Ravindra Randeniya: Celebrating Golden jubilee in the Silver screen
View(s):By Susitha Fernando
Started in the school theatre, Ravindra, a versatile actor has won the Best Actor award on five occasions with the Best Supporting Actor in 1998 for his role in Dharmasiri Bandaranayake’s ‘Bhawa Duka’.
He won the Best actor award for his roles in ‘Dadayama’ (1984), ‘Maya’ (1985), ‘Sandakada Pahana’ (1989), ‘Siri Medura’ (1990) and ‘Seilama’ (1996).
Born as the fourth in a family of six children at Dalugama in Kelaniya, Ravindra’s original name was Liyanage Boniface Walter Perera. Hailing from a family of businessmen, his father, L.P. Perera was involved in the brass hinge industry. It was renowned photographer Ralex Ranasinghe, the brother of acclaimed actor Tony Ranasinghe who baptised Boniface Walter Perera as Ravindra Randeniya, the stage name.
Studied at St. Benedict College Kotahena, the late actor and politician Vijaya Kumaratunga was his class mate and they both were introduced to art and literature by Wilfred Perera, a well-known school teacher and the brother of dramatist Anthony C. Perera.
Got interested in the theatre and drama, Ravindra started taking courses at Lionel Wendt Theatre Workshop and he got his maiden character in stage in the production of ‘Muhudu Puththu’ directed by Gunasena Gallapaththi. Ravindra’s debut appearance in cinema was in ‘Kalu Diya Dahara’ (A column of black water) directed by Manik Sandrasagara which was made in 1971. Dr. Lester James Peries picked Ravindra for one of the three main roles in his film ‘Desa Nisa’ in which Ravindra acted alongside Joe Abeywickrema and Sriyani Amerasena. The film was screened in 1972.
Ravindra gave one of his best performances in Vasantha Obeysekara’s 1983 film “Dadayama” and won the Best Actor award. Playing as ‘Sampath Hamu’, a wheelchair-bound aristocratic young man in Parakrama Niriella’s multi-awarded 1990 film ‘Siri Medura’, Ravindra won the Best Actor award.
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