Multifaceted Tania Shelon Wasana Munasinghe is renowned film and teledrama actress, model, presenter , dubbing artiste, cum script writer – By Sunil Thenabadu
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Shelon is a native of village Maspotha a tranquil village rooted in heritage cum nature nestled in the Kurunegala District of Sri Lanka’s North Western Province, Maspotha is a charming rural village that blends cultural richness with serene landscapes. Known for its strong agricultural traditions. Maspotha is home to vast paddy fields, coconut plantations, and lush greenery that stretch across the horizon. The village operates at a slower, more peaceful pace, offering a refreshing escape from urban hassle and bustle . In the media field she was called ‘Shelly”
Shelon’s father William Munasinghe who was described by Shelon as a very honest person , his passionate wish was to make her to be an individual who will triumph the world As her father was William the name Wasana too was given to her. Shelon’s mother she had confessed as a very strong person ,she believes her qualities she had inherited to be so strong., although she had been a premature baby born in seven months. Shelon has the ability to adjust herself to many environments had even gone to learn the process of tarring the roads. The supervisor named Suranga later on having seen her on television had visited her dwelling had expressed his appreciation to her mother for her position in life, even had gifted a small coconut plant to get her to plant with her hands. She recollects at the time mother was overseas it was her father who cooked meals who had served her meals to consume keeping the plate on her stretched legs. Astrologers had predicted her birth would bring luck to father’s life Shelon is the third daughter in the lineage. The family had been brought up with least comforts owing to poverty but father had not let the daughters feel the poverty. The parents more particularly father was convinced that she would be a son, had prior to birth and after had begun to call her ‘putha’ had stitched and bought all clothes that were suited for a son. Hence she had been brought up like a male .She was named as ‘Dilhani’ after the actress Dilhani Ashokamala her father’s favourite actress which is still used at her dwelling. His favourite song was ‘Dilhani Duwanie Nada Nidiyanna’,. One random solitary soothsayer had predicted a luxurious future for her. Until the demise of her father when she was six years the duo had addressed her as ‘putha’. Father had promoted her to mix up with boys to play ball games like Volleyball , Elle . She was not permitted to wear ear studs , to grow her hair was always influenced her to wear shirts and denims but not frocks At her dwelling there had been a music atmosphere where Sinhala cassettes were brought and played .It had been her father’s wish to make Shelon to sing to develop her as a popular vocalist had even bribed the band boys of a musical concert to allow Shelon to sing songs of popular singer Ajith Mutucumarana which she recalls as ‘Sudu Araliya Mala’ the dress she wore she still could recollect as a yellow long sleeves shirt and a black slack approximating a boy. Unfortunately, Shelon’s father expired when she was around six plus. years at which time her mother had been employed overseas. She recollects she was brought up my her Mama’s and Nanda’s devoid of much affection and love, had no friends to share her feelings which she adds even now she has no trusted friends. At her village school at which she was always rejected in all affairs to make her frustrated may be because of jealousy .Shelon had been the band leader but when the occasion to shine arrived it was another girl who had been substituted. It was the same in sports like Volleyball though she excelled she was not given credit These are ample examples where she was rejected always .She was aware of the abundant of talent available among village folks but regrettably there were no one to assist them to exploit their talents., which she added as a huge pity. After father’s demise mother had done various odd jobs to find money to make ends meet which Shelon too had watched. She had worked in paddy fields too had studied in many such trades. She had said hence in this context she is able to portray any character she is offered. With all these experiences she has a thought to enter politics she had said to bring the villages redress. To bring Shelon grow up mother had made so many sacrifices even performing labour work which she could not digest.During her tenure in Colombo . Shelon had even worked in a garment factory as the youngest in the staff had even to rose to be an assistant quality controller
It had been a sorrowful life for Shelon which had been known to all school authorities and villages. In her village school she had been disliked by all making her frustrated At her first school though she was rejected she knew there was a talented person within her. At school all her friends were boys owing to her boyish mannerism. Knowing that well she had moved to a recognized school in Kurunegala town Lakdasa De Mel MadyaMaha Vidyalaya, where she was well received having paved her way for her future ..It was students in the advanced level class Chandana Weerasinghe and Kumari Akka who had identified her talents had requested her to meet Sudath Rohana who is making a drama in her village. She had been thrilled in seen Udith Abeyratne a complete actor seen him was a pleasure to Shelon.She had thought that she could portray a role for which she had got a fondness . Shelon had skipped advanced level as she was ill hospitalized for six months with low blood pressure. After recovering she had thought she should take the character within her which was foremost than studying further.
She had been worshipping her village school when she passes the old village school in a bus as she had won a prestigious award for her first ‘short story’ having received the award from Sahan Ranwela. She reminisces however she could not shine in her village school as her progress was made impassable by the authorities who always blocked her making her life in school miserable. That moment she had realised her future voyage is in the arts arena having selected drama, dancing and singing at the high school. She has had many ambitions in life to be an air hostess though she was frightened to fly , to become a lawyer the wish of her mother. She was not keen to enter a campus as she possessed so many talents to earn money for the family which was foremost in her psyche. She also had the eagerness to give openings and propects to the innocent folks in her village who only had the intention of surviving though they were having a variety of innate talent which unfortunately could not be exploited .Though with bogus ideas people had volunteered have only given false expectations. Her sole intention was at any cost to motivate her brothers and sisters in the village. She had elected dancing in school too as a subject had even progressed to even all Island level. Shelon recollects one ‘dancing’ teacher in school had predicted her a good future as an actress as it was known in class and school, she was an individual who was well known for making the class silent to imitate the characters of most teachers, even the principal which had overwhelmed all students and the tutorial staff. This practice was in year 2013 when she was in a higher class. Shelon recollects her first character portrayed by her had been at a ‘Avurudu ‘celebration where she had to act in front of the chief incumbent of the village temple where she had portrayed a role with a beard unable to identify whether she was a male or female. After seen so many characters portrayed on numerous stages Shelon is equipped to perform any role .
Shelon had thought to break these shackles the only solution was to go to Colombo which she had thought was a better place than the village This decision she believes her best judgement for her to commence a career in acting. Shelon has had to undergo many hardships sans any sort of dwelling to support her life. She in a television dialog had added had slept in bus stands and railway stations had collected a few rupees distributing hand bills. She remembers having slept after drinking water recollected consumed one half of a Magee noodles packet but made it a point always to find a safe place to dwell where there was light. This courage she considers as she was brought up as a boy from her younger days. Today she recollects she has been tempered in art for over sixteen years. Shelon’s advice to all aspiring students is to verify the innate talent and follow them, she does not advise to only study but to exploit to identify the innate talent in one’s within to develop a profession.`
While at her school Lakdasa de Mel Maha Vidyalaya mixed school in the town of Kurunegala in the Advanced level class she had made drastic attempts to forget her boyish mannerism to become a somewhat of an attractive girl to be attracted to boys. One dark boy she had liked but was unable to get friendly who was also much elder to her. Later in Colombo she had fallen in love with a boy a few years her junior. She had corrected his bad habits. There had been a time he had even worshipped Shelon. He has had a certain psychiatric issue had died in a motor accident. She recollects her boyfriend who had kept her as a Queen. Even to date Shelon is close to his family as they possessed unique qualities which very few other families possess. His affair she had enjoyed for only an year like her Father’s love and attachment who had advised her to dress and concentrate on her beauty. The duo had even visited churches to stabilize the affair having made vows.. According to Shelon what she needs is not money for a caring person who will console her after a tired days shooting .She believes she has the strength to maintain a partner with her resources. Shelon wants complete loyalty from her partner as she received so abundantly for her deceased fiancé’s immediate family members who are still attached and in close touch. She says she could at any time engage in a labour job at a garment factory or in any profession which is attributed entirely to the universal.
Shelon’s ambition was to emerge as an actress of repute as she knew this was in her blood. In this scenario it had struck her to follow the drama classes of Mahendra Perera drama school. She had not paid a cent for the classes as Mahendra Perera was a person who when knew a student’s enthusiasm and talent exempt the student from fees. There was a phase in her life when she was unable to pay her room rent to buy clothes to pay her bus fare which placed her in an awkward position but she had navigated via sheer persistence. Shelon’s advise to all budding students is to believe in life to possess patience and discipline .The advise of Mahendra Perera one should be able to dine with a beggar on a pavement. Mahendra Perera was described as a person sans ego was down to earth leading a simple life focused on mainly at any cost to nurture the aspirant students. Mahendra Perera is a teacher who insists on breathing exercises to enhance dialogue speaking irrespective of how senior student one is. Shelon had added even while looking at Mahendra Parera’s teaching the acting instincts automatically absorbed by anyone. On the second day Mahendra Perera had said she will fire like an arrow but as she was getting hesitated and paused, she remembered the advise to be ‘patient’ but be enduring. She had also followed music classes of Damyanthi Fonseka’s drama school too. In Mahendra Perera’s drama class she had followed for four years.Her favourite actors had been Jackson Anthony, Joe Abeywickrema and Mahendra Perera who she had been followed closely and respected. .
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Shelon had taken a break for one year. It was during this tenure she had applied to Channel C as a presenter and performed admirably. Suddenly she gets an invitation for a commercial’ Kuththumee”, at a production house where she had contributed to another advertisement earlier which was a familiar environment to her. Her first teledrama experiences were ‘Rahu’, “Package’ ,“Duwili”, “Batahira Ahasa ,‘Gurukula’, thereafter ‘Fortune Residencies’ ,” Thapparayak Denna’ which were telecast in different television channels. In one calender year twelve of her teledramas had been telecast which was triumph for a novice. Simultaneously Supun Ratnayake whom she had known for a decade had invited her to portray a role along with Shalini Tharaka which she had successfully portrayed .After which Supun Ratnayake had given Shelon three more portrayals which too she had triumphed in.In all she had portrayed roles in over forty teledramas. From these only Shelon became to be known among directors and producers. She had become popular for her role ‘Anagi ’ in comedy teledrama Lalai Lilai Lai . The role portrayed in “Thapparayak Denna” was a completely different character role under Supun Ratnayake. Most roles portrayed were different to one another .Shelon loves to portray a role as an abnormal individual also as a person in robes which she is confident of been awarded.This is as she is a person who challenges herself in life. There were instances when Shelon had even refused certain portrayals as they were not vivid. She had trained to be an character actress hence she opts exclusively for them. To Sheron been attracted to fans was very foreign to her not used to her.She recollects she has many auntie’s as fans from England, Australia and America.It is now only she get used to this popularity as she was a typical village lass. She believes women take decisions from brain while men take decisions from heart.
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Shelon’s third film was ‘Mother Lanka” which was a box-office brought her a tremendous appreciation and ovation for a role well portrayed though she had taken part only in a few frames particularly by the director and producer. She had acted opposite Hiran husband of Hirunika Premachandra at which her figure was completely changed by a different hair style and costumes. The earlier film was ‘President Super Star’ the role portrayed was not so big but was well acknowledged by all audiences. After her portrayal in ‘Mother Lanka’ she has been selected among many others to portray a role in an Indian film to be shot in Sri Lanka in coming January . For her slim figure and complexion, she had been selected, she awaits eagerly until January when shooting would begin.
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She had jested at television dialog that she loves to associate with young boys of twenty years old as she could grasp their ideas which is essential in today’s context as they are well versed in latest technology. Shelon has only a handful of good friends. One ambition of Shelon is to write her autobiography which she hopes to use as a script for a film on which she is working for a number of years. She is very emotional individual leads a isolated life says she talks to walls, photos, pillows, flower pots etc is a very peculiar character. One of her ambitions is to marry to have children to lead by example as an astonishing wife as an icon mother. Shelon has no role model as she is her own role model, She had suffered from depression too as a person who wanted to take a life too.
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All her fans and well wishes would wish her good health to achieve all her dreams while continuing her unblemished, flawless acting profession.
