G. R. Perera

G. R. Perera
ජී.ආර්. පෙරේරා
Born
Galhenage Rathnapala Perera

(1939-11-13)13 November 1939
Kirulapana, British Ceylon
Died1 May 2023(2023-05-01) (aged 83)
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationKotahena Prince College, Colombo 13
Occupations
  • Actor
  • dramatist
Years active1961–2023
Children3
AwardsRaigam Award

Galhenage Rathnapala Perera (Sinhala: ජී.ආර්.පෙරේරා; 13 November 1939 – 1 May 2023) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television. He acted in more than 600 television serials, with a career spanned over seven decades.

Early life and education

Rathnapala Perera was born on 13 November 1939[1] in Kirulapana,[2] British Ceylon, as the first child of the family. The family soon after moved to Egodawatta, Boralesgamuwa. His father was a businessman and a gambling addict,[3] while his mother was a teacher. He received his education from Rattanapitiya Ananda Vidyalaya and Kotahena Prince College, Colombo 13.[4] He had two younger brothers and one younger sister.[5]

Career

Perera was introduced to drama by his friend and dramatist Tissa Abeysekara.[4] Abeysekara, along with Perera, Prema Ranjith Thilakaratna, Dharmasiri Wickramaratna, and Wickrama Bogoda formed a drama group Ape Kattiya led by dramatist Sugathapala de Silva. Perera acted in the group's stage drama Boarding Karayo.[6] In 1962, he played a minor role in the stage play Ranthodu directed by Dharmasiri Wickramaratna. In 1963, he acted in Premaranjith Tilakaratne's debut play Waguru Bima.[4] He had acted in seven stage plays.[3]

His film career began with a minor role in the 1971 film Welikathara, directed by D.B. Nihalsinghe.[1] His first major role came with his second film, Kalu Diya Dahara, directed by Manik Sandarasagara. His first television acting role was in the serial Thunkal Sihinaya, directed by Tissa Abeysekara. He portrayed numerous roles in multiple films, including the role of Malakada Bass in the serial Doo Daruwo, which was the turning point of his teledrama career,[6][why?] a doorway shooting victim in the film Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli,[7] a village headman in the film Sooriya Arana,[8] and Don Spater Senanayake in the 2018 film Nidahase Piya DS.[9] He acted in six foreign films, which included three Indian, two American, and one German film.[1]

Selected television serials

Personal life and death

Perera and his wife, a teledrama producer,[3] had two daughters and one son. His youngest daughter, Yamuna Erandathi, is a teledrama actress and an honours graduate in Information Technology.[6]

Perera died on 1 May 2023, at age 83.[65]

Filmography

Year Film Roles Ref.
1971 Welikathara Tarzan Kumara [66]
1980 Karumakkarayo Siyadoris [67]
1987 Viragaya Veddah Mudalali [68]
1998 Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli Doorway shooting victim [7]
1999 Padadaya [69]
1999 Sathya Devi Veda Mahaththaya [70]
2000 Sanda Yahanata Farmer [71]
2001 Aswesuma Arnolis [72]
2002 Parliament Jokes Father of three sons [73]
2002 Sudu Sewaneli [74]
2002 Surapurata Kanyaviyak [75]
2003 Sonduru Dadabima Kamal's father [76]
2003 Bheeshanaye Athuru Kathawak [77]
2004 Sooriya Arana Village headman [78]
2004 Rajjumala [8]
2004 Randiya Dahara Loan agent [79]
2006 Anjalika [80]
2008 Super Star [81]
2008 Sandalu Thalen Eha [82]
2010 Kawulu Dora [83]
2010 Kshema Bhoomi Ralahamy [84]
2011 Sinhawalokanaya Veda Mahaththaya [85]
2011 Mahindagamanaya Chapman of King's House [86]
2012 Midnight's Children Astrologer [87]
2013 Nikini Vassa [88]
2014 Siri Daladagamanaya [89]
2014 Anagarika Dharmapala Srimathano Manamperi [90]
2015 Maharaja Ajasath Mahamathya [91]
2018 Nidahase Piya DS Don Spater Senanayake [9]
TBD Kondadeniye Hamuduruwo [92]
TBD Suvisi Vivarana [93]

Awards

In 1980, he won a film critics' award for his role in the movie Karumakkarayo.[6] In 2007, he won the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the teleplay Chakrayudaya. He was awarded the Raigam Award for acting in the most number of teledramas.[94]

References

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