Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva (Sinhala:ටයිටස් තොටවත්ත), popularly known as Titus Thotawatte, was a Sri Lankan director and editor who made several popular Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later developed Sinhala children's programmes. Thotawatte died on 15 October 2011 in Colombo.
Early life He was born on 17 April 1927 in Colombo. He was the second child in a family of three, with an elder brother and a younger sister. He attended Ananda College in Colombo and studied art under J.D.A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe and Matara Technical College.
Career Thottawatte joined Lester James Peries and Willie Blake as editor to make Rekava in 1956. It was an attempt to make a truly Sinhalese movie in contrast with the Southern Indian copies then in vogue.
Thottawatte debuted as a director with Chandiya in 1965. The film starred Gamini Fonseka in the first villains role of Sinhala Cinema. Other early films include Kauda Hari (1969), Thewatha (1970) and Haralaksaya (1971).
In 1980, Thotawatte wrote and directed the children's movie Handaya, which was awarded Best Picture at the Sarasaviya Film Festival.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he dubbed English cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Doctor Dolittle and Top Cat into Sinhala for Sinhalese audiences with the popular titles Ha Ha Hari Hawa, Dosthara Honda Hitha and Pissu Pusa respectively. He is considered to be the pioneer of dubbing programmes in Sri Lanka. These continue to air on Sinhala Television channels. Thotawatte created puppet characters like Eluson.
When the first National Media Awards took place in Sri Lanka, Thotawatte, was awarded a gold medal for his contribution to television and media in Sri Lanka.
Filmography Year Film Roles Ref. 1956 Rekava Film Editor 1960 Sandesaya Film Editor 1962 Daskon Film Editor, Technical Advisor 1962 Ranmuthu Duwa Film Editor 1964 Getawarayo Film Editor 1964 Dheewarayo Film Editor 1965 Saaravita Film Editor 1965 Chandiya Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor 1966 Parasathu Mal Film Editor 1967 Sorungeth Soru Film Editor 1967 Vasanthi Film Editor 1968 Punchi Baba Film Editor 1969 Baduth Ekka Horu Film Editor 1969 Hanthane Kathawa Film Editor 1969 Kawuda Hari Director, Film Editor 1970 Thevetha Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor 1971 Haaralakshe Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor 1972 Atheethayen Kathawak Assistant Director, Film Editor 1974 Sihasuna Director, Film Editor, Producer 1974 Sagarika Director, Film Editor 1975 Sikuruliya Film Editor 1976 Mangala Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor 1977 Maruwa Samaga Wase Eddie. Director, Film Editor 1979 Handaya Director, Screenwriter, Film Editor
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