Manike Attanayake

Manike Attanayake was born on 23 August 1947 in Thalwatte, Kandy as the youngest of the family with five siblings. Her father, Wilson Attanayake was a renowned Sokeri actor in Kandy who worked at Cargills Company.{{cite web | url=http://news.tharunaya.us/news-Art-24360.html | title=When the hand was broken, Sokeri was stopped - Manike Attanayake | publisher=Saaravita| access-date=20 January 2020}} Her mother Ran Manike Attanayake was a housewife.{{cite web | url=http://gossiplankalive1.blogspot.com/2012/07/chat-with-manike-aththanayaka.html | title=Chat with Manike Attanayake | publisher=gossiplankalive1| access-date=20 January 2020}} Attanayake completed education from Senkadagala Maha Vidyalaya, currently known as D. S. Senanayaka College, Kandy{{cite web | url=https://www.thetruth.lk/archives/33189 | title=Here are some of the things in school times | publisher=The Truth | access-date=20 January 2020}} and Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy.{{cite web | url=https://www.nation.lk/2007/12/09/special5.htm | title="I will never quit" – An actress proud of her role | publisher=The Nation | access-date=20 January 2020}} One of her elder sisters, Kumari Manike also acted in many stage dramas.{{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/interviews-stage-dramas/2019/05/02/4952/මගේ-නොවුණු-මගේ-නම | title=My name, not mine | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=20 January 2020}}

She is married to retired police officer Raja Attanayake and the couple has two sons and one daughter.{{cite web | url=http://www.saaravita.lk/latest_news/568440/නිළියක්-වෙන්න-හිතකවත්-ති | title=Never thought to be an actress - Manike Attanayake | publisher=Saaravita| access-date=20 January 2020}}

Attanayake joined with "Ranga Shilpa Shalika" at Lionel Wendt Art Centre to start stage drama acting.{{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2020/10/08/19182/ඇද්ද-මෙදිය-කුස-ඔබ-වැනි-නිරිඳුන් | title=ඇද්ද මෙදිය කුස ඔබ වැනි නිරිඳුන් | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=9 October 2019}} She studied drama and theater under renowned dramatist Dhamma Jagoda, who converted her name into stage name "Manike Attanayake". Her maiden stage drama acting came through Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Maname in 1976. In 1979, Attanayake engaged as an A-grade singer in Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation with a versatile range of singing in Noorthi, Nadagam and Classical.

Meanwhile, she started to act in many popular stage plays such as Sarachchandra's Sinhabahu, Lomahansa, Mahasara, Wessanthara, R.R. Samarakoon's Kelani Palama, W.B. Makuloluwa's Depano, Dayananda Gunawardena's Nari Bena, Dikthala Kalagola and Modara Mola. In 1981, Attanayake won the award for Best Actor at State Drama Festival for the role "Paththini" in the play Mini Salamba. In 1987, she was awarded the Kala Suri Award and in 1991, and then the Special Jury Award at the State Theater Festival. She was honored with the title "Moratuputra Abhinandana" award at the "Sahithyangali" Literary Festival held by Moratuwa Municipal Council in 2017 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the field of stage drama.{{cite web|url=https://www.silumina.lk/2024/12/21/rasanduna/31755/සමහර-චරිත-මම-රඟපෑවා-නේද-කි/ |title=සමහර චරිත මම රඟපෑවා නේද කියලා මටම පුදුම හිතෙනවා: මැණිකේ අත්තනායක|publisher=silumina.lk |date=12 January 2025 |access-date=12 January 2025}}

She is one of the earliest pillars in Sri Lankan television history. She acted in many popular serials including Palingu Manike, Ella Langa Walawwa, Yashorawaya, Parana Tawuma, Nelli Gedara, Anu Nawayen Nawaya, Mihikathagē Daruvō, Manōmandira, Sandagala Thænna, Nomærena Minissu, Niyaṁ Kurullō and Medi Sina.

Her maiden cinematic experience came through 1981 film Sudda directed by Rathnaweera De Silva. She generally acted in many supportive roles in cinema. Some of her popular films are Niliyakata Pem Kalemi, Seilama, Parliament Jokes, Ridee Nimnaya, Birinda, Mangala Thǣgga, Okkoma Rajavaru, Vana Bambarā, Esaḷa San̆da, Surabidena, Sujāthā, Dhavala Puṣhpaya, Sūra Daruvō, Sathkampā, Saptha Kanyā, Yakaḍa Pihāṭu and Gindarī.{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2770725/ | title=Menike Attanayaka | publisher=IMDb | access-date=9 August 2019}}

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• Anu Nawayen Nawaya
• Denuwara Manike {{cite web | url=http://paradisaya.tripod.com/teledrama/denuwaramanike.html| title=Denuwara Manike | publisher=paradisaya | access-date=8 July 2020}}
• Deweni Gamana {{cite web | url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/teledramas/2020/07/30/18133/මංගල-තෑග්ගේ-දෙවැනි-ගමන | title="Deweni Gamana" of Mangala Thegga | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=25 July 2020}}
• Dikkasadaya {{cite web | url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/08/29/tc/160957/anora-eager-reveal-her-secret?page=59 | title=Anora eager to reveal her secret | work=Daily News | access-date=20 January 2020}}
• Ella Langa Walawwa
• Induwari
• Kele Handa {{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/teledramas/2020/03/19/17493/පුංචි-තිරයට-පායන-කැලෑ-හඳ |title=Kele Handa comes to television |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=25 March 2020}}
• Mal Kekulak {{cite web | url=https://lankaflix.vhx.tv/mal-kakulak | title=Mal Kakulak | publisher=lankaflix | access-date=20 January 2020}}
• Mano Mandira
• Medagedara {{cite web | url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/sunday-times-sri-lanka/20130414/283270275254685 | title=Medagedara, a message to women | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=20 January 2020}}
• Medi Sina
• Nelli Gedara
• Niyan Kurullo
• Nomerena Minisun
• Palingu Manike
• Parana Tawuma
• Piththala Konderuma {{cite web | url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2013/03/17/mon14.asp | title=Piththala Konderuma | publisher=Sunday Observer | access-date=20 January 2020}}
• Sandagalathenna
• Sikuru Lanthe
• Wasuda
• Yashorawaya

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• None Mage Sudu None with Sunil Perera

• Ethata Yami Piyabala

• Hunuwataye Kathaya

• Rathdare Siriya Paradana

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• Depano
• Deiyo Sakki {{cite web | url=http://rangahala.lk/deiyo_sakki/ | title=Deiyo Sakki | publisher=Rangahala | access-date=20 January 2020}}
• Dikthala Kalagola {{cite web | url=http://rangahala.lk/dikthala-kalagola/ | title=Dikthala Kalagola | publisher=Rangahala | access-date=20 January 2020}}
• Lomahansa
• Kelani Palama
• Mahasara
• Manamalaya
• Maname
• Mini Salamba
• Modara Mola
• Nari Bena
• Sinhabahu
• Wessanthara

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• [http://gossip.hirufm.lk/42119/2020/01/manike-attanayake.html "එහෙම සම්බන්ධයක් ඇත්තටම තියෙනවා නම් කවදාවත් මම ඒ දේ කෙලින් කියන්න බය වෙන්නෙ නෑ" - මැණිකේ අත්තනායක]
• [http://gossip.hirufm.lk/17673/2017/09/manike-aththanayakes-article.html අපි දැන් කම්කරුවෝ වගේ.. මැණිකේ අත්තනායක]
• [http://news24.lk/gossip/පළිඟු-මැණිකේ-නිහඬ-වූ-හේතු/ පළිඟු මැණිකේ නිහඬ වූ හේතුව මෙන්න]

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Category:Living people

Category:Sri Lankan film actresses

Category:1947 births