Shalani Tharaka

Shalani Tharaka is a Sri Lankan actress and model.^[1] One of the most popular television actresses in Sri Lanka, Tharaka holds the title for the Sri Lankan beauty pageant Sirasa Kumariya which she won in 2007.^[2] Apart from acting, she is also a dancer, lyricist and author.

Shalani Tharaka
ශලනි තාරකා
Born	Gonakumbura Pangukarage Shalani Tharaka Wijayabandara Balangoda, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Newstead Girls College
Occupation(s)	Actress, model, dancer, presenter, lyricist
Years active	2007-Present
Spouse	Nihatha Salgado
Parents	Susantha Wijayabandara (father) Suraji Fernando (mother)
Website	Official Website

Career

In 2007, when she was seventeen years old, she won the beauty pageant Sirasa Kumariya organized by Sirasa TV which brought her into mainstream popularity. Her maiden acting came through the television serial Poojasanaya directed by Sherly P. Delankawala. Her co-star in Poojasanaya was Suraj Mapa. Later she acted in many television serials in several genre such as Isuru Bawana, Hansi, Giridevi, Api Api Wage (I & II), Ganga Addara and Sanda Sanda Wage which gained popularity.^[3][4]

Apart from teledramas she has also contributed in the TV commercials for Hero Honda, Raino^[5] and Janet. She has also played parts in music videos such as Oya Dese by Prinyan, Mata Oya by D n S, Wasthuwe by Shafee ft. Delon.

In 2012, Tharaka made her maiden cinema appearance in the movie Selvam. She played the role of "Medhavi".^[6] Later she appeared in lead role in the horror film Spandana. She also contested in the second season of Sirasa Dancing Stars as well as Hiru Super Dancer.^[7]

On 19 September 2020, she was awarded both Best teledrama actress and Most popular teledrama actress at 16th Raigam Tele'es ceremony. It was the first time in 24 years where one actress won both awards at the same time.^[8] In 2021, she appeared in the Raffealla Fernando Celebrity Calendar along with many other Sri Lankan celebrities which is considered as one of the highest civilian honours awarded to an individual.^[9]

Selected television serials

Year	Teledrama	Roles	Ref.
2008	Poojasanaya	Subha
2008-09	Isuru Bhawana	Amali	[10]
2009	Hansi	Hansi
	Api Api Wage	Nikini	[11]
2010	Samanali	Samanali
2011	Ganga Addara	Nimali / Nirmala	[12]
	Sanda Sanda Wage	Sandu	[13]
	Sath Rala Pela	Minduri	[14]
	Sihina Piyapath	Mandakini	[15]
2012	Thuru Ahasata Adarei	Thuru	[14]
	Arundati	Arundati	[16]
	Sihinayaki Jeewithe	Sonali	[17]
	Aluth Gedara	Kaveesha
	Haduna Gatthoth Oba Ma	Bhawana
	Sanda Pini Bidak	Uthpala
	Namal Arana	Kamalini
2014	Punchi Walawwa	Vihara Eknaligoda	[18]
	Doowili Mal	Lakeesha	[19]
	Dadakeli Arana		[20]
2015	Diyaniyo	Minduli	[21]
	Thaara	Nandita
	A/L Iwarai
	Kutu Kutu Mama	Kumari
2015-16	Wassanaye Premaya	Astha	[22]
2016	Mage Adara Awanaduwa	Dula
	Sikka Team	Shana
2017	Batahira Ahasa	Hashini	[23]
	Gemunu Maharaja	Princess Kathika
	Muthu Mali	Muthu
	Sooriya Nayo	Bhawana
	Lokantharayo	Siri
2018	Mithu	Mithu
	Sooriya Wachchasa	Wachee
	Haras Para	Nimmi
2018-19	Kotipathiyo	Parami Caldera
	Sanda Hangila	Prabha
2019-20	Ado	Kamani	[24]
	Queen	Imesha	[25]
2020	Giridevi	Asha	[26]
	Can You Hear Me	Sakuntala
	Haidi	Haidi
2020-21	Agni Piyapath	Trishi	[27]
	Sihina Genena Kumariye	Sathsarani
2021–2023	Kiya Denna Adare Tharam (KDAT)	Sneha	[28]
	Chalo	Chalo	[29][30]
2022–present	We	Radha
	Thathparayak Denna	Doctor Nithya
	Meenu	Asheka
2023	Akshi
	Heenayaki Me Adare
	4chun Residencies

Filmography

Year	Film	Roles	Ref.
2012	Selvam	Medhavi	[31]
2016	Spandana	Mayumi	[32]
2018	Nela	Nela	[33]
2023	Viyasiduru	Taniya	[34]
TBD	Adventures of Ricky Deen	Star	[35]
TBD	Akarsha
TBD	Maayawi

Awards

Sumathi Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2015	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actress	Won
2015	Handapana Gala	Best Upcoming Actress[36]	Won
2018	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actress[37]	Won

Raigam Tele'es

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2015	Punchi Walawwa	Jury Award[38]	Won
2016	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actress[39]	Won
2020	Peoples' vote	Most Popular Actress	Won
2020	Ado	Best Actress[40]	Won
2022	Kiya Denna Adare Tharam	Most Popular Actress	Won

Derana Film Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2019	Peoples' vote	Lux Glamorous Star [41]	Won

SIGNIS OCIC Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2021	Giridevi	Best Actress	Won

References

1. "Shalani Tharaka filmography". Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
2. Sirasa Kumariya 2007 Final at BMICH 05/23/2007.
3. "Giridevi who hates herself". Aruna. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
4. "Shalani Tharaka is in a crazy case". Divaina. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
5. "Making of the " Raino Tv commercial " - Facebook". www.facebook.com.
6. "Shalani Tharaka films". IMDb. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
7. "Shalani Tharaka became a mermaid". Saaravita. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
8. "Winter is coming but spring is coming". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
9. "Rafaela's calendar changed by art stars". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
10. "'Isuru Bawana' miniplay on Rupavahini". Sunday Times. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
11. "A dramatic conflict of family, friends and lovers". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
12. "'Ganga Addara' released". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
13. "Sanda Sanda Wage on ITN weekend". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
14. "Sath Rala Pela on Sirasa TV". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
15. "Sihina Piyapath on ITN". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
16. "Siritunga with Arundathi". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
17. "Sihinayaki Jeewithe on screen". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
18. "Punchi Walauwwa on ITN". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
19. "Doowili Mal blooms soon". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
20. "දඩකෙළි අරණ ඇරඹේ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
21. "Ravindra back with Diyaniyo". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
22. "Wassane Premaya reached 200 episodes". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
23. "Another teledrama from Chamara Janaraj". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
24. "Ado' Viewers live a big dream until it ultimately shatters". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
25. "A Queen on television". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
26. "Giri Devi by Indika Dharmathilake". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
27. "Agni Piyapth at a new time". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
28. "I'll have a fate somewhere, he's coming on time". සරසවිය. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
29. "Chalo with Shalani". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
30. "Chalo is now on Swarnavahini". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
31. "Sanjaya returns with 'Selvam'". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
32. "Spandana on screen". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
33. "Sinhala screened films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
34. "The first feature film from a university". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
35. "Reflections of life's journey in a valley". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
36. "Sumathi Tele awards held under President's patronage". ITN News.
37. "Sumathi Awards 2018 award winners". Sarasaviya.
38. "Raigam Tele'es 2014 award winners". Sarasaviya.
39. "Raigam Tele'es 2015 award winners". Sarasaviya.
40. "Raigam Tele'es Best Actress and Most Popular Actress: Shalani Tharaka". Silumina. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
41. "Derana Lux Film Awards 2019".

External links

• Official website
• Official website
• Official website
• ශලනි තාරකා මනාලියක් වෙයි
• Interview with Shalani
• ශලනි ආගම මාරු කරයි?
• වැඩිපුර තියෙන්නේ හරසුන් නිර්මාණ – ශලනි තාරකා
• ශලනි, මෙගා තහංචිය පැත්තකින් තියලා
• Prostitutes became Actresses is the problem
• I can’t Live without Love
• අමතක නොවන සුබ පැතුමක්