Menaka Rajapakse

Walimuni Mudiyanselage Menake Hemaal Rajapakse (මේනක රාජපක්ශ: born 24 May 1983), popularly known as Menaka Rajapaksa, is a Sri Lankan teledrama and film actor as well as a model. He was first cast in 2005 as one of the main actors, but the role changed into a lead, in the teledrama Sanda Mudunata, which was telecast on Swarnavahini in 2005.

He had acted in more than 30 teledramas and 3 films as of 2015.

Early life

Menake is the second child of his family. His father Ivan Rajapakse was an executive who worked in the hotel industry and died in 2004. His mother Zareena Allang, is a Malay and was a teacher at Wycherly International School. He is a past pupil of St. Peter's College, Colombo.

Career He was first sighted by a teledrama producer Samy Pavel during a SAAF Games in 2005. He is a competitive swimmer and broke a national level record.

In 2005, Menaka was selected for a main role in the teledrama Sanda Mudunata directed by Samy Pavel.

He became popular in 2008, in the teledrama Muthu Kirilli and then acted in many television serials such as Ran Dam Wal, Monara Kadadasi and Adare Ahasa Tharam. His first film was Sinhawalokanaya, a sport-drama film. He also acted in the crime thriller film Train to Kandy.

Selected television serials Adare Ahasa Tharam Ammawarune Amanda Ayemath Adaren Bharyawo Jeewa Chakra Muthu Kirilli Monara Kadadasi Nil Ahasa Pabalu Palama Ralla Weralata Adarei Ran Dam Wal Sanda Mudunata Sidadiye Samanaliyo Situ Medura Tharu Piri Ahasa Wahinna Muthu Wassak

Personal life Menaka married Virangi Siriwardena in 2010. They divorced in 2013. He is married to fellow actress Nehara Peiris in 2014. Nehara and Menaka acted in lead roles on many occasions. They first met in Muthu Kirilli, and followed in Amanda, Bharyawo, Ammawarune, Situ Medura and others. The couple has two children.

Filmography

Year Film Role Ref. 2016 Sinhawalokanaya Dhanuka Wickramasinghe 2021 Apata Sadunu Ape Lokaya 2024 Pirimi Adarayak