Douglas Ranasinghe
ඩග්ලස් රණසිංහ
Born
Morathennage Douglas Ranasinghe

(1945-05-27) May 27, 1945
Kurunegala, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationSt. Anne's College, Kurunegala
Occupation(s)Actor, Dramatist, Director, Writer , Broadcaster
Years active1967–present
Known forActing
SpouseSandya Kumari Ranasinghe
ChildrenShribodhi Indrakheela Ranasinghe
RelativesThilaka Ranasinghe (sister)
Narada Disasekara (brother-in-law)
Saranga Disasekara (nephew)

Morathennage Douglas Ranasinghe (born May 27, 1945, Sinhala: ඩග්ලස් රණසිංහ), is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater, and television.[1][2] He acted in many supportive roles in movies including Akkara Paha, Yuganthaya, Viragaya, Sri Siddhartha Gautama and Dharmayuddhaya.[3]

Personal life

Douglas Ranasinghe was born on 27 May 1945 in Thorawathura village, Kurunegala as the fourth child of the family. His father, James Ranasinghe, was a landowner and planter where he also served as a Village Head and Village Administration Secretary as well. His mother Seelawathi Valimuni was a teacher. Douglas was educated at St. Anne's College, Kurunegala. He is a fluent speaker of the College Sinhala and English Debating Team, a boxer, a member of the Cadet Corps and an athlete. He topped the 200 meters as a long distance runner and was also a short story writer.[4]

The Ranasinghe couple had seven children.[3] The eldest in the family, Malkanthi Gunaratne was also a writer and married to the owner of Maradana Ratna Book Publishing Company, L. A. Gunaratne. The second is Rupa Khemaratne, an English teacher. The third was Prema Srimathi worked as a Teacher Training Housing Superintendent in Ihalagama. The fifth is Lionel, a planter. Chandrara Siriwardena is the sixth child who served in the Ports Authority.[4] Youngest one is Tilaka Ranasinghe, an actress and broadcaster. Tilaka Ranasinghe worked at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.[5] Thilaka was married to singer Narada Disasekara.[6] The couple has one son Saranga Disasekara, an actor in Sinhala cinema and television.[7] Saranga was married to popular actress Dinakshie Priyasad.

He studied at St. Anne's College, Kurunegala and excellent in sports.[8] After the school, he was interested to become a lawyer and applied for Law College.[8] However, then he applied for the post of Sub Inspector.[3] He failed twice, but succeeded in third attempt. He was then transferred to a training course at Kalutara.[9]

Ranasinghe is married to Sandya Kumari, and the couple has one son, Shribodhi Indrakeela.[10]

Career

Douglas came to Colombo from Kurunegala in 1966 to meet playwright Sathischandra Edirisinghe with his close relative Peter Amarasinghe. Then he got a character certificate from Edirisinghe for a police service interview. However, Edirisinghe brought Douglas to Henry Jayasena for his play.[4] He was chosen to play the role in stage drama Hunuwataye Kathawa by Henry Jayasena.[9] This turned him towards the drama career. He acted in many critically acclaimed stage plays including Henry Jayasena's Apata Puthe Magak Nathe[11] and Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Hotabari Yuddhe.[12] He also appeared in the plays: Dunḍu Berē, Janēlaya, Kuvēṇi, The wedding, Taming of the Sorrow and Ahas Māḷigā. His last stage drama acting was Kusa Pabawathi.[4]

His maiden cinema acting came through 1970 film Akakra Paha, however his second film Romeo Juliet Kathawak directed by G. D. L. Perera released before Akkara Paha.[13] He acted in the short film Bhavana, directed by the Paul Zils.[8] With that film, he was able to entered into the Berlin Film Festival of 1970/1971.[9] Then he completed a three-year course at the London School of Filmmaking.[12] After the course, he was asked to stay back and take part in Shakespearean productions. However, he refused the offer and landed to Sri Lanka.[3]

In 1980s, he was the voice actor in the programs Guwan Viduli Ranga Madala and Keti Katha produced by Sugathapala de Silva. As a radio sound administrator, he recorded high drama, feature and music programs. He has directed few stage plays and television serials including Ranmasu Uayana and Sasara Chakra respectively.[3] As a television actor, he made notable roles in the serials: Avasanda, Maṭa Mahalu Vayasē, Ranmasu Uyana and Kaḷu Hansayō. He attended a three-year course at the International Film School in London, where he wrote the screenplay for the film Dancing Devils.[4]

Selected television serials

  • Akuru Maki Na
  • Dedunu Sihina [14]
  • Ganga Addara [15]
  • Indrakeelaya[16]
  • Ithin Eelangata[17] සංගීතේ'[18]
  • Punaragamanaya [19]
  • Ranga Soba [20]
  • Ran Poruwa [21]
  • Ridee Tharaka[22]
  • Samanala Sihinaya [23]
  • Samanala Wasanthaya [24]
  • Sanda Siththam[25]
  • Sandali Saha Radika [26]
  • Sandawathaka Waruna [27]
  • Sangeethe[28]
  • Sapiriwara [29]
  • Sewwandi[30]
  • Suwanda Hamana Manamali[31]
  • Thodu

Filmography

YearFilmRoleRef.
1969Romeo Juliet KathawakRomeo[32]
1970Akkara PahaSamarasena[33]
1981SarangaSuresh
1982Thana GirawiRathnapala
1982Kele MalTissa
1983Siw Ranga SenaJanaka
1984Adara GeethayaThushara
1984Niwan Dakna Jathi Dakwa
1985Wathsala Akka
1985Du Daruwo
1985YuganthayaAravinda[34]
1987ViragayaSiridasa[35]
1992Kulageya
1994YuwathipathiJanaraja
1994Le livre de cristalSiri de Silva
1996Hiru Sanduta Mediwi
1996Amanthaya
2000Indrakeelaya
2003IrasmaSonali's husband[36]
2001AswesumaSenior Police Officer[37]
2006AmmawaruneDivisional Secretary[38]
2008Adara Meena
2013Sri Siddhartha GautamaKing Suppabuddha[39]
2016WeerawarnaAyesha's father[40]
2016ZoomFather of two daughters[41]
2017Aloko UdapadiThanasiwa[42]
2017DharmayuddhayaUpali[43]
2018Nidahase Piya DSRichard Aluwihare[44]
TBDAkarshaa[45]
TBDCineMaSagara Premachandra[46]
TBDVisangamanayaDissanayake[47]

References

  1. ↑ "Douglas Ranasinghe films". IMDb. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "Douglas Ranasinghe bio". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "ශ්‍රී මහා බෝධිය ළඟදි ඩග්ලස් රණසිංහ ලැබූ විශ්මය ජනක අත්දැකීමක්". Amarasara. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Douglas Ranasinghe in the story of Hunuwataye Kathawa". Silumina. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  5. ↑ "Reminiscencing on Kusum Peiris". Tilak's Blog. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "I was separated from Saranga's father because of drunkenness and incompatibility - Thilaka Ranasinghe". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "Happy to be an actor - Saranga". Dirimaga. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 "Douglas Ranasinghe: Wielding dignity and fame". Daily News. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 "Douglas Ranasinghe: Second to none". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "Douglas Ranasinghe interview". Hiru FM. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  11. ↑ "We come back to a storm". Daily News. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Douglas Ranasinghe: the actor of quiet dignity". Pasanliya. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "Douglas Ranasinghe filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  14. ↑ "'Dedunu Sihina' getting ready". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  15. ↑ "'Ganga Addara' released". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  16. ↑ "'Indrakeelaya': tale of woman facing a bitter experience". Sunday Times. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  17. ↑ "Ithin Elangata coming on small screen". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  18. ↑ "Do not waste your time". Silumina. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  19. ↑ "Punaragamanaya; a psychological story". Sunday Times. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  20. ↑ "'Ranga Soba' depicts the life of an actress". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  21. ↑ "'Ran Poruwa' starts". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
  22. ↑ "If I wasn't an actor, I would be a lawyer today". Dinamina. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  23. ↑ "Sins of father visits on son". Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  24. ↑ "'Heidi'comes to TV". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  25. ↑ "Sanda Siththam on Sirasa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  26. ↑ "'Sandali Saha Radika' narrates rebirth story". Sunday Times. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  27. ↑ "Young girl faces social conflicts". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  28. ↑ "I'm famous thanks to 'Sangeethe' - Douglas". gossiplankanewsweb. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  29. ↑ "Sapiriwara; a story of corrupt politics, war and suffering". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  30. ↑ "සෙව්වන්දි රුවන්පුරේ දී ඇරැඹේ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  31. ↑ "'Suwanda Hamana Manamali': A new sweet scented story". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  32. ↑ "Romeo Juliet Kathawak". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  33. ↑ "All about the film "Akkara Paha"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  34. ↑ "Achievements- 1981–2000". Lester James Peries. 2004. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  35. ↑ "Viragaya: The Way of the Lotus". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). Wijeya Newspapers. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  36. ↑ "'Irasma' portrays value of parental love". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  37. ↑ "'Aswesuma' a film with a novel theme". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  38. ↑ "The immortal note that captures the heart beat of the nation". The Sunday Observer. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  39. ↑ "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  40. ↑ "Weerawarna". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  41. ↑ "Zoom races to production stage". Daily News.
  42. ↑ "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  43. ↑ "Dharmayudhaya පිය සෙනෙහස තරම් සවියක් දියණියකට තව කොයින්ද". sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  44. ↑ "Father Of The Nation, DS Senanayake's Legacy To Silver Screen". asianmirror. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  45. ↑ "'Akarsha soon on cinema". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  46. ↑ "CineMa from April 22nd". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  47. ↑ "Ranjan Prasanna's 'Isolation' applauded in London". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
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