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Versatile heartthrob amiable gifted actress Jeevarani in the decades of sixties and seventies reminisced by Sunil Thenabadu
Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya after her marriage to Dr Lanka Wijesena, Jeevarani Wijesena a gorgeous ,versatile actress particularly in the decades of the sixties and seventies in stage, theatre and television medias. . Undoubtedly Jeevarani along with Vijitha Mallika and Sandhya Kumari was one of the most popular actresses in early Sinhala cinema. She portrayed her first pivotal character in Sri Lanka’s first Sinhala color film “Ranmuthu Duwa”.]Jeevarani was born on 2nd December 1941 in Aluthgama-Kalutara as the eldest of the family. Her father was Kurukulasuriyage Venus Anthony Fernando.As still a toddler, just three years old, Jeevarani had displayed innate talent, used to dance, sing lullabies, poems and do various mimics in front of parents and relatives. She finalized her education at the Good Shepherd Convent Kotahena.Her younger siblings Shirani,Janaki and Manik all reputed actresses of fame.Her other sibling a brother Vivek also domiciled ‘down under’.It is pertinent to mention that Shirani got the opportunity to portray a role in Ranmuthu Duwa along with Jeevarani, also had portrayed a role in “Sasaraka Heti”.Youngest sibling Manik a heartthrob in commercial films had portrayed many roles in such films like “Ahas Gawwa’,’Biththi Hathara’ and in blockbuster film ”Nommara 17”
Jeevarani married to Lanka Wijesena a physician by profession in year 1968 migrated to Melbourne after five years.The duo is blessed with three daughters-Sajeevani,Senani and Lankangani.All are professionally qualified ,eldest Sanjeevani is a nutritionist, is also a competent vocalist. Younger daughters are on father’s footsteps are qualified doctors also skilled vocalists,Senani has even launched her solo album in year 2016. Lankanjani the youngest is married to Nalaka Edirisinghe son of famous business magnate philanthropist Soma Edirisinghe.
Jeevarani possessing innate talent in abundance begun her illustrious famed vocation on the small stage when her father knowing her aptitudes had taken her to then Radio Ceylon.where she was absorbed to ‘Lama Mandapaya” as a singer under Thilakasiri Fernando where she propelled as a ‘A” grade artiste. Duetting with well-known Thilakasiri Fernando sang “mala manamaaliya wu da”,”naga loven gena A bulath during that era. Thereafter Jeevarani had joined Vajira Chitrasena to execute Kandyan dancing which became an asset for her future film endeavors.Jeevarani thereafter joined the ‘Panadura Arts Association’. Of course with her aptitudes she had intentions of imitating her idol Rukmani Devi.Jeevarani commenced her journey in a drama in 1959 portraying a role in stage play “maha hene riri yaka’, lyrics written by SWRD Bandaranaike.It was an enormously popular stage play staged to enthusiastic audiences 40 times..At this appropriate juncture her Father took her to meet Dr Lester James Peiris who had no disinclination to offer her a pivotal role to portrait in his blockbuster movie ‘sandesaya” which marked the launching of her eminent vocation. Then she acted in the film Veera Vijaya filmed in India.Her major revolution in films emanated with Sri Lanka’s first color film Ran Muthu Doowa directed by Mike Wilson with portraying the role “Kumari”. In the film, she acted opposite to legendary Gamini Fonseka which speedily made a unique cinema duo.
Jeevarani’s some of the popular movies comprise of Bicycle Hora, Adata Wediya Heta Hondai, Okkoma Hari, Horungeth Horu. In the film Senasuma Kothanda, she played as a nurse, whereas in the film Senehasa, she played a role of poor mother. Although an accomplished singer, Jeevarani got her only playback singing opportunity in the movie Hathara Kendare. Another memorable instant in her film vocation came via Senasili Suwaya directed by a legend in the field Robin Tampoe..In the role portrayed, she had to navigate over a problematic spell endeavoring to escape from a train and to commit suicide, which she performed admirably.
After the marriage, she quit acting much against the wishes of her fans having migrated to ‘down under”, but After 28 years, she appeared in the 2006 film Hiripoda Wassa as Pooja’s mother in her 40th film as acting vocation was running in her blood.In her twilight years having celebrated her 80th birthday on 2nd December 2021, having reached the ‘pinnacle’ and stardom is a factual celebrity. All her fans scattered in the sphere would indisputably wish her prosperity, longevity, and good health
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane
