Tony Ranasinghe

Deshabandu Tony Ranasinghe (1937-2015), was a renowned Sri Lankan actor who performed in film, theater, and television. Considered one of the greatest Sri Lankan actors of all time, he was renowned for his distinctive facial expressions, voice, and body language, as well as his ability to embody challenging and intense roles, such as Sarath's role in Ahasin Polowata, Nissanka's role in Delovak Athara etc. According to critics, he is the last Crowned king in Sri Lankan cinema to die after Gamini Fonseka and Joe Abeywickrama.

He appeared in 115 films, 43 of which were starring roles. He played 72 supporting roles. He also worked as a screenwriter on two films.

Personal life Ranasinghe Hettiarachchilage Ignatius Anthony Silva, who later became popular as Tony Ranasinghe, was born July 31, 1937, in Modara to Emmanuel Cyril and Lilian Fernando as the second of the family. His father worked as a Technical Officer in the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. He joined de la Salle College, Modera in 1948 to study English. He was a cricket fan during school times and used to collected photographs of Don Bradman.

He started his career as an English stenographer and quit from the job after few months. He changes his name to an advertisement for the 1962 drama "Bodinkarayo" with the influence from his brother Ralex. Ranasinghe died on 16 June 2015 at a public hospital in Colombo at the age of 77.

Career Ranasinghe began his career in theater with a role in Dharmasiri Wickramaratne's Ran Thodu in 1963, which won him the Governor General's Award for Best Stage Actor. This award was presented by minister T. B. Ilangaratne. His first film appearance was for Sirisena Wimalaweera's Punchi Amma but was not screened due to an economic crisis. He continued to play many main protagonist role in several critically acclaimed blockbuster movies such as Parasathu Mal, Baddegama, Hulawali, Duhulu Malak, Hanthane Kathawa, Pawuru Walalu and Le Kiri Kandulu. Doloswana Rathriya Haemadama Oba Mage

Awards Ranasinghe was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Sarasaviya Award in 1966 for his role in Parasathu Mal. Subsequently he won Best Actor Awards for Hanthane Kathawa (1969), Duhulu Malak (1976) and Ahasin Polawata (1979). In 1980 he played the father of the protagonist in Ganga Addara. 1993's Saptha Kanya won him Best Actor Awards from Sarasaviya, Swarna Sanka, Presidential and OCIC.

Ranasinghe has dabbled in screenplay writing, winning Sarasaviya Awards for Koti Waligaya, Keli Mandala, Awaragira (1995) and Pavuru Walalu. Ranasinghe was honoured with the Deshabandu award, third highest national honour awarded in Sri Lanka in 1988.

Filmography

Script writing

Stage dramas