# Tony Ranasinghe

Deshabandu Tony Ranasinghe ( 1937 - 2015 ) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Sinhala cinema of all time, Tony is highly praised for his unique facial expressions, voice, the variety of body languages & some of the hard - tensioned roles which were extremely difficult to act, such as Sarath's role in Ahasin Polowata, Nissanka's role in Delovak Athara etc. According to critics, he is the last Crowned king in Sri Lankan cinema to die after Gamini Fonseka and Joe Abeywickrama.
He acted in 115 films, in 43 of which he was the leading actor and in 72 of which he played a supporting role. He also contributed as a script writer in two films.

## Personal life

Ranasinghe Hettiarachchilage Ignatius Anthony Silva, who later became popular as Tony Ranasinghe, was born July 31, 1937, in Modara to Emmanuel Cyril and Lilian Fernando as the second of the family. He had 8 siblings in the family - The eldest is the Ralex. Other younger members include Stella, Marie, Gina, Romwell, Christopher, and Daya. He studied at St. Anthony's College, Wattala, and De LaSalle College, Modera. His father worked as a Technical Officer in the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. He joined de la Salle College, Modera in 1948 to study English. He was a cricket fan during school times and used to collected photographs of Don Bradman.
He started his career as an English stenographer and quit from the job after few months. He changes his name to an advertisement for the 1962 drama "Bodinkarayo" with the influence from his brother Ralex.
He was married to longtime partner Sirima Indrani Wickramasuriya. The wedding was celebrated on 30 April 1962. Ranasinghe died on 16 June 2015 at a public hospital in Colombo at the age of 77.

## Career

Ranasinghe began his career in theater with a role in Dharmasiri Wickramaratne's Ran Thodu in 1963, which won him the Governor General's Award for Best Stage Actor. This award was presented by minister T. B. Ilangaratne. His first film appearance was for Sirisena Wimalaweera's Punchi Amma but was not screened due to an economic crisis.
Ranasinghe made his film debut with Lester James Peries' Gamperaliya (1964) and followed it with Ran Salu with a different villain role in the film. He worked with Peries again on Delovak Athara, in which he had the starring role. He continued to play many main protagonist role in several critically acclaimed blockbuster movies such as Parasathu Mal, Baddegama, Hulawali, Duhulu Malak, Hanthane Kathawa, Pawuru Walalu and Le Kiri Kandulu.
In his early days, Ranasinghe also appeared in many stage dramas with the collaboration with Sugathapala de Silva's drama group "Ape Kattiya". He acted in the plays Bodimkarayo, Thattu Gewal, Waguru Bima, Virupi Muhuna, Harima Badu Hayak, Julius Caesar and Veniciye Velenda.
He also acted in few television serials such as Awarjana, Suwanda Kekulu, Raigam Yaluwo, Ekata Getuma, Hathe Wasama, Manokaya, Soorya Vinsathi and Kadamuna.
In addition to acting, he contributed to the script and drama production. Some of them include Koti Waligaya, Awaragira, Tharanaya, Pawuru Walalu, Kelimadala and Duwata Mawaka Misa. He worked as the producer of stage plays Julius Caesar, Balawa Nawaka Aruma and Dolosweni Rathriya. He was also a talented author. He wrote the books Jogi Hamarai, Hemadama Oba Mage and Mata Kawuruth Adare Na. Then he wrote the novel Adaraneeya Ayra in weekly parts to Sarasaviya magazine.

## Author work

* Adaraneeya Ayra
* Jogi Hamarai
* Doloswana Rathriya
* Haemadama Oba Mage
* Mata Kawuruth Adare Na

## Awards

Ranasinghe was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Sarasaviya Award in 1966 for his role in Parasathu Mal. Subsequently he won Best Actor Awards for Hanthane Kathawa (1969), Duhulu Malak (1976) and Ahasin Polawata (1979). In 1980 he played the father of the protagonist in Ganga Addara. 1993's Saptha Kanya won him Best Actor Awards from Sarasaviya, Swarna Sanka, Presidential and OCIC.
Ranasinghe has dabbled in screenplay writing, winning Sarasaviya Awards for Koti Waligaya, Keli Mandala, Awaragira (1995) and Pavuru Walalu. Ranasinghe was honoured with the Deshabandu award, third highest national honour awarded in Sri Lanka in 1988.

## Filmography

| Year | Film | Role |
| 1963 | Gamperaliya | Baladasa |
| 1964 | Getavarayo | Mr. Ilangakoon |
| 1965 | Sekaya | Jayantha |
| 1966 | Parasathu Mal | Sirisena |
| 1966 | Sihina Hathak | Doctor Upul Palihakkara |
| 1966 | Delovak Athara | Nissanka Wijesinghe |
| 1966 | Kinkini Paada | |
| 1966 | Senasuma Kothanada | |
| 1967 | Wasanthi | |
| 1967 | Ran Salu | Cyril Elkaduwa |
| 1967 | Manamalayo | |
| 1967 | Sadol Kandulu | |
| 1968 | Adaravanthayo | Nimal |
| 1968 | Singithi Surathal | |
| 1968 | Hangi Hora | |
| 1968 | Indunila | |
| 1968 | Dahasak Sithuvili | Music Master |
| 1969 | Pravesam Vanna | Mr. Ranasinghe |
| 1969 | Naarilatha | Ranjith Weerasooriya |
| 1969 | Hari Maga | Tilak |
| 1969 | Hanthane Kathawa | Anura |
| 1970 | Penawa Neda | |
| 1971 | Kalana Mithuro | |
| 1971 | Samanala Kumariyo samaga Api Kawadath Soorayo | |
| 1972 | Adare Hithenawa Dakkama | Tony 'Boss' |
| 1973 | Hathdinnath Tharu | Raja's cousin |
| 1973 | Sunethra | |
| 1973 | Gopalu Handa | Saranaa |
| 1973 | Hodai Narakai | |
| 1974 | Dinum Kanuwa | |
| 1974 | Sheela | Victor Karunaratne |
| 1974 | Vasthuwa | |
| 1974 | Sagarika | |
| 1975 | Suraya Surayamai | Lawyer Donald Ranasinghe |
| 1975 | Hitha Hoda Minihek | Rohana |
| 1975 | Kaliyuga Kale | |
| 1975 | Kokilayo | |
| 1976 | Ransalu | |
| 1976 | Unnath Daahai Malath Daahai | |
| 1976 | Adarei Man Adarei | |
| 1976 | Duhulu Malak | Mr. "Suray" Suraweera |
| 1976 | Walmath Vuvoo | Cyril |
| 1976 | Looka Horu | |
| 1976 | Asha | |
| 1976 | Deyyange Theenduva | Kamal Siri |
| 1976 | Mangala | |
| 1976 | Onna Maame Kella Panapi | |
| 1976 | Hulavali | Bibile Aththo |
| 1976 | Saradiyelge Putha | Ravi |
| 1977 | Sakunthala | |
| 1977 | Hithuwoth Hithuwamai | Club Announcer |
| 1977 | Pembara Madu | Dr.Sarath |
| 1978 | Hitha Mithura | Cyril |
| 1978 | Maduwanthi | Ravindra 'Ravi' Ranasinghe |
| 1978 | Veera Puran Appu | |
| 1978 | Sithaka Suwanda | Vijay |
| 1978 | Sara | Paala |
| 1978 | Ahasin Polawata | Dr.Sarath |
| 1979 | Eka Hitha | Nalaka |
| 1979 | Nuwan Renu | Nuwan Senaratne |
| 1979 | Subhani | |
| 1980 | Uthumaneni | |
| 1980 | Ektam Ge | Upali |
| 1980 | Mayurige Kathawa | Paala |
| 1980 | Hewanali Ada Minissu | |
| 1980 | Ganga Addara | Dr. Juwanis Atapattu |
| 1980 | Sasaraka Pethum | Collector Jagath |
| 1980 | Bambara Pahasa | Sudesh |
| 1980 | Parithyaga | Jayathilaka |
| 1981 | Ran Ethana | |
| 1981 | Samawenna | Raja Samaranayake |
| 1981 | Sayuru Thera | Joseph |
| 1981 | Bandura Mal | Sathgama Mudalali |
| 1981 | Beddegama | Fernando |
| 1981 | Valampuri | Aranolis |
| 1982 | Yahalu Yeheli | Mr. Wanigasekara |
| 1982 | Pethi Gomara | Dhanushka |
| 1982 | Re Manamali | Police Inspector Suraweera |
| 1982 | Sagarayak Meda | Dr. Moladanda's nephew |
| 1982 | Malata Noena Bambaru | |
| 1983 | Sandamali | Prasanna Samarasinghe |
| 1983 | Samuganimi Ma Samiyani | |
| 1983 | Samanala Sihina | |
| 1983 | Kaliyugaya | Doctor |
| 1984 | Maya | Ranjith Dias |
| 1984 | Sasara Chethana | |
| 1984 | Kokila | Nimal / Hermit |
| 1985 | Sudu Mama | |
| 1985 | Adara Kathawa | Kanthi's father |
| 1986 | Dinuma | Wickrama |
| 1986 | Koti Valigaya | Minister M.G Ramasuriya |
| 1986 | Dushyanthi | Doctor Ranaraja |
| 1987 | Janelaya | Mr. Fernando |
| 1987 | Sathyagrahanaya | Asoka Atvasada |
| 1992 | Kulageya | Ariyaratne |
| 1992 | Sisila Gini Gani | Inspector Arthur Silva |
| 1993 | Saptha Kanya | Dabare |
| 1995 | Avaragira | Ran Banda |
| 1997 | Duwata Mawaka Misa | |
| 1997 | Tharanaya | Podi Mahaththaya |
| 1997 | Savitrige Raththriya | |
| 1998 | Eya Obata Barai | Head Doctor |
| 1998 | Anthima Reya | |
| 1999 | Kolompoor | Alphabet Dantanarayana |
| 1999 | Pawuru Walalu | Victor Mendis |
| 2000 | Saroja | Police OIC |
| 2000 | Anuragaye Ananthaya | Dayapala Jayathilaka |
| 2001 | Mahadena Muththai Golayo Roththai | |
| 2001 | Anantha Rathriya | Lawyer Vicky |
| 2001 | Kinihiriya Mal | Edwin |
| 2002 | Salelu Warama | Priyanka's father |
| 2003 | Le Kiri Kandulu | Jayananda Ratnapala |
| 2003 | Sonduru Dadabima | Solomon Sahabandu |
| 2004 | Diya Yata Gindara | Police Chief |
| 2004 | Randiya Dahara | |
| 2005 | Alu Yata Gini | |
| 2004 | Samunoganna Sugandhika | |
| 2006 | Ammawarune | Rathnapala Hamuduruvo |
| 2007 | Sikuru Hathe | Chief Inspector |
| 2004 | Yahaluvo | Sinhala tuition master |
| 2008 | Heart FM | Doctor Sri Vastav |
| 2008 | Nil Diya Yahana | Jayawardena |
| 2009 | Ekamath Eka Rateka | guest appearance |

### Script writing

| Year | Film | Director |
| - | Angulimala | First script. Did not filmed. |
| - | Daruwange Gedara | Gamini Fonseka did not filmed. |
| - | Athuru Mathiwaranaya | Gamini Fonseka did not filmed. |
| - | Niroopikawa | Did not filmed. |
| 1986 | Koti Valigaya | Gamini Fonseka |
| 1995 | Awaragira | Lester James Peries |
| 1997 | Tharanaya | Sudath Devapriya |
| 1997 | Duwata Mawaka Misa | Sumithra Pieris |
| 1991 | Kelimadala | D.B. Nihalsinghe |
| 1999 | Pawuru Walalu | Prasanna Vithanage |
| 2018 | Vaishnavi | Sumithra Pieris |

### Stage dramas

| Year | Drama | Producer |
| 1962 | Bodimkarayo | Sugathapala de Silva |
| 1964 | Thattu Gewal | Sugathapala de Silva |
| - | Ran Thodu | Sugathapala de Silva |
| 1967 | Nil Katarol Mal | Sugathpala de Silva |
| - | Wagurubima | Premaranjith Tillakaratne |
| - | Viroopi Roopa | Namel Weeramuni |
| - | Vaniciye Welenda | Bandula Vithanage |
| 1982 | Julius Caesar | Himself |
| - | Gimhane Reyaka Dutu Sihinayak | Helena Lehthimathi |
| - | Harima Badu Hayak | Sugathpala de Silva |
| - | Avi | Sugathpala de Silva |
| - | Parasthawa | Showed only in Galle |
| - | Balawa Namaka Aruma | W.M. Wijesiri |