Kala Keerthi Suminda Sirisena (; 4 July 1948 – 4 December 2023) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television. A highly versatile actor, Sirisena played a wide range of starring or supporting roles and was a recipient of the Best Actor award at many award festivals.
Personal life Sirisena was born on 4 July 1948, in Bossella, a rural village in Kegalle, Sri Lanka as the eldest of the family with four siblings. His father, Bulathgamuwage Singho was a small-time businessman in the village who also performed traditional Sri Lankan folk dramas and his mother, Punchi Nona, was a housewife. He had two younger brothers and a younger sister. After having his primary education at the village school Bossella Maha Vidyalaya, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Tholangamuwa Central College in 1963.
After his school education, Sirisena moved to Colombo to join the Sri Lanka Railways as a Special Apprentice in 1969. While establishing his career as an actor in theatre, Sirisena went to Oman in 1970 to work as a quantity surveyor for two years. After returning home, he worked as a technical officer at the Victoria Dam project. Then he went back abroad in 1979 and returned to Sri Lanka in 1984.
Before 1971, he was an activist and continually attended the meetings conducted by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. But as the party entered the process of armed struggle, he quit politics. He obtained a B.A. degree in Social Sciences from the Open University of Sri Lanka and then completed an M.A, degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Suminda Sirisena was married to Leela Sirisena. The couple had two sons, Prabhath and Nanditha.
Acting career At Tholangamuwa Central College, he studied under Ariyawansa Ranaweera and Daya Alwis who were scholars and artists who had a major influence on Sri Lankan theatre and arts for many decades. In 1967, Sirisena played the lead role in the stage drama Girikūṭa which was selected to the final round of the State School Drama Festival. In 1969, he joined the first batch of students of the theatre school Ranga Shilpa Shalika, founded by Dhamma Jagoda.
His first role on the public stage was the role of "Dionis" in the play Mūdu Puththu, which also marked the first appearance of popular cinema actor Ravindra Randeniya. He acted in many stage dramas of the 1970s such as Namel Weeramuni's Vansakkārayō, Ranjith Dharmakeerthy's Hasthi Rāja Mahattayā and Hiru Næti Lova, Dayananda Gunawardene's ānanda Javanikā, Tilak Gunawardena's Kōntha Nōnā, Dhamma Jagoda's Ves Muhuṇu, Jayalath Manoratne's Andarēlā, Guru Tharuva''', Bandula Vithanage's Rōmaya Gini Ganī. He made his film acting debut with Dhululu Malak (1976), in which he played Upali..
After returning to Sri Lanka in 1984, Sirisena was involved in Thilak Gunawardena's dramas. He acted in the plays Sapatheru Hamine by Miyuri Samarasinghe and then in Mī Pura Væsiyō by Somaratne Dissanayake. After completing the studies, he joined the drama group of Ediriweera Sarachchandra and acted in renowned stage dramas such as Manamē, Sinhabāhu, Kadāvaḷalu, Bava Kaḍathurā, and Mahāsāra. In 1993, Sirisena won the Best Actor award for the role in Kadathurawa at the State Drama Festival. In 2002, he formed a drama school called "Siwuranga". He was able to produce four batches of students from that academy. Thereafter he worked as an instructor at the Tower Hall Academy in Colombo. In 1997, he won the best actor award at the State Theater Festival that year for his performance in the play Rōmaya Gini Ganī.
Sirisena's first teledrama was Sihina Nimnaya, produced by Sri Lanka Rupavahini in 1985. He gained wide acclaim for his second teledrama Kumārihāmi, another Rupavahini production, where he played the supporting role of Hichchi Mahaththayā. He later acted in more than 40 teledrama series. His role as "Isaa" in the critically acclaimed serial Charitha Thunak is a hallmark of his television career. He later acted in the serials: Nisalavila, Ramya Suramya, Hada Vila Sakmana as well as in Asalvæsiyō with the role "Jayamangala".
He also acted in many critically notable films such as Saptha Kanya, Yakada Pihatu, Uppalawanna, Samanala Thatu, Uduganyamaya and Ira Handa Yata.
During his illness, he was working with two television serials, Sepalika and Boralu Paara.
Notable stage dramas
Aadi Rele Nadagama Ananda Javanika Andarela Andhakaraya Bavakadaturawa Girikutha Hasthiraja Mahathmaya Hiru Nethi Lowa Kadathurawa Kada Walalu Konthanona Samugenima Mahasara Maname Meepura Wasiyo Megha Moodu Puththu Muhunu Dekak Nadagamkarayo Parassa Sapatheru Hamine Sinhabahu Thaksala Nadagama Umathu San Warusawa Vinishchaya Wansakkarayo Wes Muhunu Selected television serials
Abuddassa Kalaya Angani Asani Wasi Bogala Sawundiris Boralu Para Chandra Vinsathi Charitha Thunak Dambulugala Sakmana Dangakara Tharu Dumriya Andaraya, Ekamath Eka Rataka Ekata Gatuma Hathara Wate Jeewithaya Dakinna Jeewithaye Eka Dawasak (final role) Mage Kaviya Mata Denna Mehew Rate Mindada Monarathenna Nadeeladiya Nisala Vila Paramitha Pathok Palama Pipi Pium, Punaragamanaya Ramya Suramya Sepalika Sanda Amawakai Sanda Dev Diyani Sanda Nethi Lova Satya Sudu Mal Kanda Theth Saha Viyali Uththamavi Vinivindimi Weten Eha Yasa IsuruIllness and death In May 2012, Sirisena was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Colombo National Hospital due to sudden illness and fever. Beginning then, he had difficulties with walking. He was taking physiotherapy treatments at the time of his death. After 2012, Sirisena did not take part in any productions due to illness.
Sirisena died at a private hospital on 4 December 2023, at the age of 75.
Filmography No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan films in the Sri Lankan cinema.
Year No. Film Role1976344Duhulu MalakUpali1980454Dandu MonaraPunchi Mahaththaya1993770Guru Gedara Wedding guest1993782Saptha KanyaSarath 20031016Yakada Pihatu Wilson 'Aiyya'20041038Gini Kirilli 20051247Udugan Yamaya 20051054Samanala ThatuSoththi Martin20071090UppalawannaVeda Mahaththaya20071109Pitasakwala Kumarayai Pancho Hathai20101144Ira Handa YataTrader20111160GamaniSchool teacher20131185Bomba Saha RosaMinister Daya
Awards and honours Suminda Sirisena was awarded Kala Keerthi, the highest national honour for arts, culture and drama in Sri Lanka, in 2017.
In 2014 he was awarded the Deshanethru award and the Kala Bhushana state award in recognition of the service he had rendered to the country's performing arts.
State Drama Festival, Sri Lanka
| 1992 | Megha | Best Supporting Actor
| 1993 | Bavakadathurawa | Best Actor
| 1995 | Andarela | Best Supporting Actor
| 1997 | Romaya Gini Gani | Best Actor
State Tele Awards Festival, Sri Lanka
| 2007 | Punaragamanaya | Best Supporting Actor
| 2013 | Monara Tenna | Best Supporting Actor
Sumathi Tele Awards, Sri Lanka
| 1997 | Megha | Best Supporting Actor
| 1999 | Nisala Wila | Best Actor
| 2003 | Ransirige Sangramaya | Best Supporting Actor
| 2004 | Ramya Suramya | Best Actor
Signis Awards, Sri Lanka
| 1995 | Siyapatha | Best Actor
| 1995 | Isiwara Asapuwa | Best Supporting Actor
| 2002 | Asani Wesi | Best Actor
| 2004 | Hadavila Sakmana | Best Actor
| 2005 | Uttamaviya | Best Actor
| 2005 | Ginikirillee | Outstanding Performance
| 2006 | Teth Saha Viyali | Best Actor
| 2011 | Abarthu Atha | Best Supporting Actor
Raigam Awards, Sri Lanka
| 2003 | Punchirala'' | Best Actor
| 2018 | Excellence of Drama | Special Merit Award
References