Cyril Wickramage (born 26 January 1932: Sinhala:සිරිල් වික්‍රමගේ) is an

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ** Filmmaking, the process of making a film * Movie theate ...

, theater and television as well as a singer. Wickramage is known for participating mainly in artistic Sinhala films. Performed as a charismatic actor in all three art forms: stage, cinema, and teledrama, Wickramage is most notable for the dramatic roles in the films, ''Bambaru Avith'', ''Karumakkarayo'', ''Seilama'' and ''Dheewari''.

Personal life

Wickramage was born on 26 January 1932 in Kohila Gedera village, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. His father Charles Wickrama, was a farmer. His mother was Lydia, a daughter of Wel Vidane. Cyril is the fifth sibling in the family with four brothers and four sisters. His father was a dancer and folk drummer in the village. He first walked 9 miles to a school run by the Salvation Army. At a young age he joined the army but later trained as a teacher at

Peradeniya University The University of Peradeniya (, ) is a public university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission. It is the largest university in Sri Lanka, which was originally established as the University of Ceylon in 1942. The university w ...

in 1954. During this time, he joined Cyril Perera's Art Institute in Mulgampola, Kandy to study music and learned to play the violin. As a teacher, Wickramage received posts at Rathmalane Deaf School. While completing his diploma at the

University of Sri Jayewardenepura The University of Sri Jayewardenepura (also known as Jayawardhanapura University or USJ; , ) is a public university in Sri Lanka. It is in Gangodawila, Nugegoda, near Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the country's administrative capital. It was form ...

, Wickramage was drawn to acting. During this time, Wickramage met Somawansa Pattiarachchi who worked for the National Broadcasting Corporation and excelled violin for about two years. In the meantime, he was transferred to Wesley College, Colombo. He is married to Winifreda Perera, the sister of music director and film actor Vincent Premasiri. The couple has two sons: Chandana, Lakshitha and two daughters: Wathsala, Disala.

Drama career

During his tenure in Wesley College, he met Sri Jayana, who worked as the dance teacher of the school. Together they produced the ballet ''Rana Thisara''. Wickramage gained some prestige with his role in Gunasena Galpaththi's play ''Muhudu Puththu'', his maiden acting in stage dramas. He subsequently appeared in ''Devatha Eliya'', ''Kuveni'', ''Thavath Udasanak'', ''Dawasak Wenas'', ''Elowa Gihin Melowa Awaa'', ''Kada Walallu'', ''Pabawathi'', ''Liyathambara'', ''Natukkaraya'', ''Wes Muhunu'', ''Ahasin Watunu Minissu'' and ''Idama''. In the play ''Pabawathi'', Wickramage played the role of 'King Okkaka'. On

Sisira Senaratne Sisira Senaratne (; 29 March 1935 – 4 February 2015), was a Sri Lankan singer and lyricist also worked as a playback singer in Sinhala cinema. A career spanned for more than six decades, Senaratne has sung several popular songs ''Olu Nelum Ne ...

's invitation, Wickramage made his debut as a film actor in 1965 with a supporting role in the film ''Handapana''. His true breakthrough came however in 1967 with the role of Gunadasa in the groundbreaking ''

Sath Samudura ''Sath Samudura'' (English language, "Seven Seas") is a landmark Sri Lankan film directed by professor Siri Gunasinghe and released in 1967. This film was critically acclaimed and is considered a major work in Sri Lankan cinema. It depicts the ...

''. The film was highly praised in Sri Lanka and swept the 1968 Sarasaviya Film Festival. Wickramage rounded up the 1960s with roles in the art film ''Mokade Vune'' and the popular ''Binaramalee''. In the late-60s, Wickramage began a successful collaboration with

Vasantha Obeysekera Vasantha Obeysekera (1937 – 2017), was a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwr ...

and producer Dr. Linus Dissanayake. Year 1970 saw the release of the first Vasantha-Cyril-Linus film ''Ves Gaththo''. Dealing with such issues as alienation among rural youth, the film was expanded upon with ''Walmath Wuvo'' in 1976. Cyril made his first foray into directing with Dr. Linus in 1972 making ''Sihina Lowak'' which he also starred in. The film produced the popular song "Ma Mala Pasu Sohon Kothe" sung by

W. D. Amaradeva Sri Lankabhimanya Wannakuwattawaduge Don Albert Perera (; ; 5 December 1927 – 3 November 2016), better known by his adopted name Amaradeva, was a prominent Sri Lankan Sinhalese vocalist, violinist and composer. Primarily using traditional in ...

. Wickramage was a favorite of

Dharmasena Pathiraja Pathiraja Navaratne Wanninayake Mudiyanselage Ranjith Dharmasena (28 March 1943 – 28 January 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter. He has been referred to as a 'rebel with a cause', an ‘''enfant terrible'' of the '70s', and ...

, appearing in almost all of his films including ''Ahas Gauwa'', '' Eya Dan Loku Lamayek'', ''Bambaru Awith'', ''Soldadu Unnahe''. The role in ''

Bambaru Awith ''Bambaru Avith (The Wasps are Here)'' () is a 1978 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Dharmasena Pathiraja and produced by director himself with Thilak Godamanne for Saranga Salaroo. It explores tradition and exploitation following the ...

'' (1978) in particular was a major role for Wickramage. Other major directors that used Wickramage include Tissa Abeysekera in ''Karumakkarayo'' - 1980 and Dharmasiri Bandaranayake in Suddilage Kathaawa - 1985. Wickramage has expanded into television work with roles in ''Numba Nadana Senehelatha'', ''Palingu Manike'', ''Andukole'', ''Mihikathage Daruwo'', ''Saapa Nokaraw Daruwane'' (directed by Rodney Widanapathirana), ''Gauwen Gauwa'' and ''Alle Lange Walauwa''.

Selected television serials

* ''Andukola'' * ''Diya Matha Ruwa'' * ''Ella Langa Walawwa'' * ''Kande Gedara'' * ''Kaneru'' * ''Kota Uda Mandira'' * ''Mihikathage Daruwo'' * ''Numba Nadan Senehelatha'' * ''Palingu Manike'' * ''Saapa Nokaraw Daruwane'' * ''Sathya'' * ''Udu Viyana''

Filmography

References

External links

*
මේ රට රැකගන්න නම් ජනාධිපතිතුමන් රැකගන්න ඕනෑ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wickramage, Cyril 1932 births Sri Lankan male television actors Living people Alumni of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura 20th-century Sri Lankan male singers Sri Lankan male film actors People from Kurunegala