Sanath Gunathilake

Somsiri Sanath Julien Gunatilake (born 27 October 1955: Sinhala:සනත් ගුණතිලක), popularly as Sanath Gunatilake, is an actor, director, screenwriter in Sri Lankan cinema and film director. A highly versatile actor across many genres, Gunatilake is a veteran actor in the Sri Lankan cinema industry with a career spanning more than four decades. He Served as a member of Western Provincial Council as United National Party member, and later join as media head of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Sanath Gunathilake
Born	Somsiri Sanath Julien Gunatilake (1955-10-27) 27 October 1955 (age 69) Kandy, Sri Lanka
Education	Kingswood College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–present
Known for	Sinhala Cinema Hero in '80s and '90s
Notable work	Viragaya

Personal life

Gunatilake was born on 27 October 1955, in Mulgampola, Kandy, Sri Lanka, to a middle-class family where his father Hector Gunatilake was a lawyer and mother Grace Goonetileke was a teacher. According to him, his father is a good fan of cinema, and this has influenced him to take part in art at an early age. He was educated at Kingswood College, Kandy and successfully passed GCE O/L, but failed to mark in A/L as he wished to do.^[1]

As his first job, he worked as chemistry teacher. Meanwhile, he came to Colombo in search of a new job by quitting his tuition classes in Kandy.^[2]

Film career

He made his cinema debut in 1978 in the movie Situ Kumariyo, directed by Vijaya Dharmasiri. However, before the release of his first film, his second film Ganga Addara was screened. Then Sathweni Dawasa was screened. After screening Situ Kumariyo his next film Vajira was screened. The turning point of his success as an actor was his starring role in the movie Ganga Addara, directed by Sumitra Peries. Then his most notable acting came through the role 'Aravinda' in the film Viragaya. For that role, he won Best Actor awards at every film festival in Sri Lanka. Among the high-profile films Sanath has acted in are: Kedapatha, Palama Yata, Doorkada Marawa and Rajya Sevaya Pinisai.^[2]

Apart from dramatic role, he made several commercial film appearances along with Vijaya Kumaratunga, Jeewan Kumaratunga and Ranjan Ramanayake in the films Koti Waligaya, Dinuma, Raja Wedakarayo, Nommara 17, Obatai Priye Adare and Inspector Geetha.^[2]

Filmography

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1980	Ganga Addara	Ranjith
1981	Situ Kumariyo
	Vajira	Newton
	Sathweni Dawasa	Alphonso
	Sathkulu Pauwa
	Saranga
	Aradhana
	Amme Mata Samawenna	Wasantha
1982	Yahalu Yeheli	Pujitharatne
	Thani Tharuwa	Tharanga
	Ridee Nimnaya	Rathnapala
	Nawatha Hamu Wemu
	Kiri Suwanda
	Kele Mal	Chandana
	Chathu Madhura	Sunil
1983	Sivu Ranga Sena
	Sister Mary
	Kaliyugaya
1984	Thaththai Puthai	Saliya
	Shirani
	Batti	Surin Hamu
	Sathi Puja	Kapila
	Sasara Chethana
	Podi Ralahami
	Maya
	Maala Giravi
	Dewani Gamana	Saman
1985	Vasity Kella
	Mihidum Salu	Doctor Senaka
	Kiri Madu Wel
	Chalitha Rangali		as Producer
	Aya Waradida Oba Kiyanna
	Araliya Mal	Chandana
1986	Prarthana
	Maldeniye Simiyon	Justin	[3]
	Mal Warusa	Jagath Weerasuriya
	Koti Valigaya
	Dinuma	Sarath Jayathilaka
	Avurududa	Dhanushka
1987	Viragaya	Aravinda	Sarasaviya Awards - Best Actor [4]
	Thaththi Man Adarei
	Randamwel
	Raja Wedakarayoo	Ranjan
	Obatai Priye Adare	Amith
	Mangala Thegga
	Kawuluva
1988	Satana
	Rasa Rahasak	Sanath / Wickrama
	Chandingeth Chandiya	Dharmadasa
1989	Okkoma Rajavaru
	Nommara 17	Naatha
	Kedapathaka Chaya	Piyathilaka	Sarasaviya Awards - Best Supporting Actor [5]
	Sebaliyo	Nimal
1990	Pem Raja Dahana	Sargent Ranasinghe
	Palama Yata	Willie	Sarasaviya Awards - Best Actor [6]
	Madhu Sihina	Suraj
	Hodin Nathnam Narakin	Lokke
	Dese Mal Pipila	Sumedha
1991	Uthura Dakuna	Sanath
	Love In Bangkok	Jagath
	Dhanaya	Athula
			[7]
	Cheriyo Doctor	Chaminda Randenigala
1992	Sisila Gini Gani	Harris Makalanda	as Producer
	Sinhayangeth Sinhaya	Mahesh
	Sakkara Sooththara
	Rumathiyai Neethiyai		as Producer/Screen Writer
	Raja Daruwo	Sanath and his father (dual role)
	Malsara Doni	Janaka Perera
	Kiyala Wedek Nae
1993	Sasara Serisaranathek Oba Mage		as Producer
	Nelum Ha Samanmalee
	Madara Parasathu	Sirithunga
	Chaya
	Bambasara Bisawu
1994	Sujatha new
	Mee Haraka
	Hello My Darlin
	Aathmaa
1995	Vairayen Vairaya
	Inspector Geetha
	Cheriyo Captain	Rahal
1996	Veediye Veeraya
	Sebae Mithura
	Bawa Sasara
1997	Duwata Mawaka Misa
1998	Vimukthi
	Eya Obata Barai
	Dorakada Marawa	Priyantha
2000	Sanda Yahanata	Jagath Hathurusinghe	[8]
	Rajya Sevaya Pinisai	Minister Janaka Situbandara
	Pem Kekula	Jerome	[9]
	Chakraayudha
2001	Oba Koheda Priye	George Madanayake	[10]
2002	Somy Boys	Sanath
	Agnidahaya	Ambanwala Rala
2003	Wekande Walauwa	Gunapala
	Sudu Kaluwara	Seemon Fernando 'Mudalali'
	Sakman Maluwa	Tissa	Sarasaviya Awards - Best Actor
	Le Kiri Kandulu	Asela
2004	Kangalal Kaidhu Sei	Pratap	Tamil film
	Selamuthu Pinna	Sanath Sir	[11]
	Randiya Dahara	Colonel Chanuka Hettiarachchi
	Mille Soya	Sagara
	Diya Yata Gindara	Sampath Harischandra	[12]
2005	Sulanga	Senarathne
	Asani Warsha	Minister Sirimanne
	Sudu Kalu Saha Alu	Assa Peter
2006	Nilambare	Nimal
	Anjalika	Clifford Imbulgoda
	Ammawarune	Doctor
	Naga Kanya	Saman
2007	Asai Man Piyabanna	Sapumal Senadheera
	Aganthukaya	Chief Minister Simon Galagedara
2008	Rosa Kale	Mr. Sooriyabandara
	Pitasakwala Kumarayai Pancho Hathai
	Nil Diya Yahana	Minister
	Adaraye Namayen
	Superstar	Ranjith Bandara
	Siri Raja Siri	Principal
2009	Kanyavi	Janaka
	Ekamath Eka Rateka		As Director/Screen Play Writer
	Dancing Star
	Alimankada	Major Kiriella
	Ali Surathal	Rathnayaka
2010	Uththara	Minister Niwanthudawa
	Suwanda Denuna Jeewithe	cameo role
	Mago Digo Dai	Minister Sathyapala
	Kawulu Dora		[13]
	Hadawatha Mal Yayai
2011	Sinhawalokanaya	Gam Muladani
	King Hunther	Nayakathuma
	Gamani	Military Officer
	Angara Dangara	Principal Pathirana
2012	Sihinaya Dige Enna	Father
2013	Doni	Bandu
	Ira Laga Wadi	Saliya
	Super Six	Preme, Sanath's brother
2014	Samige Kathawa
	Parapura	Minister Marasinghe
	Kalpanthe Sihinayak	Mapa
2015	Sinhaya	Minister
	Sinahawa Atharin	Wimal	As Script Writer and Director
	Pravegaya	Police Officer	Guest Appearance
2017	Pani Makuluwo	Ranaweera
2019	Sangile	Punchi Malli
	Thiththa Aththa		[14]
	Rush	Prof. Madugalle	[15]
	President Super Star	Judge Daham Daranagama	[16]
2021	Wassane Sihinaya		[17]
	Uthuru Sulanga		[18]
2023	Guththila		[19]
	Nattami Army
	Rider
2024	Ridee Seenu		[20]
	Kambili	cameo
TBA	Yodhayange Adawiya †		Filming[21]
TBA	Monara Vilak †		Post production[22]
TBA	Suvisi Vivarana †		[23]

References

1. "Sanath Gunathilake's epiphanies". The Island. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
2. "Sanath Gunathilaka who did not die to bring 'Aravinda' to life". Silumina. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
3. "'Maldeniye Simeon' back after 20 years". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
4. "All about Viragaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
5. "All about Kedapathaka Chaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
6. "All about the film "Palama Yata"". Sarasaviya. May 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
7. "All about "Mahesh"". sarasaviya. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
8. "A film off the beaten track". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
9. "'Pem Kekula' goes back to a hilarious past". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
10. "'Oba Koheda Priye': Story of deceit and intrigue". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
11. "New faces in 'Salamuthu Pinna'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
12. "CEL's first production: 'Diya Yata Gindara'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
13. "'Kavulu Dora' opens for public". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
14. "The story of Walisinghe". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
15. "Arrival of a filmmaker who owns the future". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
16. "The presidential stage where four people are competing". Sarasaviya. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
17. "The Separating Time Cycle 'Wassane Sihinaya'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
18. "The story of a young man in the south caught in the north wind". Sarasaviya. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
19. "Tale of Guththila becomes a cinema". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
20. "The silver bells are finished". සරසවිය. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
21. "යෝධයන්ගේ අඩවිය වැඩ ඇරැඹේ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
22. "Malini with Sanath after 14 years". Sarasaviya. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
23. "සිත් මල විකසිත සිතුවිලි නර්තනය සූවිසි විවරණ". Sarasaviya. February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.

External links

• "Sanath Gunathilaka". nfc.gov.lk.
• "Sanath Gunathilaka - Sinhala Cinema Database". films.lk.
• "Sanath Gunathilaka". IMDb.
• මංගල තෑග්ගේ දෙවැනි ගමන