Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Sathischandra Edirisinghe
Sri Lankan actor, dramatist and director From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Patikirige Sathischandra Edirisinghe (born 11 February 1941 as Patikirige Sathischandra Edirisinghe, සතිස්චන්ද්ර එදිරිසිංහ) [Sinhala] is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television.[1] Edirisinghe's career spans more than five decades in cinema, stage drama, and television.[2][3]
 | This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. (July 2025) |
Remove ads
Personal life
Summarize
Perspective
Sathischandra Edirisinghe was born on 11 February 1941 in Kelaniya as the sixth child of the family. His father, Patikirige Edirisinghe, was a Chief Supervisor of the Department of Cottage Industries. His mother, Ushettige Elizabeth Perera, was a housewife. He has one elder brother, the late Dharmasiri; four elder sisters - Techla Sandaseelee, late Florida Katherine, Mershia Sirima and Mary Elizabeth, and two younger brothers - Nimal Ranjith and Sunil. Youngest of the family, Sunil, is a singer in Sri Lankan music industry.[4]
Sathischandra Edirisinghe completed his education from five schools. He started preschool career with Sir D. B. Jayatilaka Vidyalaya, then entered to Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya, in 1947. After ten years in the school, Edirisinghe then moved to St. Mary's College, Elpitiya, in 1958 to completed A/L from art stream.[5] In 1960, he entered Stafford College and in 1964, he completed his secondary education from Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda.[4]
In 1965, he married Kariyapperuma Arachchige Sriya Kariyapperuma. Sriya was born on November 7, 1941, to Baron Perera Kariyapperuma who worked as a clerk and Sumanawathie Cooray. She was the eldest of her ten siblings. She had her education at Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya, where she met Sathischandra Edirisinghe. She also had a keen interest on drama, where she acted in many school stage dramas, directed by Sathischandra. They currently have three children - Udaya, Shashini, and Udara.
The eldest son, Udaya Shashipriya, studied at S. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa. He currently handles his own business called "U and I Ceylon (Pvt) Ltd.".The middle child and daughter, Shashini studied at St. Paul's Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya. She is a B.Com graduate and currently resides in Australia. The youngest child, Udara Asanga, studied at Royal College, Colombo. He is interested in textile and fashion designing in Australia. All are married.[1]
Remove ads
Theater work
Summarize
Perspective
Edirisinghe started to show his talents when he is at Sri Dharmaloka Central College. His first teacher was Ravilal Wimaladharma, who had keen interest on literature and music. At grade 5, he tried to act Madduma Bandara at home, which is a drama in his literature book.[4] After Wimaladharma saw his capabilities, Edirisinghe was appointed as in-charge of the stage play Sudo Sudu in the school. In 1953, he joined Lamapitiya program in Radio Ceylon.[6] For role in Anton Chekhov’s Proposal at Inter-school drama competition, Edirisinghe adjudged the Best Actor of the Southern Province.[4]
In 1961, he started his stage drama career where his elder brother, Dharmasiri Edirisinghe, introduced him to Kala Guru J. D. A. Perera. In 1999, after the service in CTB and Mahaweli Authority, he became a full time artist.[1] His peak as a theater actor came through his role in John de Silva's stage play Wessanthara. With wider recognition, he was able to cooperate with country's leading script writers such as Gunasena Galappathi, Dayananda Gunawardane, Henry Jayasena, Sugathapala de Silva, R.R. Samarakoon, Sunanda Mahendra, Ranjit Dharmakeerthi, S. Karunaratne, Lucien Bulathsinghala, and Dhamma Jagoda.[6] His one of memorable theater acting came through Henry Jayasena's Manaranjana Vedavarjana in 1965.[7]
Notable works
- Baka Thapas
- Vessanthara
- Sri Wicrama
- Ibi Katta
- Manaranja Wedewarjana
- Liyathabara
- Maha Hene Hiriyaka
- Maha Gedere
- Cheri Uyana (Cherry Orchard)
- Onna Babo Ethiniya
- Habun Katai Bath Dekatai
- Elade
- Erabodu Mal Pottu Pipila
- Geheniyak
- Sauren Ae Lada
- Ane Massine
- Ruduraya Saha Gangawa
- Liya Thambara
Remove ads
Television acting
Edirisinghe is considered a pioneer actor in Sri Lankan teledrama history. His maiden television acting came through Lucien Bulathsinhala's Ekamawakage Daruwo in 1982. In that drama, he played the main role as a school principal. He played in many popular films of the early stage of Sri Lankan television, such as Mihikathage Daruwo, Tharadevi, and Palingu Menike.[8]
Notable works - as actor
- Ambu Daruwo[9]
- Aravinda saha Indu
- Avindu Adura
- Chandi Kumarihami [10]
- Eke Mawakege Daruwo
- Gauwen Gauwa
- Kadathira[11]
- Kokila Ginna[12][13]
- Mihikathege Daruwo
- Minigandela[14]
- Nisala Vilthera[15]
- Paligu Menike
- Sausiri Uyana[16]
- Senehelatha Menike
- Sivmansala
- Sonduru SIthaththi
- Sudu Hamine[17]
- Sudu Mahaththuru[18]
- Sudu Paraviyo
- Sujatha[19]
- Sura-asura
- Suseema [20]
- Thara Devi
- Uthuru Sulanga
- Uthuwankande Sura Saradiyel[21]
- Wassanaye Hiru Evidin [22]
Notable works - both as producer and actor
Career as a director
In 1963, he started his first direction and production of stage dramas with the play Baka Thapas. Out of 20 stage plays he acted, six of them were his production and direction.[4] In 1964 he produced second stage play, Atthikka Mal Pipila, with his own script. He produced another four stage dramas – Hotabari Yuddae based on George Orwell's Animal Farm, Thahanchi, Sokkano Rajano and Apaya Avurudu.[3]
Edirisinghe began directing films in 1973. His first cinematic direction came through Matara Aachchi in 1973.[6] The film featured his brother Sunil Edirisinghe as a singer, Wally Nanayakkara as lyricist, and Victor Ratnayake as music director.[4]
Not only in cinema, he has produced eleven television serials of which he directed seven. In 2019, he was honored with Janabhimani Honorary Award at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.[28]
Remove ads
Beyond acting
Summarize
Perspective
In 1965, he was attached with Ceylon Transport of Bus (CTB) as a clerk. After the marriage and few years of work, he resigned from CTB and joined to Mahaweli Authority in 1986. In the authority, he served as the Manager in Cultural Affairs from 1986 to 1998.[4]
In 2008, Edirisinghe was invited to take the position of Consultant in Cultural Affairs in the Ministry of Irrigation.[4]
He is an author who published many books such as Apa Sathu Minimuthu, Kata Wata Kara Weta ,and Jalaya Saha Minisa.[29][30] He has written nearly 25 books, where Eight books for children.[3]
Edirisinghe went with a script writer to Kuwait in 1990 for a stage drama. During that period, Sadaam Hussein captured Iran and the crew were stuck there for 47 days in the Middle East. After 47 days, they came back to Sri Lanka.[3] A felicitation ceremony titled Sathischandra Edirisinghe in Retrospect was held on 16 January 2011 at 6 pm at Kularatne hall in Ananda College Maradana organised by Telemakers Guild.[31]
During a family trip to Ella, Badulla in January 2019, gold jewellery and cash worth nearly Rs.189,000 had been stolen from the family. Police said that the thief might have entered the room through a window as one of the windows was opened.[32]
Author works
- Apa Sathu Minimuthu
- Kata Wata Kara Weta
- Jalaya Saha Minisa
- Adaraya Saha Vivahaya
- Ape Thaththa
- Guru Bhumika Nirupanaya
- Raththaran Daruwek
- Thanhawa Dukata Hethu We
- Wanduru Nuwana
Remove ads
Legacy
On January 14, 2008, felicitation program titled Sathischandra Prathibhanaya was held at 3 pm at Sarasavi Studio, Dalugama, Kelaniya. The program was organized by Nuwana Youth Organisation.[6]
He was awarded the Kala Suri title in 1990 by President Ranasinghe Premadasa and conferred with an honorary degree from the University of Kelaniya in 2006.[6]
Awards
Presidential Awards
Sumathi Awards
Raigam Tele'es
Remove ads
Filmography
Summarize
Perspective
Edirisinghe started his film career with Sadol Kandulu back in 1966, directed by Senator Reggie Perera.[4] Through that, he performed many dramatic and supportive roles in more than 35+ films.[35][36] In 1982, his film Adhishtanaya was screened at the International Mannheim Film Festival in Germany, where it received recognition. Then he took that film again to the Ludwigshafen Film Congress.
- No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.[37]
Remove ads
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads