''Veera Puran Appu'' () is a 1978
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, ...
n Sinhala epic biographical 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, ...
and produced by former cabinet minister
Tyronne Fernando for Shalanka Films. It stars
Ravindra Randeniya and
Joe Abeywickrama in lead roles along with
Malani Fonseka and
Tissa Abeysekara. Music composed by
Premasiri Khemadasa.
It is the 399th 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 Lan ...
.
The film screened in 17 cinemas in the fifth board. The film completed box office 100 days at the Webley Cinema Hall, Kandy. In the film, it is noted that more than 1,500 actors contributed to the success of the film. In 1979 SIGNIS Awards ceremony, Tissa Abeysekara was awarded the memorial award for his role as Kudapola Thero.
Plot
The film centered around the story behind national patriot
Veera Puran Appu and his
Matale rebellion in 1848 for the freedom from British. Though he was executed by the British by firing squad, his influence to the country's independence has been highly praised and thus Puran Appu is highlighted as a national hero of the Sri Lankan history.
Cast
*
Ravindra Randeniya as
Puran Appu 'Francisco Fernando'
*
Malini Fonseka as Bandara Menike
*
Tissa Abeysekera as Ven. Kudapola Sri Rahula Thero
*
Joe Abeywickrama as
Gongalegoda Banda 'King David'
*
Sriyani Amarasena as Kuda Manike 'Kumarihamy'
*
Dharmasiri Bandaranayake as Punchi Rala
*
Robin Fernando as Hanguranketha Dingirala
*
David Dharmakeerthi as Gunnepana Arachchi
* Somasiri Dehipitiya as Puran Appu's brother
* Basil de Seram as British gunman
* Jean-Pierre Hautin as Captain Neville Watson
* Alfred Berry as Government Agent Bullen
* John Burgess as
Governor Torrington
* David Thackeray as
Sir Emerson Tennent
* Humphrey Rodrigo as Nilame
* Elson Divithurugama as Village crier
* Vincent Vaas as Cruel Master
*
Cletus Mendis
Gammada Liyanage Cletus Paulinus Mendis, popularly as Cletus Mendis (born as :si:ක්ලීටස් මෙන්ඩිස්, ක්ලීටස් මෙන්ඩිස් Sinhala language, Sinhala) is a Sri Lankan actor, mainly works in cine ...
as one of Puran Appu's soldiers
*
Buddhadasa Vithanarachchi as Rebel
*
Wilson Karunaratne as Rebel
* Granville Rodrigo as Rebel
* B. S. Perera
Songs
References
1978 films
1970s Sinhala-language films
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