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Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva, popularly known as Roy de Silva (රෝයි ද සිල්වා; 30 August 1937 – 30 June 2018),[1] was a Sri Lankan actor and film director in Sri Lankan cinema. He entered the film industry as an actor in 1964 with Sujage Rahasa, directed by Palaniyaandi Neelakantan. He later moved towards cinema directing, becoming one of the most successful film makers in the Sri Lankan film industry.[2] His blockbuster movies such as Re Daniel Dawal Migel series,[3] Cheriyo series, Clean Out, and Sir Last Chance were economically successful and made hallmarks in the industry.[4]
Roy de Silva | |
|---|---|
| රෝයි ද සිල්වා | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva 30 August 1937 Yatawatta, British Ceylon |
| Died | 30 June 2018 (aged 80) Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka |
| Resting place | Kanatte Cemetery, Colombo |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Yatawatta Sinhala School St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa Saint Joseph's College, Colombo |
| Occupation |
|
Born on 30 August 1937, as Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva, he quickly changed his name to Roy de Silva in the beginning of his cinema career. He was born in Yatawatta, Matale as the fourth of seven siblings.[5]
He first attended Yatawatta Sinhala School, and then moved to St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa and completed advanced level from St. Joseph's College, Colombo. Just after completing school, he started to act in many stage dramas such as Narbona Hee Ranaweera Sebala and Surath Liliya.[6]
He was married to fellow Sri Lankan actress Sumana Amarasinghe and they have two children.[7][8][9] Roy died on 30 June 2018 at the age of 80. Sumana Amarasinghe died on 5 June 2022 at the age of 74 while receiving treatment at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital due to a sudden illness.[10]
De Silva came to the silver screen through Sujage Rahasa directed by P. Neelakantan, a famous South Indian director who accompanied MGR as well. The film was released on 24 December 1964 and received a positive reception from critics. His success was achieved through stylish acting, Tamil Indian actor like personality[clarification needed] and fluency in Tamil.[11] This in turn gave him many opportunities to act under many Tamil directors in his early days.
In 1972, de Silva's film Sujeewa surpassed the gross earnings of Edath Suraya Adath Suraya, starring the most famous Sri Lankan actor of that time, Gamini Fonseka.[12]
De Silva's acting career mostly came under directors like Joe Dev Anand, Danny Mariyadasan, M S Anandan, K Venkat, Kingsley Rajapakse, Robin Tampoe, Lenin Morayes, and Cyril P. Abeyratne.
De Silva had the ability to remember long dialogues.[13]
Apart from direction and acting, De Silva also performed as a playback singer on a few occasions, such as in the films Tom Pachaya and Minisun Athara Minisek.[14][deprecated source]
On 30 June 2018, De Silva died while being treated for a heart attack at Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital. His remains were cremated on 2 July 2018 at Kanatte Cemetery.[15]
On 1 September 2018, de Silva's autobiography was launched at Tharangani Hall. The book is titled Ada Siyawasaka Sadadara Roy.[16][17]
On 5 July 2020, de Silva's wife Sumana Amarasinghe organized an alms giving at an old house in Colombo in two year commemoration of his death.[18]
- No. denotes the number of Sri Lankan films in the Sri Lankan cinema.[19]
| Year | No. | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 116 | Sujage Rahasa | |
| 1966 | 152 | Sudu Duwa | |
| 155 | Sanasili Suwaya | ||
| 1967 | 162 | Sangawunu Menika | |
| 1968 | 193 | Ruhunu Kumari | |
| 1969 | 213 | Uthum Sthree | Mahindayaa |
| 212 | Pick Pocket | Asoka | |
| 1970 | 222 | Sumudu Bharya | |
| 227 | Geetha | ||
| 1971 | 237 | Dawena Pipasaya | |
| 247 | Samanala Kumariyo | ||
| 1972 | 255 | Sujeewa[20] | Samantha |
| 256 | Singapuru Charlie | ||
| 260 | Hathara Wate | Rohana | |
| 263 | Me Dasa Kumatada | Doctor Roy de Silva | |
| 1973 | 277 | Sinawai Inawai | |
| 278 | Sunethra | Upul Mahinda Seneviratne | |
| 1974 | 287 | Sheela | Tissa Gunawardena |
| 1975 | 306 | Obai Mamai | Suminda Wijegunaratne |
| 312 | Sukiri Kella | Senaka Dharmapala | |
| 316 | Mage Nangi Shyama | ||
| 321 | Ranwan Rekha | ||
| 1976 | 358 | Ran Thilakaa | |
| 1977 | 361 | Sudu Paraviyo | Chandi |
| 371 | Honda Hitha | ||
| Saazish | |||
| 1978 | 387 | Mage Ran Putha | |
| 403 | Deepanjalee | ||
| 1979 | 410 | Samanmali | Amitha |
| 312 | Minisun Athara Minisek | Keerthi | |
| 427 | Anusha | Sarath | |
| 1980 | 443 | Silva | Chamika |
| 447 | Adara Rathne | Lal | |
| 1981 | 531 | Mihidum Sihina | Sinna |
| 484 | Sanasuma | ||
| 1982 | 517 | Pethi Gomara | |
| 1985 | 624 | Obata Diwura Kiyannam | |
| 1987 | 670 | Ahinsa | Jaye |
| 1988 | 671 | Rasa Rahasak | |
| 676 | Amme Oba Nisa | ||
| 677 | Angulimala | ||
| 1989 | 688 | Okkoma Rajawaru | |
| 1990 | 704 | Hondin Naththam Narakin | |
| 710 | Madu Sihina | ||
| 712 | Christhu Charithaya | Caiaphas[21] | |
| 1991 | 723 | Obata Pamanay Adare | |
| 1992 | 744 | Jaya Sri We Kumariye | |
| 762 | Suranimala | ||
| 764 | Muwan Palasse Kadira | ||
| 1993 | 773 | Sagara Thilina | |
| 779 | Chaya Maya | ||
| 774 | Prathingya | ||
| 776 | Sasara Sarisarana Thek Oba Mage | ||
| 777 | Mawila Penewi Roope | ||
| 780 | Come O' Go Chicago | Mr. Wickremasinghe | |
| 781 | Yasasa | ||
| 1994 | 798 | Nohadan Kumariyo | |
| 813 | Aathma | ||
| 814 | Sudu Piruwata | ||
| 1997 | 881 | Apaye Thappara 84000k | |
| 2002 | 975 | Sansara Prarthana | |
| 2015 | 1239 | My Name Is Bandu | Sinhabahu |
De Silva was primarily a director of comedy films, which made him one of Sri Lanka's promising directors in Sri Lanka cinema industry. His first direction was of the 1977 film Tom Pachaya, co-directed with Stanley Perera. Up to 2016, he directed 33 films, with more than 70 percent of the films easily passing 100 days and becoming blockbuster hits.[22] De Silva's first English film direction was It's a Matter of Time in 1991.[23]
| Year | No. | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 379 | Tom Pachaya | Chaminda Edward |
| 1982 | 507 | Thana Girawi | |
| 1982 | 531 | Mihidum Sihina | Sinna |
| 1982 | 541 | Kadawunu Poronduwa | remake |
| 1983 | 547 | Sumithuro | |
| 1984 | 588 | Hitha Honda Kollek | |
| 1987 | 657 | Thaathi Man Adarei | |
| 1987 | 674 | Gedara Budun Amma | Samantha |
| 1990 | 710 | Madhu Sihina | Sinna |
| 1990 | 714 | Hitha Honda Puthek | |
| 1991 | It's a Matter of Time | ||
| 1991 | 734 | Cheriyo Doctor | |
| 1992 | 758 | Okkoma Kanapita | |
| 1993 | 778 | Soorayan Athara Veeraya | |
| 1993 | 783 | Jeevan Malli | |
| 1994 | 815 | Love 94 | Baby's Father |
| 1995 | 822 | Vijay Saha Ajay | |
| 1995 | 839 | Cheriyo Captain | |
| 1996 | 863 | Cheriyo Darling | |
| 1997 | 875 | Ramba Saha Madu | |
| 1998 | 894 | Re Daniel Dawal Migel 1 | Detective Cobra |
| 2000 | 932 | Re Daniel Dawal Migel 2 | Detective Cobra |
| 2000 | 944 | Pem Kekula | |
| 2001 | 959 | Jonsun and Gonsun | Station Master |
| 2002 | 991 | Love 2002 | |
| 2003 | 1006 | Sepata Dukata Sunny | |
| 2004 | 1026 | Clean Out | |
| 2004 | 1034 | Selamuthu Pinna | |
| 2004 | 1034 | Re Daniel Dawal Migel 3 | |
| 2006 | 1075 | Sonduru Wasanthe | Jayawardena |
| 2007 | 1083 | Mr Dana Rina | |
| 2009 | 1122 | Sir Last Chance | |
| 2011 | It’s a Matter of Love |
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