Punya Heendeniya
Heendeniya Vidanaralage Punya Heendeniya, popularly as Punya Heendeniya, is a retired Sri Lankan cinema actress who currently resides in England.
Personal life
Punya Heendeniya was born on 31 July 1938 in Mirigama. She completed her education from Mirigama Maha Vidyalaya. She married Dr. Milroy Nanayakkara and had two children with her husband, they also have six grandchildren.Career
Punya Heendeniya gave up acting in 1968, at the peak of her career, but starred in Kaliyugaya in 1983.Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Ref. |
| 1955 | Asoka | ||
| 1958 | Suneetha | ||
| 1958 | Deyyange Rate | Katherina | |
| 1959 | Sri 296 | Leela | |
| 1961 | Kurulu Bedda | Ranmenike | |
| 1963 | Sikuru Tharuwa | Anula | |
| 1963 | Gamperaliya | Nanda | |
| 1966 | Parasathu Mal | Kamala | |
| 1967 | Ran Salu | Sujatha 'Suji' Ratnasooriya | |
| 1968 | Ranwan Karal | ||
| 1983 | Kaliyugaya | Nanda |
Awards
- 1964- Eksath Rasika Sangamaya Best Actress Award, Gamperaliya
- 1964- Sarasaviya Film Awards- Best Actress Award, Best film, Gamperaliya
- 1964- Sarasaviya Film Awards Sarasaviya Best Actress Award,
- 1964- Best Actress Proficiency Award, Sikuru Tharuwa
- 1965 Gamperaliya won "Golden Peacock Award" Grand Prix International Film Festival of India, New Delhi
- 1965 Gamperaliya won "Golden Head of Palenque", Resena Mundial Film Festival in Acapulco, Mexico
- 1965- Punya Heendeniya represented Sri Lanka on World Human Rights Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
- 1966 Swarana Sankha Award, Best Actress Award, Parasathumal
- 1968- Sarasaviya Film AwardsSarasaviya Best Actress Award- Best Actress Award, Ran Salu
- 1985- Presidential Award- Kaliyugaya.
- 1998- to Celebrate 50 years of Sri Lankan Cinema a Rs10 stamp depicting Gamperaliya was issued.
- 2000-Lifetime achievement, President's Golden Lion Award
- 2008-Gamperaliya shown in Cannes Film Festival as restored Classics.
- 2013-U.W.Sumathipala Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2015- Special Signis Salutation Award, -the highest award given by Signis Sri Lanka for a person who has contributed much for the development of media in Sri Lanka.
- 2016 - Sarasaviya Abhimani Award.