''Sandesaya'' (
Sinhalese language word meaning ''The Message'') is a 1960
Sri Lankan film directed by
Lester James Peries
Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries (Sinhala language, Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාභිමාන්ය ලෙස්ටර් ජේම්ස් පීරිස්; 5 April 1919 – 29 April 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director, ...
. The film is based on the war between the Sinhalese people and the
Portuguese invaders in Sri Lanka. It was produced by
K. Gunaratnam on behalf of the Cinemas Company on the request of
Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (; born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influen ...
.
Plot
A band of guerrillas led by Bandara (Ananda Jayaratne) lead a resistance against Portuguese invaders. Bandara is in love with Sumana (Kanthi Gunatunga).
Cast
* Ananda Jayaratne as Bandara
* Kanthi Gunatunga as Sumana
*
Gamini Fonseka
Kala Keerthi Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka (; 21 March 1936 – 30 September 2004) was a Sri Lankan film actor, film director and politician. Often considered one of the greatest actors in Sinhala cinema, Fonseka dominated the industry in the ...
as Dhamitha
*
David Dharmakeerthi
Kalukapuge Don David (born 1 September 1913 – died 10 September 1987 as ඩේවිඩ් ධර්මකීර්ති), popularly known as David Dharmakeerthi was an actor Sri Lankan early Sri Lankan cinema.
Personal life
He was born on 1 ...
as Disapathi Ekanayake 'Disawa'
* Arthur Van Langenberg as Captain Antony Rodrigo
*
Vincent Vaas
Andara Vaas Patabedige Vincent (7 November 1922 – 6 May 2004 වින්සන්ට් වාස්), popularly known as Vincent Vaas was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema. Often considered one of the best character actors in Sinhala cinema, ...
as Sandeshaya Carrier
*
Hugo Fernando
Kanupulage Ugo Singho (July 14, 1912 – April 12, 1999), popularly known as Hugo Master or Hugo Fernando, was an actor and composer of Sri Lankan cinema. Debuting in the first Sinhalese film ''Kadawunu Poronduwa'', Fernando had an over 50-year ...
as Vithana Rala
*
Eddie Jayamanne
Wanniaarachchige Don David Victor Jayamanne, MBE (15 February 1915 – 25 July 1981), popularly known as Eddie Jayamanne was a popular Sri Lankan comedian and actor of early Sri Lankan cinema.
Early life
He was born on 15 February 1915 in Periy ...
as Mamma
* Shane Gunaratne as Sira
*
Iranganie Serasinghe
Iranganie Roxanna Meedeniya (born 9 June 1927),"Irangani As Told to Kumar de Silva", Kumar de Silva, Samaranayake Publishers, 2013 best known as Iranganie Serasinghe, is a Sri Lankan actress of theater and television. Since her debut in ''Rekava' ...
as Yaso Hami
* Bandu Gunasekara as Punchappu
* Douglas Wickremasinghe as Mudaliwuna Malwana
* Thilakasiri Fernando as Cart driver
*
Shanthi Lekha
Rita Irene Koys (July 1, 1929 – May 11, 2009), better known as Shanthi Lekha, was a Sri Lankan Film actress. She played the role of mother in more films than any other actress in Sinhala cinema.
Personal life
Lekha was born in Kalutara on July ...
as Executed man's wife
* N. R. Dias as Torturer
* Chris Greet as Portuguese soldier
*
Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya
Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya (born 2 December 1941 as ජීවරාණි කුරුකුලසූරිය) inhala, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. One of the most popular actresses in early Sinhala cinema, she pl ...
as Executed man's daughter
* Reg Van Culenberg as Portuguese soldier
* Tissa Udangamuwa as Portuguese soldier
*
Anthony C. Perera as Town crier
*Risien Bartholomeusz as Portuguese Catholic priest
Music
The music in the film was composed by
Sunil Santha
Sunil Santha was a Sri Lankan composer, singer and lyricist. Known as the "Father of the Modern Sinhala Music" He was pivotal in the development of Sinhala music and folk songs in the mid to late 1940s and early 1950s. He composed the beloved so ...
, a pioneer in Sinhala music.
Jothipala's ''Puruthugeesikaraya'' was a hit.also,'' Ko Hathuro'' musical track was also a hit. The lyrics were composed by Arisen Ahubudu.
References
External links
Silumina.lkSri Lanka Cinema Database
*
National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka - Official Website
1960 films
1960 war films
1960s Sinhala-language films
Films directed by Lester James Peries
Films set in the Crisis of the Sixteenth Century
Sinhalese–Portuguese War in film
1960s historical films
category:Sri Lankan historical films
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