''Handaya'' ( si, හඳයා, italic=yes) is a 1979

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

n Sinhala black-n-white children's film directed and produced by

Titus Thotawatte Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva ( Sinhala:ටයිටස් තොටවත්ත), popularly as Titus Thotawatte, was a Sri Lankan director and editor who made several popular Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later ...

for Thotawatte Salaroo. The film is cited as a legend in Sinhala cinema history. It stars many child actors along with

Henry Jayasena Kala Keerthi Dr Bastian Koralage Henry Rudrigo Jayasena (born 6 July 1931 – died 11 November 2009 as Sinhala: හෙන්රි ජයසේන), popularly known as Henry Jayasena, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and televisi ...

, J.H.Jayawardana and Pearl Wasudevi in lead roles along with U. Ariyavimal and Gemunu Wijesuriya. Music composed by Somapala Rathnayake. It is the 434th Sri Lankan film in the

Sinhala cinema Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the Sri Lankan film industry. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with '' Kadawunu Poronduwa'' produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone. Sri Lanka ...

. The film received mainly positive reviews from critics and awarded in many local and international film festivals. ''Handaya'' received 8.8 of ratings from IMDb database.

Background

Before screening in film halls, the film was screened few times for children orphanages around the country. The premiere screening of the film was celebrated on 2 November 1979 on 10am onward at the Savoy Cinema Hall with the presence of prime minister

Ranasinghe Premadasa Sri Lankabhimanya Ranasinghe Premadasa ( si, රණසිංහ ප්‍රේමදාස ''Raṇasiṃha Premadāsa'', ta, ரணசிங்க பிரேமதாசா ''Raṇaciṅka Pirēmatācā''; 23 June 1924 – 1 May 1993) was th ...

and lady

Hema Premadasa Hema Premadasa (''née'' Wickramatunge) (born 27 October 1934) is a former First Lady of Sri Lanka. She was in the office of the first lady of Sri Lanka from 2 January 1989 to 1 May 1993. While she was married to a politician, she "carved a separ ...

. Film was released to public on 16 November 1979 on 6.30pm at Majestic Cinema with the presence of whole film crew. Film completed the showtime nearly for 150 days around 15 cinema halls of the fifth board.

Television release

The film was telecasted on

Rupavahini The Sri Lanka Rūpavāhinī Corporation ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථාව; ta, இலங்கை ரூபவாகினி கூட்டுத்தாபனம்), also known as Jathika R ...

on every Saturday from 7 to 7.30pm as a six episode film.

Plot

Cast

* U. Ariyavimal as Yousuf Nana * Fantalian De Soysa as Thadi Piya * G.B. Ilangakoon as Doctor *

as Mr. Perera * P.G. Jayawardana as Teacher * J.H. Jayawardena as Marshall *

Jayalath Manoratne Kala Suri Kala Keerthi Dr. Keselgaspe Manatunga Jayalath Manoratne ( si, කෙසෙල්ගස්පේ මනතුංග ජයලත් මනෝරත්න; 12 June 1948 – 12 January 2020), popularly known as Jayalath Manoratne, was ...

as Commentator *

Karunaratne Abeysekera Karunaratne Abeysekera (3 June 1930 – 20 April 1983) was one of Sri Lanka's most famous Sinhala broadcasters. He was also a poet and songwriter and was widely admired for his excellent command of Sinhala. Abeysekera wrote the lyrics to over ...

as Commentator * Ivoen Panditharathna as Judge * Rekha Samaratunga as Layisa * Pearl Vasudevi as Suzee Akka * Gamini Wickramanayake as Kota * Gemunu Wijesuriya as Abaran *

Bandara K. Wijethunga Senarath Bandara Ananda Kulathilaka Wijethunga (born 28 January 1939 – 3 January 1990) ( si, බණ්ඩාර විජේතුංග), popularly known as Bandara K. Wijethunga, was a poet, short story writer, creative publisher, songwrit ...

as Double Kolama * Ranjith Yainna as Serpinu * Daya Alwis as Commentator box viewer

Child cast

* Pradeep Roshan Fernando as Sena (Lead) * Kithsirimevan Jayasena as Sooppuwa (Lead) * Dharshana Panangala as Ukkuwa * Kasun Madurasingha as Chutte * Viranga Indunil Galpihilla as Sister * Sanjaya Abeygunawardana as Giya * Sunny Nawagaththegama as Jine * Shanthapriya de Silva as Sooppuwa's friend * Nimal Kingsly Wijesingha as Anta * Muditha Ranasingha as Bolaya * Ekiyan Bacho as Tommy * Suresh Ratnasingham as Sena's Friend

Songs

Awards and accolades

''Handaya'' is the first Sri Lankan film to be awarded at the Italy International Film Festival, which was won in 1980. * Best Children's Film 1980 at Italy International Film Festival. * Special Jury Award for the Best Film at Presidential Award Ceremony. * 1980

Sarasaviya Best Director Award The Sarasaviya Best Director Award is presented annually by the weekly Sarasaviya newspaper in collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited as part of the Sarasaviya Awards Festival. It was first given in 1964. Following is a par ...

* 1980 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Producer * 1980 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Script * 1980 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Editor * 1980 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Cinematography * 1980 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Lyrics * 1980 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Supporting Actor * OCIC Award for the Creative Direction

References

1979 films 1970s Sinhala-language films {{SriLanka-film-stub