Friday, December 24, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
THAMA SUWA PAHASUWA PATHA SONG-FILM PIPENA KUMUDU IN 1967
This film has introduced a new female director to the Sinhalese Cinema.She was Non other then well known actress of yesteryear late Ruby De Mel.
HADA GILEY AMA MIHIRE SONG -DAIWAYOGAYA FILM-1959
CO SINGER- LATE ALHAJ MOHIDEEN BEIG
CO STAR- LATE SENADHERA KURUPPU
CO STAR- LATE SENADHERA KURUPPU
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
ADARAYA NISA SONG
This song is the Sinhalese version of Hindi song sung by Lata Manjeskar for the film "AWARA" in 1948.The scene appeared here is cast by Popular Indian Actress and contemporary of late Rukmani Devi , Nargis.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
"MONAWA HITAGENA MAWA KANDEWWADA"-FILM SAMIYA BIRINDAGE DEVIYAYA-1964
CO STAR- LATE DOMMY JAYAWARDENE
Thursday, November 11, 2010
"PARAMA RAMANI APE ALE "SONG-FILM NALAGANA IN 1960
CO SINGER- LATE ALHAJ MOHIDEEN BEIG
CO ACTOR- LATE RAVINDRA RUPASENA
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
ASE GEETHE SONG-FILM "SIRIYALATHA"
CO SINGER-LATE DHARMADASA WALPOLA
CO ACTOR- LATE HERBERT M SENEWIRATHNE
SONG LYRICS-HERBERT M SENEWIRATNE
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
RUKMANI DEVI IN POPULAR INDIAN FILM MAGAZINE FILM FARE -1958
Rukmani Devi was the one and only Sri Lankan actress who has featured in the cover page of popular Indian Film Magazine "Filmfare". She was also featured in "My like and dislike" page appeared in "Filmfare" Magazine of 1958.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
SUDATA SUDE SONG-FILM UMATHU WISHWASAYA IN 1952
CO SINGER- LATE ALHAJ MOHIDEEN BEIG
MUSIC BY LATE S.S WEIDHA
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
SIRIYAWI WAGE SONG- FILM UMATHU WISHWASAYA(MAD TRUST) IN 1952
CO SINGER- LATE ALHAJ MOHIDEEN BEIG
MUSIC BY LATE SS WEIDHA
AWARDS RECEIVED BY RUKMANI DEVI
- Voted Best Actress with a majority of 16,221 votes at the 'Reader's Contest' conducted by 'Dinamina' Newspaper in 1955.
- Best actress Award for 'Kele Handa' at the 'Deepashika' awards ceremony conducted by 'Lankadeepa' Newspaper in 1956.
- Best background Singer for the song 'Doi doiya putha' in the film 'Ahasin Polawata' at the inaugural Presidential Awards Ceremony in 1976.
- "Rana Thisara "Life Time Achievement Award at Sarasawiya Fim Festival held in 1979 (after her death)
Monday, November 1, 2010
RISING TO THE TOP
The popular play 'Broken Promise', was adapted into a film by B. A. W. Jayamanne. This was the first Sinhala film - Kadawunu Poronduwa, screened on January 21, 1947 at the Kingsley Cinema in Colombo. Rukmani Devi, who also began her film career through the role of 'Ranjani' in this film, also became the first local actress. Her film career, which thus began spread over a period of more than three decades.
Kadawunu Poronduwa" (Sinhala, "The Broken Promise") was the first "talkie" to be made in the Sinhala language; it is generally considered to be the beginning of Sinhala Cinema. The film was produced in India.
The film is a sentimental melodrama that follows the romance between the two lead characters Samson (BAW Jayamanne) and Ranjani ( Rukmani Devi). The repressive mother of the protagonist forbids her daughter to break constraints placed by their society and culture in a major plot device.
caption = Rukmani Devi in a scene
director = Jyotish Singh
producer = Chitrakala Movietone Ltd
Story, dialogue = B AW Jayamanne
Screenplay = Jyotish Singh, B AW Jayamanne
starring = Rukmani Devi, B A W Jayamanne, Peter Peiris, Miriam Jayamanne, Hugo Fernando, Stanley Mallawarachchi, Eddie Jayamanne, Gemini Kantha, Timothius Perera, J B Perera, Rupa Devi
music = Narayana Aiyar
Lyrics = K Hugo Fernando
Playback = Rukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne, Gemini Kantha, Hugo Fernando
cinematography = K Prabhakar
editing = Pakeer Saleh
distributor = Minerva Group
country = Sri Lanka
released = flagicon|Sri Lanka January 21, 1947
An equally talented singer, some of the immortal songs she sang for films are Sandyave Sriya for 'Kadawunu Poronduwa', Pinsara Mage Soyura for 'Kapati Arakshakaya', Gala Kandeni, and Moranawa Preme Hade for 'Weradun Kurumanama', Nindede Rathri Yahane for 'Peralena Iranama', Mavila Pena vi RupePem Sihina Loke Maya for 'Mathabhedaya', Melavi Yanna Hada Mage for 'Daiva Yogaya', Suva dena Sita Sanasum for 'Ladalu' and Doi Doi Puta for 'Ahasin Polavata'. for 'Kela Handa',
In the mid sixties she joined the sinhala calypso musical group 'Los Cabelleros' led by late Neville Fernando. They recorderd ever popular sinhala songs such as 'Malbara Himidiriye','Menike Obe sinawe' & 'Sandak nage'.
Rukmani Devi was also featured prominently on the airwaves of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia.
NATION MOURNS OVER THE TRAGIC DEATH OF THE NIGHTINGALE OF SRI LANKA
Rukmani Devi, the singing star, stage and screen idol died in a tragic motor accident near St. Mary's Church, Thudella on 28th of October, 1978. She was returning after a musical show in Uyanwatte, Matara,Her van collided with an oil bowser of the Petroleum Corporation.
On October 27, 1978, Rukmani and Eddie took part in a Musical show at Matara. They left Matara in the wee hours of the morning and were in Ja-ela, Tudella by 6.30 a.m. of October 28, when their vehicle crashed into a bowser, killing Rukmani Devi on the spot.
The news was broadcast that morning, and the whole country was in shock and grief. Thousands came from far and near to pay their last respects to their beloved idol before she was laid to rest at St. Mary's Church. Negombo had never seen such a crowd before.
A large number of people stood on the walls of Negombo cemetery on her funeral day in 1978. Due to this a part of the wall was collapsed.A speech was delivered by late President and then Prime Minister late Ranasinghe Premadasa on that day acclaiming Rukmani's life for art and culture.
Her funeral ceremony was attended by a very large gathering; film makers and dramatists, friends, politicians, relatives and her beloved fans.It was known as the largest gathering ever attended for a funeral in Sri Lanka after the funeral of Sri Lankan Prime Minister late Dudly Senanayake.
She was the most celebrated Sri Lankan artiste and a statue in memory of her was erected at the Kanuwana Junction, Ja-Ela , as she still lives in the hearts and minds of the Sri Lankan people. The road on which the Rukmani Devi Museum in Negombo is located was also re-named 'Rukmani Devi Mawatha' by President Ranasinghe Premadasa, on October 28, 1990.
A STATUE AND A STAMP ON HER MEMORY
A close friend of late Rumani Devi , Leela Kottegoda commissioned at her own expense a statue of Rukmani Devi and this statue was unveiled on January 15 (her birthday), 1980 by then Minister Anandatissa de Alwis. The road on which the Rukmani Devi Museum in Negombo is located was re-named Rukmani Devi Mawatha by President R. Premadasa, on October 28, 1990. A stamp was also issued in her honor.
Kadawunu Poronduwa" (Sinhala, "The Broken Promise") was the first "talkie" to be made in the Sinhala language; it is generally considered to be the beginning of Sinhala Cinema. The film was produced in India.
The film is a sentimental melodrama that follows the romance between the two lead characters Samson (BAW Jayamanne) and Ranjani ( Rukmani Devi). The repressive mother of the protagonist forbids her daughter to break constraints placed by their society and culture in a major plot device.
caption = Rukmani Devi in a scene
director = Jyotish Singh
producer = Chitrakala Movietone Ltd
Story, dialogue = B AW Jayamanne
Screenplay = Jyotish Singh, B AW Jayamanne
starring = Rukmani Devi, B A W Jayamanne, Peter Peiris, Miriam Jayamanne, Hugo Fernando, Stanley Mallawarachchi, Eddie Jayamanne, Gemini Kantha, Timothius Perera, J B Perera, Rupa Devi
music = Narayana Aiyar
Lyrics = K Hugo Fernando
Playback = Rukmani Devi, Eddie Jayamanne, Gemini Kantha, Hugo Fernando
cinematography = K Prabhakar
editing = Pakeer Saleh
distributor = Minerva Group
country = Sri Lanka
released = flagicon|Sri Lanka January 21, 1947
An equally talented singer, some of the immortal songs she sang for films are Sandyave Sriya for 'Kadawunu Poronduwa', Pinsara Mage Soyura for 'Kapati Arakshakaya', Gala Kandeni, and Moranawa Preme Hade for 'Weradun Kurumanama', Nindede Rathri Yahane for 'Peralena Iranama', Mavila Pena vi RupePem Sihina Loke Maya for 'Mathabhedaya', Melavi Yanna Hada Mage for 'Daiva Yogaya', Suva dena Sita Sanasum for 'Ladalu' and Doi Doi Puta for 'Ahasin Polavata'. for 'Kela Handa',
In the mid sixties she joined the sinhala calypso musical group 'Los Cabelleros' led by late Neville Fernando. They recorderd ever popular sinhala songs such as 'Malbara Himidiriye','Menike Obe sinawe' & 'Sandak nage'.
Rukmani Devi was also featured prominently on the airwaves of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia.
NATION MOURNS OVER THE TRAGIC DEATH OF THE NIGHTINGALE OF SRI LANKA
Rukmani Devi, the singing star, stage and screen idol died in a tragic motor accident near St. Mary's Church, Thudella on 28th of October, 1978. She was returning after a musical show in Uyanwatte, Matara,Her van collided with an oil bowser of the Petroleum Corporation.
On October 27, 1978, Rukmani and Eddie took part in a Musical show at Matara. They left Matara in the wee hours of the morning and were in Ja-ela, Tudella by 6.30 a.m. of October 28, when their vehicle crashed into a bowser, killing Rukmani Devi on the spot.
The news was broadcast that morning, and the whole country was in shock and grief. Thousands came from far and near to pay their last respects to their beloved idol before she was laid to rest at St. Mary's Church. Negombo had never seen such a crowd before.
A large number of people stood on the walls of Negombo cemetery on her funeral day in 1978. Due to this a part of the wall was collapsed.A speech was delivered by late President and then Prime Minister late Ranasinghe Premadasa on that day acclaiming Rukmani's life for art and culture.
Her funeral ceremony was attended by a very large gathering; film makers and dramatists, friends, politicians, relatives and her beloved fans.It was known as the largest gathering ever attended for a funeral in Sri Lanka after the funeral of Sri Lankan Prime Minister late Dudly Senanayake.
She was the most celebrated Sri Lankan artiste and a statue in memory of her was erected at the Kanuwana Junction, Ja-Ela , as she still lives in the hearts and minds of the Sri Lankan people. The road on which the Rukmani Devi Museum in Negombo is located was also re-named 'Rukmani Devi Mawatha' by President Ranasinghe Premadasa, on October 28, 1990.
A STATUE AND A STAMP ON HER MEMORY
A close friend of late Rumani Devi , Leela Kottegoda commissioned at her own expense a statue of Rukmani Devi and this statue was unveiled on January 15 (her birthday), 1980 by then Minister Anandatissa de Alwis. The road on which the Rukmani Devi Museum in Negombo is located was re-named Rukmani Devi Mawatha by President R. Premadasa, on October 28, 1990. A stamp was also issued in her honor.
Attack on Grave Site
On 12th August 2011, a former Mayor of Negombo and a Former Minister of the Parliament Mr. Ananda Munasinghe was allegedly charged and arrested by the Negombo Police for Dislodging the Statue of Rukmani Devi, erected on her grave by one of her fans Mrs. Sriyani Achala Dissanayake. Several popular media bloated this incident as an attack by an unidentified group of criminals to Rukmani Devi’s grave[3] and a protest rally to this incident was also organized in Negombo on 14th August 2011[4]. However later it was revealed that Mr. Ananda Munasinghe who is also the Son-in-Law of Bernard Aloysius Jayamanne (B. A. W. Jayamanne) is in fact the present owner of this grave and he has dislodged the statue in order to erect a proper statue of Rukmani Devi as the statue which was erected earlier was a disrespect to the beauty and looks of Rukmani Devi.CAREER
This marked the beginning of an illustrious career that would span over four decades. As her performances were highly appreciated by the packed audience, well-known dramatist Dick Dias chose her for two of his stage plays, "Jana Kiharanaya" and "Mayawathie". She was now flooded with stage dramas, as she became Mayawathi in Charles Dias' 'Mayawathi', Juliet in a Sinhala adaption of Romeo and Juliet, playing the lead female role in all of them.
With her first audio recording of the famous song "Siri Buddhagaya Vihare" with Master H. W. Rupasinghe in 1938, she captured the hearts of the masses and she shaped her career from that of an actress to that of an actress turned singer.
Her unique voice attracted many music directors, as her singing career moved from the stage to the silver screen.
It was also, around this time that her name underwent a change from Daisy Daniels to the well known 'Rukmani Devi'. There are two schools of thinking as to how the name "Rukmani Devi" originated. According to one school, the late H. W. Rupasinghe maestro created the name, while the other believe that Jayantha Weerasekara and Michael Sannas Liyanage who is in his 90s, created it .
B. A. W. Jayamanne, founder of "Minerva Dramatic Club" of Negombo took Rukmani to perform remarkable roles in his interestingly featured dramas, such as 'Apparition', 'Broken Promise', 'Changing Fate, 'Defeated Aim', 'Evasive Denial', 'Fanatic Faith', 'Grisly Guardian', 'Hasty Decision' and lastly 'Irangani'. Above-mentioned plays followed the English alphabet.
Since the role she played as Ranjani' in 'Kadavunu Poronduwa' she has played in more than 60 movies such as Peralunu Iranama, Hadisi Vinishya, Perakadoru Bena, Weradunu Kurumana, Kapati Arakshakaya, Kele Handa, Umathu Vishvasaya, Siriyalatha, Iranganie, Daiva Yogaya,Mangalika,Nalagana,Samiya Birindage Deviyaya,Kusumlatha, Heta Pramada Wadiy,Magula Poruwa,La Dalu and Magul Poruwa.
FIRST SINHALA FILM KADAWUNU PORONDUWA (BROKEN PROMISE)-1947
With her first audio recording of the famous song "Siri Buddhagaya Vihare" with Master H. W. Rupasinghe in 1938, she captured the hearts of the masses and she shaped her career from that of an actress to that of an actress turned singer.
Her unique voice attracted many music directors, as her singing career moved from the stage to the silver screen.
It was also, around this time that her name underwent a change from Daisy Daniels to the well known 'Rukmani Devi'. There are two schools of thinking as to how the name "Rukmani Devi" originated. According to one school, the late H. W. Rupasinghe maestro created the name, while the other believe that Jayantha Weerasekara and Michael Sannas Liyanage who is in his 90s, created it .
B. A. W. Jayamanne, founder of "Minerva Dramatic Club" of Negombo took Rukmani to perform remarkable roles in his interestingly featured dramas, such as 'Apparition', 'Broken Promise', 'Changing Fate, 'Defeated Aim', 'Evasive Denial', 'Fanatic Faith', 'Grisly Guardian', 'Hasty Decision' and lastly 'Irangani'. Above-mentioned plays followed the English alphabet.
Since the role she played as Ranjani' in 'Kadavunu Poronduwa' she has played in more than 60 movies such as Peralunu Iranama, Hadisi Vinishya, Perakadoru Bena, Weradunu Kurumana, Kapati Arakshakaya, Kele Handa, Umathu Vishvasaya, Siriyalatha, Iranganie, Daiva Yogaya,Mangalika,Nalagana,Samiya Birindage Deviyaya,Kusumlatha, Heta Pramada Wadiy,Magula Poruwa,La Dalu and Magul Poruwa.
FIRST SINHALA FILM KADAWUNU PORONDUWA (BROKEN PROMISE)-1947
BIOGRAPHY OF RUKMANI DEVI
RUKMANI DEVI-
Rukmani Devi (January 15, 1923–October28, 1978) was a Sri Lankan singer and actress, who was often acclaimed as "The Nightingale of Sri Lanka"[1]. She made it to the silver screen via the stage and had acted in close to 100 films, at the time of her death. Having an equal passion for singing as well as a melodious voice, she was Sri Lanka's foremost female singer in the gramophone era. After her death, she was awarded the Sarasaviya 'Rana Thisara'- Life Time Achievement Award at the 1979 Sarasaviya Awards Festival.
Rukmani Devi, was born as Daisy Rasammah Daniels to a Colombo Chetty Christian family on January 15, 1923 at Ramboda in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Second, in a family of five, her father, John Daniel worked on a plantation and her mother, Helen Rose was a teacher.
She grew up in Colombo and had her early education at St. Matthew's School and then moved on to St. Clare's School, Wellawatte and Methodist College at Colombo.
(From left Helen Nilanthi, Rukmani, Father, Florence’s daughter
Kanchana, Mother, Florence. Freddy and Sarojini are standing behind)
As a little girl, Daniels showed an inborn talent to sing and dance. At the age of seven she was picked to sing Christmas carols. Impressed with her ability to sing, dance, and also to act, she was selected to perform a main role in a Christmas play, 'The Shoemaker's Wife'.
The stage play was trained and presented by St. Clare's School, Wellawatte.
Watching her play this role much enthusiastically, Walter Abeysinghe, a drama producer sought permission from her father, to invite her to play the lead role of 'Sita' in his drama 'Ramayanaya.' Thus, in 1935 at the age of just 12 years she performed in this stage play, presented by the 'Sinhala Natya Sabha'.
She was so clever that she participated in Christmas Carols when she was a student. Mrs. 'Chandraleka' a teacher of St. Mathew's was her mentor in singing. She became so popular as having the voice of an angel when she was singing in the school.
When the Daniel family shifted to Negombo from Colombo , she met young Eddie Jayamanne at the Negombo beach. It was during the period they were acting in the play 'Awatharaya' that their love affair commenced. The affair had gone so far that they were to get married. As Eddie had no proper employment or a source of income, the parents of Rukmani Devi opposed their marriage and filed action before the then District Judge of Colombo D.R.F. Dias. E.G. Wickremanayake Q.C. appeared for young Eddie, the Plaintiff-petitioner seeking permission of Court to marry Rukmani then in her tender age. However they were granted permission to marry, So it
happened.They lived at "Jaya Ruk"House, at Angurukaramulla, Negombo.
.
=
Rukmani Devi (January 15, 1923–October28, 1978) was a Sri Lankan singer and actress, who was often acclaimed as "The Nightingale of Sri Lanka"[1]. She made it to the silver screen via the stage and had acted in close to 100 films, at the time of her death. Having an equal passion for singing as well as a melodious voice, she was Sri Lanka's foremost female singer in the gramophone era. After her death, she was awarded the Sarasaviya 'Rana Thisara'- Life Time Achievement Award at the 1979 Sarasaviya Awards Festival.Rukmani Devi, was born as Daisy Rasammah Daniels to a Colombo Chetty Christian family on January 15, 1923 at Ramboda in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Second, in a family of five, her father, John Daniel worked on a plantation and her mother, Helen Rose was a teacher.
She grew up in Colombo and had her early education at St. Matthew's School and then moved on to St. Clare's School, Wellawatte and Methodist College at Colombo.
(From left Helen Nilanthi, Rukmani, Father, Florence’s daughter
Kanchana, Mother, Florence. Freddy and Sarojini are standing behind) As a little girl, Daniels showed an inborn talent to sing and dance. At the age of seven she was picked to sing Christmas carols. Impressed with her ability to sing, dance, and also to act, she was selected to perform a main role in a Christmas play, 'The Shoemaker's Wife'.
The stage play was trained and presented by St. Clare's School, Wellawatte.
Watching her play this role much enthusiastically, Walter Abeysinghe, a drama producer sought permission from her father, to invite her to play the lead role of 'Sita' in his drama 'Ramayanaya.' Thus, in 1935 at the age of just 12 years she performed in this stage play, presented by the 'Sinhala Natya Sabha'.
She was so clever that she participated in Christmas Carols when she was a student. Mrs. 'Chandraleka' a teacher of St. Mathew's was her mentor in singing. She became so popular as having the voice of an angel when she was singing in the school.
When the Daniel family shifted to Negombo from Colombo , she met young Eddie Jayamanne at the Negombo beach. It was during the period they were acting in the play 'Awatharaya' that their love affair commenced. The affair had gone so far that they were to get married. As Eddie had no proper employment or a source of income, the parents of Rukmani Devi opposed their marriage and filed action before the then District Judge of Colombo D.R.F. Dias. E.G. Wickremanayake Q.C. appeared for young Eddie, the Plaintiff-petitioner seeking permission of Court to marry Rukmani then in her tender age. However they were granted permission to marry, So it
happened.They lived at "Jaya Ruk"House, at Angurukaramulla, Negombo.
=
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