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/29011558.html?dids=29011558:29011558&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=APR+27%2C+1998&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Sri+Lankan+Actor-Inmate+Stages+Play&pqatl=google
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930221221/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/29011558.html?dids=29011558:29011558&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=APR+27,+1998&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Sri+Lankan+Actor-Inmate+Stages+Play&pqatl=google
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=30 September 2007
|title=Sri Lankan Actor-Inmate Stages Play
|newspaper=The Washington Post
|date=27 April 1998
|access-date=10 April 2007}} popularly known as Kamal Addararachchi, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television, as well as a singer and presenter. He made his debut as an actor in Gamini Fonseka's 1981 film Sagarayak Meda, whilst he was still a student at school. Since the late 1970s, he has appeared in a variety of roles in many films and teledramas. He has acted in over 40 films, 20 teledramas and six stage plays,[http://www.dailymirror.lk/2005/07/25/life/02.asp :: Daily Mirror – Opinion ::] and won the Sarasaviya Best Actor Award for his role of Sobana in Jayantha Chandrasiri's film Agnidahaya in 2002.{{cite web | url=http://www.nfc.gov.lk/artist/kamal-addararachchi-191/ | title=Kamal Addararachchi | publisher=National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka | access-date=21 August 2016}}
He also made a mark as a singer in 1993 with "Unmadawoo," a duet with Damayanthi Jayasooriya, which was featured in the film Saptha Kanya. He was also the host of the first three seasons of Sirasa Superstar, a reality show,{{Cite web |url=http://bbclanka.info/index.php/2016/06/23/superstar-competition-during-amal-perera-kamal-addararachchi-who-takes-up-the-most-difficult-partners-meet/ |title=Superstar competition during Amal Perera, Kamal Addararachchi who takes up the most difficult partners meet – BBC Sinhala News Portal |access-date=21 August 2016 |archive-date=22 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822211521/http://bbclanka.info/index.php/2016/06/23/superstar-competition-during-amal-perera-kamal-addararachchi-who-takes-up-the-most-difficult-partners-meet/ |url-status=dead }} and the first season of Hiru Mega Stars.
Background
He completed his education from Wesley College, Colombo.{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2012/02/09/_art.asp?fn=sa1202095&pn=05 | title=Lets talk about Kamal addararachchi | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=21 August 2016}}
He showed an initial interest in artistic work, and this prompted him to do music, Sinhala literature, Kandyan Dancing and debating, all at the same time. He even worked as the secretary of the 'Sinhala Literary Society' whilst at school.{{Cite web |url=http://www.amarasara.info/artistes-pro/kamal-addara.pdf |title=Kamal (Sinhala) |access-date=2 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010612/http://www.amarasara.info/artistes-pro/kamal-addara.pdf |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}
He is married to Anurani Addararachchi and has two sons. He was an English teacher as well.
Career
The play Ane Ablick was staged in Colombo in 1978, marked Kamal's first significant public theatre performance.{{cite web | url=https://fragmenteyes.blogspot.com/2015/01/kamal-addararachchi-reflections-on.html | title=Kamal Addararachchi: Reflections on a Career | date=12 January 2015 | publisher=fragments | access-date=21 August 2016}} Addararachchi, who broke into the silver screen with Gamini Fonseka's Sagarayak Meda, rose to immense popularity with hits such as Saptha Kanya.
He is noted{{according to whom|date=January 2018}} for his performances in films such as Saptha Kanya by H. D. Premaratne and Agnidahaya by Jayantha Chandrasiri, and teldramas like Hiruta Muvaven by Herbert Ranjith Peiris, Rathu Rosa by Ranjan De Silva, and Weda Hamine and Dandubasna Maanaya by Jayantha Chandrasiri.
His performance on the mini screen for Dandubasna Maanaya was twice rewarded at the inaugural Sumathi Tele Awards ceremony in 1995, when he received the award for Best Supporting Actor as well as the Most Popular Actor Award.
In July 2012, he appeared his first music video, with Mahendra Perera and Dayan Witharana, for the song "Hithagaawa" by Tilan Fernando. The music video was directed by Prasanna Andradi and released in the first week of December 2012.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}
He has not appeared in a teledrama since 2005.{{cite web | url=http://www.gossip9lanka.co.uk/2015/01/chat-with-kamal-addararachchi.html | title=Chat With Kamal addararachchi | publisher=gossip9lanka | access-date=21 August 2016}}{{Cite web |title=I have not been to a movie in four years. A slave is not in a teledrama: Veteran actor Kamal Addararachchi |url=https://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews/2021/10/14/21084/මම-අවුරුදු-හතරකින්-චිත්%E2%80%8Dරපටයක-නෑ-දාසයකින්-ටෙලිනාට්%E2%80%8Dයයක-නෑ |access-date=2021-12-25 |website=Sarasaviya|date=13 October 2021 }}
Awards
1995 – Sumathi Best Supporting Actor Award
1995 – Sumathi Most Popular Actor Award
1996 – Best Supporting Actor Presidential Award
2002 – Sarasaviya Best Actor Award
2019 – Best Actor Presidential Award
Filmography
Songs
{{Track listing
| headline = Songs by Kamal Addaraarachchi
| total_length =
| title1 = Thun Sitha Dahan Gathawena
| note1 = with Neela Wickramasinghe
| length1 = 04.34
| title2 = Unmadawoo Premadare
| note2 = with Damayanthi Jayasooriya
| length2 = 04.30
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=2153848|name=Kamal Addararachchi}}
- [http://www.films.lk/ArtistDetails.php?id=19 Kamal Addararachchi's biography in Sinhala Cinema Database]
- [http://meekiri.com/tag/kamal-addararachchi Kamal Addararachchi songs]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Addararachchi, Kamal}}
Category:20th-century Sri Lankan male singers
Category:Sri Lankan male film actors