Ravindra Randeniya facts for kids

Liyanage Boniface Walter Perera (born June 5, 1945) is a famous Sri Lankan actor and former politician. Most people know him by his stage name, Ravindra Randeniya. He became very well-known after starring in Lester James Peries's film Desa Nisa in 1975. He was one of the most popular actors in Sri Lanka during the 1970s and 1980s. Ravindra Randeniya won the Sarasaviya Best Actor Award multiple times for his amazing performances. He also hosted a popular quiz show called Mind Star on ITN.

Personal Life

Ravindra Randeniya was born in Dalugama, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, on June 5, 1945. He was the second child in a family of six children. His father, L.P. Perera, was a successful businessman. His mother was Caroline Egodawatte. Ravindra has an older brother, two younger sisters, and two younger brothers.

School Days

Randeniya went to St. Benedict College in Kotahena. His good friend and classmate there was Vijaya Kumaratunga. Even though he was a good student, he did not pass his A-level exams. He decided not to go to college. Instead, he joined his family's business, which made hardware products.

Growing Up in Nature

Dalugama, where Randeniya grew up, was a quiet village. It had many paddy fields and streams. He loved nature and often spent evenings looking at the fields. From a young age, he also enjoyed reading a lot. He read books by famous Sinhala authors like Martin Wickremasinghe and Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra.

Family Life

Ravindra Randeniya is married to Preethi Pramila Seneviratne, who is also an actress. They got married on October 31, 1974. They have two sons, Sachindra Nirmal and Sameera Manabarana, and one daughter, Umayangana Indrachapa. Preethi Randeniya is also a poet and writes books for children.

Career in Acting

Even though he focused on his studies, Ravindra Randeniya showed early talent in acting. He played the role of 'Kashyapa' in his school play, Sigiriya Kashyapa. He was also good at writing short stories. He won first prize in a short story competition at his college in 1962. Both Randeniya and his friend Kumaratunga were introduced to art by their teacher, Wilfred Perera.

Learning the Craft

In his free time, Randeniya started taking classes at the Lionel Wendt Theatre Workshop. He learned about theater design and screenwriting. He became very interested in acting after taking a required acting class. He spent two years learning about drama, screenplays, directing, and stage design. At 25, he got his first main role in a student play called Mudu Puththu. A famous photographer, Ralex Ranasinghe, gave him the stage name 'Ravindra Randeniya'.

Breakthrough in Films

His acting in Mudu Puththu impressed the well-known director Lester James Peries. Randeniya then appeared in Kalu Diya Dahara in 1971. This film was important for Sinhala cinema. Peries chose Randeniya for one of the main roles in his film Desa Nisa. This movie, released in 1975, was his big break. It made him a very popular actor. One of his most challenging roles was in the 1989 film Siri Medura. He played 'Sampath Hamu', a man who was paralyzed and could not move. He won the Sarasaviya Award for Best Actor for this role in 1990.

Political Career

Later in his life, Ravindra Randeniya was elected to the Sri Lanka Parliament. He was a member of the United National Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 2000 to 2004.

Filmography

Ravindra Randeniya has had a long career in films, lasting over 50 years. He has acted in more than 100 movies. Some of his notable films include Desa Nisa, Kalu Diya Dahara, Dadayama, Maya, Sandakada Pahana, and Siri Medura.

Teledramas

Ravindra Randeniya has also acted in several teledramas (TV dramas), including:

• Deweni Gamana (2019)
• Ganga Addara
• Kahala Nadaya (2000)
• Kula Kumariya (2007) as Edward Deraniyagala
• Sherlock Holmes

Awards and Recognition

Ravindra Randeniya has won many awards for his acting and his contributions to cinema. He has received multiple "Best Actor" awards at prestigious ceremonies.

He won several Presidential Film Awards, including two Merit Awards and a Best Actor award for Dadayama.

At the Sarasaviya Awards, he won the Sarasaviya Best Actor Award five times for films like Dadayama, Maya, Sandakada Pahana, Siri Medura, and Seilama. He also won the Sarasaviya Best Supporting Actor Award for Bawa Duka.

He received special lifetime achievement awards, such as the U.W. Sumathipala Lifetime Award at the Sumathi Awards in 2002. He also won a Jury Appreciation award for his quiz program Mind Star.

Other honors include the Prathibha Prabha Lifetime award at the Raigam Tele'es in 2015 and the Hiru Lifetime Achievement award at the Hiru Golden Film Awards in 2016. These awards celebrate his long and successful career in the film industry.