Wikipedia

Sujani Menaka

Samarawickrama Dahanayake Sujani Menaka[1] (born 17 May 1980 as සුජානි මේනකා) [Sinhala]), popularly as Sujani Menaka, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Started as a child artist in advertisements, she is best known for the role in NSB commercial Sathen Sathe[2] and title role Sara in the teledrama as well as film adaptation.[3]

Sujani Menaka
සුජානි මේනකා
Born
Samarawickrama Dahanayake Sujani Menaka

(1979-05-17) May 17, 1979 (age 45)
Colombo
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1987–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2007)​
RelativesRathna Lalani Jayakody (Bimal's aunt)
Sampath Tennakoon (Bimal's uncle)
Geetha Kanthi Jayakody (Bimal's aunt)
Paboda Sandeepani (Bimal's cousin)

Personal life

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Sujani Menaka was born on 17 May 1980. She is an old girl of St. Paul's Girls School, Milagiriya.[4] Her father was an art director in films.[5]

She is married to popular actor Bimal Jayakody.[6] She met Bimal during the teledrama Ramya Suramya back in 2000.[7] They married in 2007.[8] The couple has two daughters and one son.

Bimal's father is the elder brother of popular actresses Geetha Kanthi Jayakody and Rathna Lalani Jayakody. Geetha's daughter Paboda Sandeepani is also a popular award-winning actress in cinema and television.[9] Rathna Lalani is married to fellow actor Sampath Tennakoon.[10]

Career

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She faced a camera at the age of 3 in Prarthana teledrama directed by maestro Lester James Peries.[5] Then, at the age of 10, she was selected for the NSB commercial Sathe Sathe, which gain enormous popularity as a child artist.[5] In 1987, she acted in her maiden cinematic role as a child artist in the film Ahinsa. Her stage drama Athurupasata Chat Ekak will be showing in future.[11]

Selected television serials

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Selected stage dramas

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  • Athurupasata Chat Ekak
  • Deseeya Thunseeya[42]

Filmography

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Her maiden cinematic experience came through as a child artist in 1987 film Ahinsa, directed by Malani Fonseka.[43] Some of her popular films are Thrishule, Sathya and Sara.[44]

Year Film Role Ref.
1987 Ahinsa Mary's daughter
1991 Raja Sellam
1991 Mama Obe Hithawatha
1992 Raja Daruwo
1992 Kulageya Mervyn's daughter
1992 Sathya
1993 Thrishule
1994 150 Mulleriyawa Virindu newspaper hawker's daughter
1998 Julietge Bhumikawa Saroja's servant [45]
2010 Sara Sara [46]
2011 Gamani Upul's lover [47]
2021 Uthuru Sulanga [48]
2024 Weerya Sachini [49]
2024 Minnu [50]
2024 Kambili
TBA Theja † [51][52]
TBA Magam Soli † [53]

Awards and accolades

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She has won several awards at the local stage drama festivals and television festivals.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Sujani Menaka". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  2. ^ "NSB Re-Launches Core Products". Business Today. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Actresses in Sri Lankan cinema - Sujani Menaka". National Film Corporation Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  4. ^ "St. Paul's PPA back to school". The Island. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d "Sujani - The down-to-earth star". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  6. ^ ""Bimal" is a difficult character to understand". Divaina. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  7. ^ "නිවැරදිම තීරණේ විවාහය – Chat With Bimal Jayakodi". Gossip Lanka. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Sujani make her husband's dream come true". srilankamirror. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Pabodha : 'I'll quit after marriage'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Abhinayana Sampath-Ratna Rangabhumika' Drama festival". Daily news. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Athurupasata Chat Eka". Rangahala. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Aluth Gedara comes to ITN". Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  13. ^ a b c "We made our house step by step". lkactress. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  14. ^ "A dramatic conflict of family, friends and lovers". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  15. ^ "'Chakraangee': A tale of a fallen Walauwa". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  16. ^ "Chandra Vinsathi teledrama". Alankulama Films. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  17. ^ "'Chandra Vinsathi': Unravel births of two girls". Sunday Times. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  18. ^ "'Dhawala Yaamaya' on Sirasa". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  19. ^ "'Diyaniyo' on Rupavahini from tomorrow". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  20. ^ "Gajamuthu against injustice". Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Giraya - The television thriller on DVD". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Nalan Mendis teledramas". nalanmendis.com. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  23. ^ "'Ira Awara' - A battle against a village and its archaic traditions". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  24. ^ "'Isi Dasuna': Portrays action & reaction". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  25. ^ "'Jodu Gedara': Swarnavahini to bring a bucket full of laughter to your doorstep". Daily FT. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  26. ^ "Maya Roo". The Nation. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  27. ^ "'Pingala Danawwa' portrays our ancient civilisation". The Nation. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  28. ^ "Poke Street brought by Salinda". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  29. ^ "චාමරගේ රාහු අ.යි.ටී.එන් අල්ලයි". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  30. ^ "Sadgunakaraya: A story of six generations". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  31. ^ "Samanalunta Wedithiyanna". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  32. ^ "'Sanda Dev Diyani': A tale of courage and determination". Daily News. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  33. ^ "Sandagalatenna highlights the power of indigenous medicine". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  34. ^ "Story of 'Sanda Mudunata'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  35. ^ "'Sara': A suspenseful story on village girl". Sunday Times. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  36. ^ "'Sasandara': Intrigues of a Kapuwa". Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  37. ^ "'Senehasa Kaviyak': portrays a poetic plot". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  38. ^ "'Tharu Kumari' on Rupavahin". Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  39. ^ "Twenty teledramas:Tribute to writers". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  40. ^ "'Vishwanthari': World Class literature on miniscreen". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  41. ^ "'Yaso Mandira': The tale of a mother's courage..." Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  42. ^ "Cultural Diary: Deseeya Thunseeya on September 8". Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  43. ^ "Sujani Menaka filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  44. ^ "Sujani Menaka filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  45. ^ "Julietge Bhoomikawa". vodtv. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  46. ^ "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  47. ^ "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  48. ^ "The story of a young man in the south caught in the north wind". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  49. ^ "Weerya shooting ends". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  50. ^ "තුන්පත් රෑනක සොඳුරු අනන්තය "මින්නු"". www.sundaytimes.lk.
  51. ^ "Nita's Theja to be screened at Goa festival". Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  52. ^ "Meet Theja". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  53. ^ "සසර මඟ දිගු කළ මාගම්සෝලි". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
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