He was educated at Prince of Wales College Moratuwa, Sri-Lanka. Wrote his first Stage Play "The Horse Carriage" at the age of Fourteen, Studied drama and acting As a subject in school, and joined "The 78 Group" of Lionel Wendt theatre where he worked on numerous theatre productions.
In 1980 at the age of eighteen, he began his career in films as an Assistant Director On the following productions.
Director’s Filmography
35 mm - Feature films, First Assistant Director
| Director | |
|---|---|
| 1980 - Regina | Thilak Lakshman Seneviratne |
| 1981- Doringe Sayanaya | Nishantha De Alwis |
| 1981 - Asipatha Mamai | Gerard Fernando |
| 1982 - Podi Wijey | Nishantha De Alwis |
| 1983 - Siri Medura( The Mansion) | Parakrama Niriella [Won major National awards at the Sarasaviya and Swarna Sanka Film awards, represented Sri-Lanka at 'Festival De Nantes' in France] |
| 1983- Dolos Mahe Pahana | Nishantha De Alwis |
| 1984- Keli Madala | D.B. Nihalsingha [Won 11 National awards at the Sarasaviya film awards including Best picture and Director. Represented Sri- Lanka at The Singapore Film festival.] |
| 1989- Sisila Gini Gani [Disappearance] | Prasanna Vithanage [Won 9 National awards at the Swarna Sanka film awards 92'. Including Best picture / Director. Won 8 awards At the OCIC film festival 92'] |
| 1990 - Guru Gedara | Wijaya Dharmasiri [10 National Awards at the Sarasaviya Film Festival, including Best Picture/ Director.Also won awards at the Swarna Sanka and OCIC film awards.] |
| 1990- Surabidena [A womb for hire] | Chandraratne Mapitigama [Participated in Singapore & Hawaii International Film festivals, Won many local awards] |
| 1991- Maruthaya [Storm] | Vasantha Obeysekara [Won National awards for Best Director/ Actress/ Editor and many other Awards At the Swarna Sanka Film awards 95'. Participated in Frighbourg Film festival in Switzerland] |
| 1991 - Ayoma | Parakrama Niriella |
| 1992- Elivena Dawasa | Sudath Devapriya |
| 1993- Juliette Ge Bhoomikawa | Jackson Anthony |
| 1993- Anthima Reya [Night of Destiny] | Gamini Fonseka |
Foreign Collaborations/Productions
| Manika!! Manika!! The Girl Who Lived Twice |
Francois Villiers[Worked as the Sri-Lankan Assistant Director - A French production shot in Sri-Lanka with Julian Sands, Saeed Jaffrey & Suresh Oberoi in the cast] |
| Midnight’s Children | Worked as Sri-Lankan Assistant Director for a BBC television adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s novel “Midnights Children” in 1997. |
| When Mother Comes Home for Christmas INDIA, GREECE, GERMANY / 1995 | After eight years of absence, a Sri Lankan woman working in Greece returns home for Christmas. Her three children await her. Directed by Nilita Vachani Worked as the Sri-Lankan Production Manager |
| Noh and Kabuki - Parakrama Niriella [Great traditions in a high tech society] |
[02 TV documentary films entirely shot in Japan with the financial support of the Hoso -Bunka Foundation in Collaboration with NHK-Japan] |
35 mm –Short films, Assistant Director
| Director | |
|---|---|
| Samawatha | Vinnin Ranjith Fernando |
| Palamuveniya Saha Anthimaya | Parakrama Niriella |
| Cinderellage Sereppuwa | P.U.D. Perera |
TELEVISION CAREER
Television Features/Series - Assistant Director
| Director | |
|---|---|
| Irata Handana Mal | Chandraratne Mapitigama |
| Yashorawaya-2 | Parakrama Niriella |
| Sulanga | D.B.Nihalsingha |
| Veda Haamine | Jayantha Chandrasiri |
| Wes Muhunu | Jayantha Chandrasiri |
| Maamage Duwa | Sudath Devapriya |
| Isuru Soya | Chandraratne Mapitigama |
Television Documentaries
| Director | |
|---|---|
| Corridors of Silence | Vasantha Obeysekara |
| Destitute Children | Vasantha Obeysekara |
Producer[s] Filmography
Producer/Executive Producer
| Seda Pahara [Tidal Wave] | 12 Episode documentary series on social issues directed by 6 leading Directors of Sri-Lanka |
| Vanaspathi | 19 Episode television drama series, unfolding the commercial history of Sri-Lanka in the 19th century. |
| Damini (459 Episodes) | First ever Sri Lankan daily soap series in collaboration with Sirasa TV & Sri Adhikaari Brothers India |
| Nonawaruni Mahathwaruni | Slapstick Comedy Series |
| Nidi Kumari- 60 episodes | |
| Fantasy Avenue- 25 episodes | |
| Millennium Day Broadcast | The 27 hour long live broadcast connecting the 5 continents, produced by BBC London and WGBH Boston |
| Sirasa Super Star-Reality Television Programme Season 1 Season 2 |
First ever reality television show in Sri Lanka based on singing talent all over the nation which garnered the highest ever television ratings in the history of Sri Lankan television. The Grand Finale of Sirasa Super Star achieved higher ratings than the Cricket World Cup Finals between Sri Lanka and Australia in 1996 and when Susanthika Jayasinghe won the Olympic Bronze medal for Sri Lanka. |
Director - Documentary
| 1996 - Tidal Wave (Old Age-1) |
| 1996 - Tidal Wave (Old Age-2) |
| 1989 - Vijaya [Video documentary on assassinated politician and actor Vijaya Kumaratunga] |
| 1997- Visammuthiya [Video documentary on then proposed devolution package to end the ethnic crisis in Sri-Lanka] |
| Joined Maharaja Organisation to launch its flagship channel Sirasa TV in 1998 |
| Director Entertainment 1998 |
| Director Broadcasting of Maharaja Television - 1999 |
| Director Programmes of Channel One MTV 2 003 |
| Director International Television and Satellite TV - 2003 |
| Channel Head of Sirasa TV - 2003 - 2006 |
| Creative Director Sirasa TV - 2006 |
