Rathna Lalani Jayakody Explained

Rathna Lalani Jayakody
Native Name:රත්නා ලාලනී ජයකොඩි
Native Name Lang:si
Birth Date:1964 1, df=y
Birth Place:Colombo
Years Active:1986–present
Spouse:Sampath Tennakoon
Children:Manjitha Thennakoon (son)
Relations:Geetha Kanthi Jayakody (sister)
Paboda Sandeepani (sister's daughter)
Bimal Jayakody (brother's son)
Sujani Menaka (Bimal's wife)
Occupation:Actress, teacher

Jayakodige Dona Rathna Lalani (born 8 January 1964 as [Sinhala]), popularly as Rathna Lalani Jayakody, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television.[1] [2] She is a teacher by profession.

Personal life

Rathna Lalani Jayakody was born on 8 January 1964 as the youngest of the family. Her father is an Ayurvedic doctor.[3] She went to Siddhartha Maha Vidyalaya, Sedawatta and then attended to Kolonnawa Balika Vidyalaya.[4] She has two elder brothers, two elder sisters – Geetha Kanthi and Sriyani.[5] Geetha Kanthi is also a renowned award-winning actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television. Popular actor Bimal Jayakody is the son of Rathna's elder brother. Bimal is married to fellow actress Sujani Menaka. Popular actress Paboda Sandeepani is the daughter of her sister Geetha Kanthi.[6]

Rathna Lalani was married to fellow actor Sampath Tennakoon. They first met during a stage drama Puthra Samagama and then in Suba Sandewak. They have acted more than 50 stage dramas together.[7]

She is currently working as a teacher in Sri Rajasinghe Madya Maha Vidyalaya.[8]

Acting career

Before starting acting career, Jayakody joined with Sri Lanka Broadcasting Coorporation for Lama Pitiya program with her sister Geetha Kanthi.[9] In 1985, she acted in the stage play Julius Caesar produced by Tony Ranasinghe where she became the one and only Gamini Fonseka's only girlfriend on stage.[10] She was selected for many dramas due to her voice best suited for Noorthi and stage drama songs. She acted under the prominent directors such as Ananda Sirisena, Agnes Sirisena, Mahinda Algama, Ashoka Tillakaratne and Piyadasa Ranasinghe to polish her abilities. Her maiden television acting came through Parakrama Niriella's Laa Hiru Dahasak. Her role as Ranjani in the teledrama Yashorawaya was critically acclaimed.[11] She also acted in Verona,[12] and Hathara Wate[13]

In 1991, a drama festival named Ratna Lalani Drama Festival was held. In 2013, Rathna and Sampath organised a drama festival titled Abhinayana Sampath-Rathna Rangabhumika to celebrate their 30 years in stage drama career. They staged seven popular dramas from 17 to 23 December 2013 at New Town Hall, Colombo 7, which they together acted.

Selected stage dramas

Filmography

Her maiden cinematic experience came through a minor role in 1986 film Pooja, directed by Dharmasiri Gamage.[22] Some of her popular films are Awaragira, Randiya Dahara and Pooja.[23]

Year Film Role Ref.
1986 Pooja
1989 Siri Medura Kamala
1992 Malsara Doni
1995 Awaragira Seetha [24]
2002 Punchi Suranganavi Abandoned Nurse [25]
2003 Sudu Kaluwara Margaret Fernando [26]
2004 Randiya Dahara Lionel's wife [27]
2008 Siri Raja Siri Class teacher [28]
2011 Gamani Murder victim [29]
2016 Sarigama Sister Rita [30]
2019 President Super Star Samanthika [31]
2024 Sinhabahu [32]
TBD Thanapathilage Gedara [33]
TBD Diriya Doni [34]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rathna Lalani Jayakody bio . Rate your music . 25 April 2019.
  2. Web site: My drama school was the SLBC . methinksatnation. 25 April 2019. 12 December 2013 .
  3. Web site: Took to the stage from the Lamapitiya and got all family involved in the arts . Silumina . 25 April 2019.
  4. Web site: Chat with Rathna . Hiru FM. 25 April 2019.
  5. Web site: Chat With Geetha Kanthi Jayakody . gossiplankahotnews . 25 April 2019.
  6. Web site: Pabodha : 'I'll quit after marriage' . Sunday Times . 25 April 2019.
  7. Web site: Sampath – Rathna 30 Not Out . Daily Mirror. 25 April 2019.
  8. Web site: Abhinayana Sampath-Ratna Rangabhumika' Drama festival . Lanka Help. 25 April 2019. 17 December 2013 .
  9. Web site: පිරිමි එක්ක වැඩවලට යද්දී කතා හදුනා – Geetha Kanthi Jayakody . lankahotnews . 25 April 2019.
  10. Web site: Gamini's only girlfriend on stage . 2020-12-11 . Sarasaviya.
  11. Web site: Rathna's family . Lankadeepa. 25 April 2019.
  12. Web site: Sriyani starts "Verona" . Sarasaviya . 15 August 2019.
  13. Web site: ‘Hatara Wate’ deals with routine events . Sunday Times . 29 November 2019.
  14. Web site: Mayadevi . rangahala. 25 April 2019. 5 January 2014 .
  15. Web site: Puthra Samagama . rangahala. 25 April 2019. 8 February 2013 .
  16. Web site: Puthra Samagama at Lionel Wendt . Daily News. 25 April 2019.
  17. Web site: Jagan Ma . Time Out. 25 April 2019.
  18. Web site: Thalamala Pipila . rangahala. 25 April 2019. 5 September 2012 .
  19. Web site: 'Andarela' celebrates silver jubilee . Sunday Times. 25 April 2019.
  20. Web site: දෙසීය තුන්සීය වේදීකාව . Saaravita. 25 April 2019.
  21. Web site: Mala Walalu: European debut for Mano's new drama . Daily News. 25 April 2019.
  22. Web site: Geetha Kanthi Jayakody filmography. Sinhala Cinema Database. 9 August 2018.
  23. Web site: Ratna Lalani Jayakody filmography . IMDb . 17 July 2019.
  24. Web site: Sinhala screened films . Sarasaviya . 11 March 2017.
  25. Web site: Punchi Suranganavi (Little Angel) – 2002 . somadissa.com . 11 March 2017.
  26. Web site: Reflecting back on post colonial Sri Lanka . The Sunday Leader . 11 March 2017.
  27. Web site: Sri Lankan Screened Films . Sarasaviya . 11 March 2017.
  28. Web site: Coronation of 'King Siri'. Sunday Times . 17 July 2019.
  29. Web site: Gamani (2011) . IMDb . 25 February 2017.
  30. Web site: Sarigama movie . National Film Corporation.
  31. Web site: The presidential stage where four people are competing . Sarasaviya . 10 August 2019.
  32. Web site: කිරුළ නොපැතූ කුමාරියකගේ ප්‍රේම වන්දනාව . Sarasaviya . 17 March 2024.
  33. Web site: Plot of Thanapathilage Gedara . Sarasaviya . 29 October 2019.
  34. Web site: 2023-11-11 . අඳුර ඉරා පෑයූ සඳ: දිරිය දෝණි . 2022-06-02 . sarasaviya.lk.