Suvineetha Weerasinghe

Suvineetha Weerasinghe (born May 19, 1947 as සුවිනීතා වීරසිංහ) [Sinhala]), is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema^[1] theater and television. Highly versatile actress with a career spanning more than five decades, Weerasinghe has portrayed many critically acclaimed films such as Sikuruliya, Welikathara, Yuganthaya and Sudo Sudu.^[2]

Suvineetha Weerasinghe සුවිනීතා වීරසිංහ
Born	Suvineetha Weerasinghe (1947-05-19) May 19, 1947 (age 78) Dehiwala
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Other names	Suvineetha Abeysekera Suvineetha Kongahage
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1962–present
Spouse(s)	Tissa Abeysekara Sarath Kongahage
Children	Devinda Kongahage
Awards	Merit Award

Personal life

Her father was an ex-gunman in the Army and her mother was a housewife. She started junior school at Buddhist Girls College in Mount Lavinia until grade 5 and then attended to Dehiwela Madya Maha Vidyalaya.^[3] At the school, she was an athlete and a strong netball shooter. She also completed all three stages of Kandyan dancing at school times. After finishing school, she enrolled at Indigenous Medical College for a four-year course. However, while studying in the third year, Weerasinghe quit medical college and entered the cinema industry.^[3]

She was first married to the late Tissa Abeysekara, who was a renowned director in Sinhala cinema. She has one son from her second marriage with Sarath Kongahage.^[4] Her son Devinda Kongahage is also a director in Sinhala cinema.^[5]

Acting career

In television, she acted in some critically acclaimed serials such as H. D. Premaratne's Sandun Gira Gini Ganee and Dharmasena Pathiraja's adaptation of Anton Chekhov's Lady with the Little Dog.^[3]

Selected television serials

• Bim Kaluwara^[6]
• Kaluwara Anduna^[7]
• Nonimi Yathra ^[8]
• Piniwassa^[9]
• Ran Dalambuwo^[10]
• Sandun Giri Gini Ganee
• Wansakkarayo^[11]

Beyond acting

She was one of the judges reality show Guwan Prathibha Prabha in the drama category.^[12]

She contested from National List of Democratic National Alliance in 2010 General Election.^[13]

Filmography

Her maiden cinematic experience came through 1962 film Suhada Divi Piduma, directed by Robin Tampoe. Some of her popular films are Sudo Sudu, Sikuruliya Anupama and Welikathara.^[14][15]

Key

†	Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released

Year	Film	Role	Ref.
1962	Suhada Divi Piduma
1963	Sudu Sande Kalu Wala	Wasanthi	[16]
1964	Samajaye Api Okkoma Samanai	Ranjani	[17]
1965	Sudo Sudu	Heen Menika
1966	Delovak Athara	Chitra Karunaratne
1971	Welikathara	Geetha Randeniya, ASP's wife	[18]
1975	Sikuruliya	Vandigeera Arachchilage Namali Kanthilatha	[19]
1976	Loka Horu
1976	Hulavali	Subha	[20]
1977	Sakunthala
1978	Siri Pathula	Menaka
1978	Anupama	Anupama	[21][22]
1978	Saara
1980	Sasaraka Pathum	Doctor Shanthi
1980	Ektam Ge	Devika	[23]
1982	Malata Noena Bambaru		[24]
1983	Sandamali	Sandamali	[25]
1983	Thuththiri Mal
1984	Jaya Sikurui
1984	Sathi Pooja	Mrs. Wijesekara
1985	Yuganthaya	Nalika, Kabilana's wife	[26]
1985	Channai Kello Dennai
1987	Janelaya	Mrs. Fernando
1997	Bawa Duka	Arachchi hamine	[27]
1997	Bawa Karma	Arachchi hamine	[28]
1998	Dehena
2000	Hansa Vilapaya		[29]
2000	Pem Kekula		[30]
2001	Daru Upatha
2004	Mille Soya	Maxi's Mother	[31]
2004	Rajjumala		[32]
2010	Ira Handa Yata	Herath Manike	[33]
2017	Bandhanaya	Selestina	[34]
2018	Wassanaye Sanda	Sandesh's mother	[35]
TBA	Sihina Lowak Soya †		[36]
TBA	Saadhi †		[37]

Awards

Presidential Film Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1985	Sathi Pooja	Merit Award[38]	Won