Priyankara Rathnayake

{{Short description|Sri Lankan actor}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Priyankara Rathnayake
ප්‍රියංකර රත්නායක

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|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|6|3|mf=yes}}

|birth_place = Sri Lanka

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|nationality = Sri Lankan

|education =

|alma_mater = University of Kelaniya

|years_active = 1988–present

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|occupation = Actor, Dramatist, Lecturer

}}

Priyankara Rathnayake (born June 3, 1964 as {{langx|si|ප්‍රියංකර රත්නායක}}) is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama, and television.{{cite web | url=https://rateyourmusic.com/films/priyankara_ratnayake | title=Priyankara Ratnayake career | publisher=Rate Your Music | access-date=30 July 2019}}{{deprecated source|certain=y|date=November 2024}} He also works as a senior lecturer for the Department of Drama, Cinema, and Television at the University of Kelaniya.{{cite web | url=https://hu.kln.ac.lk/depts/image_art_drama/index.php/component/sppagebuilder/?view=page&id=37 | title=Priyankara Rathnayaka | publisher=University of Kelaniya | access-date=30 July 2019}}

Personal life

He started drama career under Somalatha Subasinghe's children and youth theater and state drama school. Then he joined Rajitha Dissanayake's drama troupe.{{cite web | url=http://www.navaliya.com/2010/07/19/artworld1.html | title=Regardless of who you are, the cinema and the cinema are still close to the people - Priyankara | publisher=Navaliya| access-date=30 July 2019}}

He entered to University of Kelaniya in 1989 and obtained the Bachelor of Arts Special Degree (Honours) in 1992. He completed Master of Arts Degree in Drama and Theatre from University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2005. He is working as a lecturer and visiting lecturer for mass media, drama and theater as well as performing arts in University of Peradeniya, National School of Drama, Tower Hall Theatre Foundation and Sripalee campus of University of Colombo.

Acting career

Rathnayake is credited for introducing famous plays by Sophocles to the Sri Lankan theater with the titles Oedipus and Ada Vage Davasaka Antigone.{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2012/11/07/fea20.asp | title=Live on, Classics ! | work=Daily News | access-date=30 July 2019}} He also directed Aristophanes' play Lysistrata in 2015 as Visekariyo. In 2016, he directed William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the title Premawantha Kumarayo.{{cite web | url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/02/11/entertainment/priyankara-rathnayakes-“premawantha-kumarayo”-stage-tomorrow?qt-popular_articles=1&page=49 | title=Priyankara Rathnayake's "Premawantha Kumarayo" on stage tomorrow | work=Daily News | access-date=30 July 2019}}

In 2016, a four-day theater festival was held at the Lionel Wendt Theatre in Colombo from June 7 to 10 daily at 7 pm.{{cite web | url=http://mirrorcitizen.dailymirror.lk/2018/06/04/priyankara-rathnayake-drama-fest-in-colombo/ | title=Priyankara Rathnayake Drama Fest in Colombo | publisher=Daily Mirror | access-date=30 July 2019}}

=Notable works=

  • Ada Vage Davasaka Antigone
  • Asinamali
  • Bakamuna Weedi Basi {{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110731/Magazine/sundaytimestvtimes_2.html |title=Rajitha back with Bakamuna |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=30 December 2019}}
  • Oedipus{{cite web | url=http://www.ft.lk/ft-lite/a-festival-of-sinhala-drama/6-29639 | title=A Festival of Sinhala Drama | publisher=Daily FT | access-date=30 July 2019}}
  • Poth Gullee{{cite web | url=https://www.yamu.lk/event/poth-gullee-stage-play | title=Poth Gullee Stage Play | publisher=yamu.lk| access-date=30 July 2019}}
  • Premawantha Kumarayo{{cite web | url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2016/02/28/spe-the-01.asp | title=Shakespeare gets a creative Sinhala twist | publisher=Sunday Observer| access-date=30 July 2019}}
  • Sihina Horu Aran{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/141019/magazine/dreams-back-on-the-stage-sihina-horu-aran-122417.html | title=Dreams back on the stage 'Sihina Horu Aran' | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=30 July 2019}}
  • Visekariyo{{cite web | url=http://www.boondi.lk/article.php?ArtID=4377 | title="විසේකාරියෝ" කැළණියේදී- සැප්තැම්බර් 18 | publisher=Boondi | access-date=30 July 2019}}

=Selected television serials=

  • Abhisamaya{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/000924/tv.html | title='Abhisamaya' portrays tale of a widow | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=16 August 2019}}
  • Ahanna Kenek Na {{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2020/07/30/18137/සුනිල්-කොස්තා-අහන්න-කෙනෙක්-නෑ-අරඹයි |title='Ahanna Kenek Na' by Sunil Costa |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=26 September 2019}}
  • Charithayaka Paata Denna{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2009/12/02/art18.asp | title=Adding colour to character | work=Daily News | access-date=17 August 2019}}
  • Dhawala Yamaya{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/060226/tv/8.html |title='Dhawala Yaamaya' on Sirasa |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=11 September 2019}}
  • Diya Ginisilu {{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040613/tv/3.html | title=Of love and old Friendship | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=29 November 2019}}
  • Giri Kula{{cite web | url=http://archive.srilankamirror.com/arts/10793-farming-family-drama-to-hit-mini-screen | title=Farming family drama to hit mini screen | publisher=Sri Lankna Mirror| access-date=30 July 2019}}
  • Kadadora
  • Maheshika{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/021027/tv/3.html#1 | title='Maheshika' has unusual theme | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=16 August 2019}}
  • Manikkawatha {{Cite web |date=2021-12-10 |title="Manikkawatha": The television is ready for a turning point in the art of teledrama - ITN News රස බර |url=https://www.itnnews.lk/2021/12/10/382105/ |access-date=2021-12-16 |website=ITN News |language=si-LK}}
  • Sakarma {{Cite web |title=Sakarma soon on ITN |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/teledramas/2021/04/01/20161/සකර්ම-ළඟදීම-ස්වාධීන-රූපවාහිනියෙන් |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=Sarasaviya}}
  • Satya {{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/040711/tv/5.html |title='Satya' embarks on social reform and pays with his life |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=19 September 2019}}
  • Sulangata Enna Kiyanna
  • Vishwanthari {{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/060820/tv/tv14.html |title='Vishwanthari': World Class literature on miniscreen |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=8 December 2019}}

Author work

He wrote several books related to drama and media. One of them is Natya Vicharaya.{{cite web | url=https://www.sarasavi.lk/Book/Natya-Vicharaya-9556842403 | title=Natya Vicharaya by Priyankara Rathnayaka | publisher=Sarasavi Book shop | access-date=30 July 2019}}

Filmography

Rathnayake started his film career with Thunweni Aha back in 1996, directed by Anura Chandrasiri.{{cite web | url=https://films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-priyankara-rathnayaka-249.html | title=Priyankara Rathnayaka - ප්‍රියංකර රත්නායක films | publisher=Sinhala Cinema Database| access-date=30 July 2019}} His most popular cinema acting came through films Irasma, Bandhanaya and Dedunu Akase.{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6527156/ | title=Priyankara Rathnayaka filmography | publisher=IMDb | access-date=30 July 2019}}

{{Pending films key}}

class="wikitable"
YearFilmRoleRef.
1996Thunweni AhaVimukthi
2000Rajya Sevaya PinisaiJanaka shooter
2003IrasmaTharintha Wijesundera{{cite web |url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/01/26/fea07.html |title=Children's film on parental love |work=Daily News |access-date=11 March 2017}}
2005Guerilla Marketing{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/050515/tv/2.html |title='Marketing' at its best |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=4 December 2019}}
2008PrabhakaranPiyasoma{{cite web |url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2008/04/30/art05.asp |title=Prabhakaran: striving for an imaginary state |work=Daily News |access-date=11 March 2017}}
2008AbaYakchanda{{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2016/03/10/?fn=sa16031022 |title=Sri Lankan Screened Films |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=11 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606105346/http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2016/03/10/?fn=sa16031022 |archive-date=6 June 2017 |url-status=dead }}
2017BandhanayaAriyapala{{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2017/03/30/?fn=sa1703301 |title=New Horror Sri Lankan Movie - භීෂණයේ අලුත් කතාවක් සිනමාවට |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=30 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404110014/http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2017/03/30/?fn=sa1703301 |archive-date=4 April 2017 |url-status=dead }}
2017Dedunu AkaseDance teacher{{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2017/05/25/?fn=sa1705251 |title=Dedunu Akase plot |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=30 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620035655/http://sarasaviya.lk/2017/05/25/?fn=sa1705251 |archive-date=20 June 2017 |url-status=dead }}
2019Sulanga Apa Ragena YaviEdward{{cite web | url=http://www.films.lk/sulanga-apa-ragena-yavi-sinhala-film-2222.html | title=Sulanga Apa Ragena Yavi - සුළඟ අප රැගෙන යාවි | publisher=Sinhala Cinema Database | access-date=23 March 2019}}
2022Ashawari{{Cite web |title=Ashawari: This is not a love story |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2021/04/29/20345/ආශාවරී-මෙය-ආදර-කතාවක්-නොවේ |access-date=2021-04-26 |website=Sarasaviya}}
2022Hithumathe JeewitheIP Dasanayake{{cite web |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/films-local/2019/07/11/6920/ඇසුදුටු-සමාජයේ-උත්තරීතර-සහෝදර-ප්‍රේමය |title=The supreme brotherly love of society |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=11 July 2019}}
2023Kandak Sema{{cite web | url=http://www.asianmirror.lk/entertainment/item/24845-kandak-sema | title=Sumithra Rahubadda's 'Kandak Sema' Movie To Be Screened Soon | publisher=Asian Mirror | access-date=3 April 2018}}
2024MandaraPolice officer
{{TableTBA}}{{pending film|italic=no| Gunananda Himi Migettuwatte }}{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/150208/magazine/film-on-greatest-religious-icon-134345.html | title=Film on greatest religious icon | publisher=The Sunday Times | access-date=3 April 2018}}

Awards and accolades

He has won several awards at the local stage drama festivals and television festivals.{{cite web|title=Sumathi Award winners in each year|url=http://sumathiawards.lk/sumathi-awards-winners.php|website=www.sumathiawards.lk}}{{cite web|title=Raigam Tele'es 2011 award winners|url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2011/05/26/_art.asp?fn=sa11052613&pn=20|publisher=Sarasaviya|access-date=2019-07-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413053404/http://www.sarasaviya.lk/2011/05/26/_art.asp?fn=sa11052613&pn=20|archive-date=2017-04-13|url-status=dead}}

=Presidential Awards=

{{Awards table}}

|-

|| 1999 ||| Dorakada Marawa || Best Screenplay || {{won}}

{{End}}

=Sumathi Awards=

{{Awards table}}

|-

|| 2001 ||| Abhisamaya || Merit Award || {{won}}

{{End}}

=Raigam Tele'es=

{{Awards table}}

|-

|| 2012 ||| Sulangata Enna Kiyanna
Kadadora || Merit Award || {{won}}

{{End}}

References

{{reflist}}