Ravindra Randeniya


Ravindra Randeniya is a Sri Lankan actor and former politician. He rose to fame in Lester James Peries's film Desa Nisa in 1972, and was a popular actor during the 1970s and 1980s; He won the Sarasaviya Best Actor Award in 1984, 1985, 1989, and 1990.
Randeniya hosted the quiz program Mind Star on ITN, which gain huge publicity.

Personal life

Randeniya was born in Dalugama, Kelaniya Sri Lanka in 1945 in a family with 6 siblings. Dalugama was a small village filled with paddy fields and streams. Randeniya appreciated nature growing up often spending evenings looking over the fields; he was also an avid reader from a young age immersing himself in the works of acclaimed Sinhala authors like Martin Wickremasinghe, Prof.Ediriweera Sarachchandra, Kumaratunga Munidasa, and Wimalaratne Kumaragama.
Randeniya attended St. Benedict College in Kotahena. Though he was a good student, he failed to pass his A-level examination and didn't pursue higher education. Randeniya instead joined his family business of manufacturing hardware products.
Randeniya is married to fellow actress Preethi Pramila Seneviratne, where the wedding ceremony was celebrated on 31 October 1974. They have two sons, Sachindra Nirmal, Sameera Manabarana and one daughter Umayangana Indrachapa.

Beginnings in theatre

In his free time, Randeniya started taking courses in theater decor and screenwriting at Lionel Wendt Theatre Workshop. The Workshop was considered the premiere acting school in Sri Lanka, and its faculty was composed of the leading Sinhala dramatists of the day like Dr. Ediriweera Sarachandra, Damma Jagoda, Gunasena Gallappathi, Ernest MacIntyre, Percy Colinthus, and Irangani Serasinghe. Randeniya became interested in acting while taking a required general acting class under Jagoda; he gradually became fascinated with the idea of acting over the two years he spent at the school.

Film work

He joined the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery in 1969, to learn drama, screenplay, direction and stage decoration. Randeniya got his first starring role in the student production Mudu Puththu directed by Gallapaththi at the age of 25. His performance in the film drew praise from well-known director Lester James Peries. He next appeared in Kalu Diya Dahara, considered "a watershed in the annals of Sinhala films", which dealt with a struggle between workers and administration in a tea plantation. It was made in 1971, and shown nationwide in 1974.
Peries, who was a fan, picked Randeniya for one of the three main roles in Desa Nisa alongside Joe Abeywickrema and Sriyani Amarasena. This would be his breakthrough role, and established him as a popular actor when screened in 1972.

Political

Later Randeniya elected to Sri Lanka Parliament for United National Party. He served as a member between 2000 - 2004.

Awards

Sarasaviya Awards

YearFilmRoleRef.
1971Kalu Diya Dahara
1972Desa NisaHermit
1974Kalyani GangaNamal's friend
1975TharangaRavindra Randeniya
1975The God KingMogollana
1976Duhulu MalakRohan Atukorale
1976Hariyata HariPiyal
1976Ganga
1977Siripala Saha RanmenikaSiripala
1977YakadayaSiripala
1977Ektem GeSarath
1977Pembara Madhu
1978Seetha DeviLakshman 'Lal'
1978Veera Puran AppuPuran Appu
1979Wasanthaye DavasakWasantha
1979Higana KollaSir Henry Wijekoon
1979Chuda ManikyayaIvan
1979SugandiSusantha
1979Podi MalliSiripala 'Siri' Rathnasingha
1979Hari PudumaiRavi
1980Muwan Palassa II
1980Raja Dawasak
1981ThawalamaSikuru Aththo
1981Induta Mal Mitak
1981Bamba Ketu HatiNihal
1981Eka Dawasak ReJayantha 'Jaya' Jayadeva
1981Induta Mal Mitak
1981AradhanaSenaka
1981Sathweni DawasaArachchila Muththusami
1981RangaRanga / Chaminda 'Punchi Hamu' / Sanath Hamu
1982Ra ManamaliJagath
1982Bambara GeethayaRavi
1982PaaramithaKamal
1982SandaaSeneviratne
1983DadayamaWeerasinghe Arachchilage Priyanka Jayanatha
1983Ran Mini Muthu
1983Yali Pipunu Malak
1984Bambara Patikki
1985HithawathiyaSarth
1985Hima KatharaSir Charles
1985MayaAnanda
1985Deweni GamanaSaman's brother
1986Koti WaligayaDoctor Ravindra
1986Der Stein Des TodesVic
1986Sura SaradielSaradiel
1987Maldeniye SimionDayaratne
1987Witness a Killing
1987JanelayaMr. Weerasinghe
1987Thaththi Man Adarei
1987Mangala ThaggaNihal Perera
1987Kele KellaKoti Albert 'Wimal'
1987Raja WedakarayoInspector Kapila
1987AhinsaParty guest
1988The Iron Triangle
1988Kedapathaka Chaya
1988Sagara JalayaMudalali
1988AngulimalaAhinsaka/Angulimala
1989Sandakada PahanaSuranga Wijebandara
1989Siri MeduraSampath Samarawickrama
1990Saharawe Sihinaya
1990Hima GiraSumith Abeypitiya
1991Golu Muhude Kunatuva
1993Madara ParasathuKeerthi
1993Surabi DenaKeerthi
1993GurugedaraArjuna Wimaladharma
1994Dhawala PushpayaDoctor Nalin
1994AragalayaGajanayake
1994Pavana Raluviya
1994Sudu PiruwataJagath Ediriweera
1995SeilamaSira
1995Sudu Valassu
1996Anantha Rathriya
1996MadureeWickie 'Loku Hamu'
1996Cheriyo DarlingProfessor
1997Yasoma
1997Les Mysteres Du SadjurahColonel Taradjahi
1997Police Commissioner, Calcutta
1997Ramba Saha Madhu
1997Bawa DukaMuhandiram
1997Ninja Sri Lanka
1997Bawa KarmaMuhandiram
1999Anduru Sewaneli
1999Mandakini
1999Theertha YathraMr. Sooriyabandara
2000SarojaMajor Fernando
2001Anantha RathriyaSuwisal Abeysekara
2001PoronduwaVijendra Rambukwalla
2001AswesumaDoctor Thilakawardena
2002Sansara Prarthana
2003One ShotPolice officer
2003Wekande WalauwaLucas
2003Mother Teresa of CalcuttaInspector Shankar
2004Mille SoyaKingsley
2005Aksharayafather, Retired High Court Judge
2006NilambareJayasuriya
2006SewwandiPriyantha
2007Nisala GiraMinister Saliya
2008Puthuni HambagiyaLawyer Weeratunga
2008AbaPandula Brahmin
2009Dancing Star
2009Juliya
2012MathaBrigadier
2012Kusa PabhaKing Okkaka
2014ParapuraMinister Rajamanthri
2014RupantharanaBrigadier Vimal
2016WeerawarnaPrasad Madugalla
2016PaththiniPandya King
2016Sujatha PuthraMinister
2017Nimnayaka HudekalawaThe Client
2017Ali KathawaHermit
2018Wassanaye SandaSandesh's father
TBDGaadiEhelepola Adigar

Teledramas