Channa Perera

Deepanath Channa Perera (born 16 August 1965 as චන්න පෙරේරා [Sinhala]), is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a filmmaker and screenplay writer.^[2][3]

Channa Perera චන්න පෙරේරා
Born	Deepanath Channa Perera (1965-08-16) 16 August 1965 (age 59) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Sri Sumangala College Royal College Colombo
Occupation(s)	Actor, director, producer, screen writer
Years active	1992–present
Spouse	Gayathri Dias[1]
Children	2
Parents	Piyasena Perera (father) Vineetha Piyasena (mother)
Awards	Best Director Popular Actor

Personal life

Channa Perera was born on 16 August 1965 as the eldest of four sons. His father Piyasena Perera was a Director of Education who was in-charge of special education in Sri Lanka. His mother, Vineetha Piyasena, was a teaching instructress.^[4] Perera was educated at Sri Sumangala Boys' School, Panadura and then from Royal College Colombo. He completed A/L from bio stream and then took over a Banking job.^[5]

He is married to popular actress Gayathri Dias. He met Gayathri during the teledrama Makara Vijithaya. They got married on 26 September 1996.^[5] The couple has two daughters - Maleesha Parindya and Duasha Adithya. Elder daughter Maleesha completed education from Musaeus College.Duasha is currently studying at Royal Institute.^[5][6]

Career

His maiden cinematic experience came through 1994 film Sujatha directed by Daya Wimalaweera.^[7] Since then, he acted in many dramatic roles particularly in romantic supportive roles. His has acted in many popular serials including Golu Hadawatha, Sathpura Wesiyo, Senehewanthayo, Sath Mahala, Sakwa Lihiniyo and Sooriya Daruwo.^[6]

He entered in film direction with the 2006 blockbuster Anjalika. The film won many awards at local film festivals. He introduced Kollywood actress Pooja Umashankar to Sri Lankan film industry with title character in Anjalika. He directed his first television serial, Punchi Weerayo, which became a cult in Sri Lankan television.^[6] His next directorial film Sanda Diya Salu, which is an Indian-Sri Lankan joint production was planned to release for nearly 30 theaters of NFC Ridma circuit cinemas, ten Tamil and Telugu copies.^[8] But the screening was postponed by many disputes.

Some of his television serials

• Awasan Horawa^[9]
• Bharyawo^[10]
• Dahas Gawdura^[11]
• Dedunu Yanaya^[12]
• Diya Suliya
• Eka Gei Kurullo
• Golu Hadawatha
• Kaneru^[13]
• Makara Vijithaya^[14]
• Prema Parami^[15]
• Sahas Gaw Dura^[16]
• Sakwa Lihiniyo^[17]
• Sanda Hiru Tharu^[18]
• Sathmahala^[19]
• Sathpura Wesiyo^[20]
• Sawsiri Uyana
• Senehewanthayo^[20]
• Sooriya Daruwo^[20][21]
• Sudu Mahaththuru^[22]
• Suwanda Padma ^[23]
• Tharupaba^[24]
• Thimira Pauwa
• Vihanga Geethaya^[25]

Television serials directed

• Punchi Weerayo 1 and 2 ^[26]
• Wassanaye Hiru Evidin ^[27]
• Sanda Diya Arana
• Tikiri Hapannu 1 and 2

Filmography

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

As an actor

Year	Film	Role	Ref.
1994	Sujatha	Sanath
1994	Dhawala Pushpaya	uncredited role	[28]
1995	Mama Baya Ne Shyama
1995	Chandiyage Putha	Suresh
1997	Ninja Sri Lanka
1998	Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli
1999	Thirtha Yathra	Kusal	[29]
2000	Undaya	Murthi Palihawadana	[30]
2002	Seethala Gini Kandu		[31][deprecated source]
2004	Mille Soya	Chamara
2006	Anjalika	Thivanka	[32]
2010	Hadawatha Mal Yayai	Himal	[33]
2012	Senasuru Maruwa	Nisal	[34]
2014	Kalpanthe Sihinayak	Kalpa Wickramasinghe	[35]
2023	Yugathra	Visal/Sagara
2024	Bambara Wasanthe	Sameera	[36]
TBA	Inda Nimidam †	South Indian Movie	[37]
TBA	Mayavi †	Senehas

As a film director

Year	Film	Ref.
2006	Anjalika	[38]
2014	Kalpanthe Sihinayak	[39]
2017	Ekai Dekai Thunai	[40]
2023	Yugathra	[41]
TBA	Sanda Diya Salu †	[42]

Awards and accolades

He has won several awards at the local film festivals and television festivals, both for acting and direction.^[2][43]

Sarasaviya Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2006	Anjalika	Most Popular Actor	Won

Sumathi Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1998	Thimira Pauwa	Merit Award	Won
2001	Punchi Weerayo	Best Creative Director	Won
2001	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actor	Won
2002	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actor	Won
2003	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actor	Won
2004	Nannadunannee	Best Supporting Actor	Nominated
2016	Rathu Ahasa	Jury Special Award[44]	Won

Signis OCIC Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2009	Anjalika	Best Direction	Won

Derana Music Video Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2008	Anjalika	Best Visualized film song	Won

SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2008	Anjalika	Most Popular Film	Won

Hiru Golden Film Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2014	Senasuru Maruwa	Best Actor	Nominated

Derana Film Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2014	Senasuru Maruwa	Best Actor	Nominated

References

1. "We live happily - ChannaGayathri". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
2. "Actors in Sri Lankan cinema - Channa Perera". National Film Corporation Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
3. "Channa Perera films". IMDb. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
4. "School life of Channa Perera". gossipman. Retrieved 23 September 2019.^{[dead link]}
5. "Patience and tolerance - Two remedies for marital problems". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
6. "Heartthrob of the small screen". infolanka. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
7. "Channa Perera - චන්න පෙරේරා filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
8. "Channa's 'Sanda Diya Salu', a Sri Lanka -India joint venture". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
9. "Awasan Horawa': a skilful adaptation". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
10. ""Bharyavo" now on Sirasa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
11. "'Dahas Gawdura': a formulaic telefilm". Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
12. "'Deydunu Yanaya': Mix of love and business". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
13. "Changing lanes". Daily News. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
14. "Makara Vijithaya has unusual plot". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
15. "Prema Paarami Tele-Drama Series". vodtv. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
16. "Malani directs Lucky in 'Sahas Gaw Dura'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
17. "Sakva Lihiniyo' on Rupavahini". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
18. "The story of a brave new woman". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
19. "Sathmahala: story of changing times". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
20. "Nalan Mendis teledramas". Nalan Mendis official website. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
21. "'Sooriya Daruwo' starts this Sunday". Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
22. "Return of 'Sudu Mahaththuru'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
23. "Suwanda Padma focuses on our past". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
24. "'Tharupaba': Love life of a journalist". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
25. "'Vihanga Geethaya': A tale of triangular love". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
26. ""Punchi Veerayo" set on adventure". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
27. "Of love, sacrifice and mystery". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
28. "Sinhala screened films". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
29. "'Theertha yatra' goes in search of family roots". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
30. "KAW toys with new idea". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
31. "සීතල ගිනිකඳු Seethala Ginikandu". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
32. "Anjalika introduces a 'new star' to the silver screen". The Daily News. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
33. "A different type of romantic story". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
34. Senasuru Maruwa, a welcome variant Archived October 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
35. "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
36. "පිනි සුළඟේ විසිරුණු ආදර කතාව". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
37. "Lal Weerasinghe to make a cameo appearance in India". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
38. "'Anjalika' comes to stay". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
39. "No 'illusions'". Daily News. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
40. "Indian company to invest in Channa's second movie". Daily News.
41. "Chat with Channa Perera". gossipsonline.
42. "Celebrating two decades of Channa's directorial career". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
43. "Hero of the celluloid worlda". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
44. "Sumathi Awards". sumathiawards.lk.

External links

• අපි බැදලා අවුරුදු 17 - Channa Perera and Gayathri Dias
• Chat with Gayathri Dias Archived 2019-08-10 at the Wayback Machine
• හිතගියේ ගයාත්‍රිට විතරයි... - Channa perera
• කුණුවලට මිනිස්සු රහ වැටෙනවා - Channa Perera
• චන්නයි කෙල්ලෝ දෙන්නයි