Deshabandu Tony Ranasinghe (1937-2015), was a renowned Sri Lankan actor who performed in film, theater, and television. Considered one of the greatest Sri Lankan actors of all time, he was renowned for his distinctive facial expressions, voice, and body language, as well as his ability to embody challenging and intense roles, such as Sarath's role in Ahasin Polowata, Nissanka's role in Delovak Athara etc. According to critics, he is the last Crowned king in Sri Lankan cinema to die after Gamini Fonseka and Joe Abeywickrama.
He appeared in 115 films, 43 of which were starring roles. He played 72 supporting roles. He also worked as a screenwriter on two films.
Personal life Ranasinghe Hettiarachchilage Ignatius Anthony Silva, who later became popular as Tony Ranasinghe, was born July 31, 1937, in Modara to Emmanuel Cyril and Lilian Fernando as the second of the family. He had 8 siblings in the family - The eldest is the Ralex. Other younger members include Stella, Marie, Gina, Romwell, Christopher, and Daya. He studied at St. Anthony's College, Wattala, and De LaSalle College, Modera. His father worked as a Technical Officer in the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. He joined de la Salle College, Modera in 1948 to study English. He was a cricket fan during school times and used to collected photographs of Don Bradman.
He started his career as an English stenographer and quit from the job after few months. He changes his name to an advertisement for the 1962 drama "Bodinkarayo" with the influence from his brother Ralex.
He was married to longtime partner Sirima Indrani Wickramasuriya. The wedding was celebrated on 30 April 1962. Ranasinghe died on 16 June 2015 at a public hospital in Colombo at the age of 77.
Career Ranasinghe began his career in theater with a role in Dharmasiri Wickramaratne's Ran Thodu in 1963, which won him the Governor General's Award for Best Stage Actor. This award was presented by minister T. B. Ilangaratne. His first film appearance was for Sirisena Wimalaweera's Punchi Amma but was not screened due to an economic crisis.
Ranasinghe made his film debut with Lester James Peries' Gamperaliya (1964) and followed it with Ran Salu with a different villain role in the film. He worked with Peries again on Delovak Athara, in which he had the starring role. He continued to play many main protagonist role in several critically acclaimed blockbuster movies such as Parasathu Mal, Baddegama, Hulawali, Duhulu Malak, Hanthane Kathawa, Pawuru Walalu and Le Kiri Kandulu.
In his early days, Ranasinghe also appeared in many stage dramas with the collaboration with Sugathapala de Silva's drama group "Ape Kattiya". He acted in the plays Bodimkarayo, Thattu Gewal, Waguru Bima, Virupi Muhuna, Harima Badu Hayak, Julius Caesar and Veniciye Velenda.
He also acted in few television serials such as Awarjana, Suwanda Kekulu, Raigam Yaluwo, Ekata Getuma, Hathe Wasama, Manokaya, Soorya Vinsathi and Kadamuna.
In addition to acting, he contributed to the script and drama production. Some of them include Koti Waligaya, Awaragira, Tharanaya, Pawuru Walalu, Kelimadala and Duwata Mawaka Misa. He worked as the producer of stage plays Julius Caesar, Balawa Nawaka Aruma and Dolosweni Rathriya. He was also a talented author. He wrote the books Jogi Hamarai, Hemadama Oba Mage and Mata Kawuruth Adare Na. Then he wrote the novel Adaraneeya Ayra in weekly parts to Sarasaviya magazine.
Selected Television Series Siri Sirimal
Author work Adaraneeya Ayra Doloswana Rathriya Haemadama Oba Mage
Awards Ranasinghe was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Sarasaviya Award in 1966 for his role in Parasathu Mal. Subsequently he won Best Actor Awards for Hanthane Kathawa (1969), Duhulu Malak (1976) and Ahasin Polawata (1979). In 1980 he played the father of the protagonist in Ganga Addara. 1993's Saptha Kanya won him Best Actor Awards from Sarasaviya, Swarna Sanka, Presidential and OCIC.
Ranasinghe has dabbled in screenplay writing, winning Sarasaviya Awards for Koti Waligaya, Keli Mandala, Awaragira (1995) and Pavuru Walalu. Ranasinghe was honoured with the Deshabandu award, third highest national honour awarded in Sri Lanka in 1988.
Filmography
Year Film Role1963 Gamperaliya Baladasa 1964 Getavarayo Mr. Ilangakoon1965 Sekaya Jayantha1966 Parasathu Mal Sirisena 1966 Sihina Hathak Doctor Upul Palihakkara 1966 Delovak Athara Nissanka Wijesinghe1966 Kinkini Paada 1966 Senasuma Kothanada 1967 Wasanthi 1967 Ran Salu Cyril Elkaduwa1967 Manamalayo 1967 Sadol Kandulu 1968 Adaravanthayo Nimal1968 Singithi Surathal 1968 Hangi Hora 1968 Indunila 1968 Dahasak Sithuvili Music Master 1969 Pravesam Vanna Mr. Ranasinghe1969 Naarilatha Ranjith Weerasooriya 1969 Hari Maga Tilak1969 Hanthane Kathawa Anura 1970 Penawa Neda 1971 Kalana Mithuro 1971 Samanala Kumariyo samaga Api Kawadath Soorayo 1972 Adare Hithenawa Dakkama Tony 'Boss' 1973 Hathdinnath Tharu Raja's cousin1973 Sunethra 1973 Gopalu Handa Saranaa1973 Hodai Narakai 1974 Dinum Kanuwa1974 Sheela Victor Karunaratne1974 Vasthuwa 1974 Sagarika 1975 Suraya Surayamai Lawyer Donald Ranasinghe 1975 Hitha Hoda MinihekRohana1975 Kaliyuga Kale1975 Kokilayo 1976 Ransalu 1976 Unnath Daahai Malath Daahai 1976 Adarei Man Adarei 1976 Duhulu Malak Mr. "Suray" Suraweera1976 Walmath VuvooCyril1976 Looka Horu1976 Asha1976 Deyyange TheenduvaKamal Siri1976 Mangala 1976 Onna Maame Kella Panapi 1976 Hulavali Bibile Aththo 1976 Saradiyelge Putha Ravi1977 Sakunthala 1977 Hithuwoth Hithuwamai Club Announcer 1977 Pembara Madu Dr.Sarath 1978 Hitha Mithura Cyril1978 Maduwanthi Ravindra 'Ravi' Ranasinghe1978 Veera Puran Appu 1978 Sithaka SuwandaVijay1978 SaraPaala1978 Ahasin Polawata Dr.Sarath1979 Eka Hitha Nalaka1979 Nuwan Renu Nuwan Senaratne1979 Subhani 1980 Uthumaneni 1980 Ektam Ge Upali 1980 Mayurige Kathawa Paala1980 Hewanali Ada Minissu 1980 Ganga Addara Dr. Juwanis Atapattu1980 Sasaraka Pethum Collector Jagath1980 Bambara Pahasa Sudesh1980 Parithyaga Jayathilaka1981 Ran Ethana 1981 Samawenna Raja Samaranayake1981 Sayuru Thera Joseph1981 Bandura Mal Sathgama Mudalali1981 Beddegama Fernando 1981 Valampuri Aranolis1982 Yahalu Yeheli Mr. Wanigasekara1982 Pethi Gomara Dhanushka1982 Re Manamali Police Inspector Suraweera1982 Sagarayak Meda Dr. Moladanda's nephew1982 Malata Noena Bambaru 1983 SandamaliPrasanna Samarasinghe1983 Samuganimi Ma Samiyani 1983 Samanala Sihina 1983 Kaliyugaya Doctor1984 Maya Ranjith Dias1984 Sasara Chethana 1984 Kokila Nimal / Hermit1985 Sudu Mama 1985 Adara Kathawa Kanthi's father1986 Dinuma Wickrama1986 Koti Valigaya Minister M.G Ramasuriya1986 Dushyanthi Doctor Ranaraja1987 JanelayaMr. Fernando1987 Sathyagrahanaya Asoka Atvasada 1992 Kulageya Ariyaratne1992 Sisila Gini Gani Inspector Arthur Silva1993 Saptha Kanya Dabare 1995 Avaragira Ran Banda1997 Duwata Mawaka Misa 1997 Tharanaya Podi Mahaththaya 1997 Savitrige Raththriya1998 Eya Obata Barai Head Doctor1998 Anthima Reya 1999 Kolompoor Alphabet Dantanarayana1999 Pawuru Walalu Victor Mendis2000 Saroja Police OIC2000 Anuragaye Ananthaya Dayapala Jayathilaka 2001 Mahadena Muththai Golayo Roththai 2001 Anantha Rathriya Lawyer Vicky2001 Kinihiriya Mal Edwin2002 Salelu WaramaPriyanka's father2003 Le Kiri Kandulu Jayananda Ratnapala2003 Sonduru Dadabima Solomon Sahabandu2004 Diya Yata Gindara Police Chief 2004 Randiya Dahara 2005 Alu Yata Gini 2004 Samunoganna Sugandhika 2006 Ammawarune Rathnapala Hamuduruvo 2007 Sikuru Hathe Chief Inspector2004 Yahaluvo Sinhala tuition master2008 Heart FM Doctor Sri Vastav2008 Nil Diya Yahana Jayawardena2009 Ekamath Eka Rateka guest appearance
Script writing Year Film Director- Angulimala First script. Did not filmed.- Daruwange Gedara Gamini Fonseka did not filmed.- Athuru Mathiwaranaya Gamini Fonseka did not filmed.- Niroopikawa Did not filmed.1986 Koti Valigaya Gamini Fonseka1995 Awaragira Lester James Peries1997 Tharanaya Sudath Devapriya1997 Duwata Mawaka Misa Sumithra Pieris1991 Kelimadala D.B. Nihalsinghe1999 Pawuru Walalu Prasanna Vithanage2018 Vaishnavi Sumithra Pieris
Stage dramas Year Drama Producer1962 Bodimkarayo Sugathapala de Silva1964 Thattu Gewal Sugathapala de Silva- Ran Thodu Sugathapala de Silva1967 Nil Katarol Mal Sugathpala de Silva- Wagurubima Premaranjith Tillakaratne- Viroopi Roopa Namel Weeramuni- Vaniciye Welenda Bandula Vithanage1982 Julius Caesar Himself- Gimhane Reyaka Dutu Sihinayak Helena Lehthimathi- Harima Badu Hayak Sugathpala de Silva- Avi Sugathpala de Silva- Parasthawa Showed only in Galle- Balawa Namaka Aruma W.M. Wijesiri
References
External links Tony Ranasinghe's Biography in Sinhala Cinema Database
ජීවිත සලරුවක මතක සටහන් රංගවේදියකුගේ සදහටම සමුගැනීම ටෝනි නම් රසවතා දොස් ඇති මිනිසුන් නිදොස් කළ ටෝනි දේවදූතයෝ සපිරිවරින් ඔබ නිදි ගැන්මට ගී ගයත්වා පරම්පරා දෙකක් ටෝනි දකින හැටි අපට ජීවිතය කියාදී මහා නළුවා යන්නටම ගියේය සුබ උපන් දිනයක්