Geetha Kumarasinghe

Infobox actor
name = Geetha Kumarasinghe


caption =
birthname =
birthdate = Birth date and age|1955|7|5|mf=y
birthplace = Badulla, Sri Lanka
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation =
yearsactive = 1975—present
spouse = Chris Fuhrer Ferdinand
website = http://www.geethaonline.com
awards = Sarasaviya Best Actress Award (1991), (1996), (2000) and (2004)
Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award (1990)

Geetha Samanmali Kumarasinghe (born July 5, 1955 in Badulla) is an award winning Sri Lankan film actress. She made her debut with veteran director K.A.W. Perera's "Wasana" in 1975 but it was Neil Rupasinghe's "Lassana Kella" which was released first. Since then, she has made her mark in over 80 movies, winning the prestigious Sarasaviya Best Actress Award four times, in 1991, 1996, 2000 and 2004. She was also one of the few actresses to receive the Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award several times.

Biography

Early life

Kumara Vidugalage Dona Geetha Samanmali Kumarasinghe [ [http://www.themorningleader.lk/20060719/Assets/IMGS/FilmFare/Hipmagazine.lnk.pdf Geeta's Official Website launched] ] was born as the eldest daughter of Wijaya, a journalist and Udula Kumarasinghe in 1955 at Badulla. She grew up in Bentara, Elpitiya and had her education at Sangamitta Girl's School, Hamburagala and Holy Family Convent, Kalutara.

As a child, she showed an inborn talent for singing and dancing. She was a mere 16 year old, when she was crowned a 'Beauty Queen' competing among 100 contestants, in a beauty contest organized by a local Newspaper named 'Dawasa' in 1973.

Personal life

She is married to a Swedish national, Chris Fuhrer Ferdinand and has one daughter, Tharika Fiona.

Career

Though Geetha’s father did not approve of a career in movies or her participation in the beauty pageant, her mother was always with her. Her aunt, Anula Wickramapala was also a friend of Sir. Lester James Peiris . Incidentally, it was her aunts mansion that he used as the location for his film Ransalu. [ [http://www.geethaonline.com/site/biographya.htm Biography of Geetha] ] Little Geetha, who use to spend her school vacations in her aunt’s house in Kollupitiya would imitate Punya Heendeniya, as her childhood heroine.

It was in the year 1975 that Geetha debuted in K.A.W. Perera's "Vasana" but it was Neil Rupasinghe's "Lassana Kella" which reached theaters first. That was the beginning of her career as an actress which would span over three decades and she soon became an indispensable component of the commercial cinema of the country.

Kumarasinghe, who is often famous for casting in controversial roles, has also performed in foreign films which include Pakistani, Hindi, Japanese and French productions.

She received critical acclaim in roles such as 'Dulcie' in "Pembara Madhu", 'Dotty' in "Palama Yata", 'Punna' in "Lokuduwa" and 'Amali' in "Ran Diya Dahara".

As a producer, she produced popular films like "Palama Yata", "Salambak Handai", "Loku Duwa", "Anuragaye Ananthaya", "Wasuli" and "Geetha". [ [http://www.dailymirror.lk/2005/11/10/life/05.asp Changing Looks] ] Both of her productions, "Palama Yata" and "Loku Duwa" won her the Best Film Awards at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival.

Awards

Filmography

Trivia

*She signed agreements for 21 films before her maiden film was released. This is a record in Sri Lankan Cinema [ [http://www.geethaonline.com/site/trivia.htm Trivia of Geetha] ] .

*She is the first Sri Lankan actress to act in an entirely Indian film, Mohana Punna Ge (English : "Charming smile")

*She turned down an offer to pose topless for Play Boy Magazine way back in the 1990s.

External links

* [http://www.geethaonline.com Official Website of Geetha Kumarasinghe]
* [http://www.srilankafilmcorp.com Official Website - National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka]
* [http://www.lesternsumitra.com Official Website of Lester and Sumitra Peries]
* [http://www.cinestar.lk Cine Star Foundation]

References