Geetha Kumarasinghe

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Hon.
Geetha Kumarasinghe
MP
ගීතා කුමාරසිංහ
கீதா குமாரசிங்க
Minister of State for Women and Child Affairs
Assumed office
8 September 2022
PresidentRanil Wickremesinghe
Prime MinisterDinesh Gunawardena
Minister of State for Cultural and Performing Arts
In office
18 April 2022 – 9 May 2022
PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa
Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa
Member of Parliament
for Galle District
Assumed office
20 August 2020
Majority63,357 Preferential Votes
In office
1 September 2015 – 3 May 2017
Succeeded byPiyasena Gamage
Majority63,955 Preferential Votes
Personal details
Born
Kumara Vidugalage Dona Geetha Samanmalee Kumarasinghe

(1955-07-05) 5 July 1955 (age 68)
Badulla, Sri Lanka
Political partySri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
SpouseChris Fuhrer Ferdinand (m 1977; div 2018)
ResidenceGalle
Alma materSangamitta Girls College
OccupationFilm actress
AwardsSarasaviya Best Actress Award
Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award

Kumara Vidugalage Dona Geetha Samanmalee Kumarasinghe (born 5 July 1955: Sinhala: ගීතා කුමාරසිංහ), popularly known as Geetha Kumarasinghe, is a Sri Lankan film actress and Member of a Parliament. She is the current State Minister of Women and Child Affairs.[1]

She made her debut in veteran director K. A. W. Perera's 1975 film, Wasana but it was Neil Rupasinghe's Lassana Kella which was released first. Since then, She is often referred to as "the prettiest girl (  සිංහල සිනමාවේ ලස්සන කෙල්ල)" on Sri Lankan silver screen and she has appeared in over 80 movies, winning the Sarasaviya Best Actress Award four times, in 1991, 1996, 2000 and 2004. She has also received the Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award several times.

Early life[edit]

She was born on 5 July 1945 in Hamburugala village, Bentara, Sri Lanka as the eldest of the family.[2] Her father Wijepala Kumarasinghe first worked as a warehouse manager at the Navy Headquarters. As a journalist, he made several columns, Buddhist articles and worked as a deputy editor of the 'Bauddhaya' newspaper for some time. Her mother Udulawathi Siriwardena was a housewife. She grew up in Bentara, Elpitiya and had her education at Elpitiya Ananda College, Aluthgama and Holy Family Convent, Kalutara. She was also a talented member of the netball team during her college days. She has five younger sisters: Nayana, Kokila, Dammika, Dinusha, Shyama and two younger brothers: Thilak and Upendra.[3]

Her father's elder sister Aruna Wickramapala was married to Hinni Appuhamy's aka Maliban Mudalali's brother A. G. Wickramapala. Geetha's father died in 1983 and mother in 2016.[3]

Career[edit]

As a child, she showed her talent for singing and dancing. She played the role of 'Kundalakeshi' in the play Chora Pabbatha on the school stage. Though her father did not approve of a film career. Meanwhile, the neighbors demanded her parents submit Geetha to the 'Avurudu Rupa Sundari' competition organized by the 'Savasa' newspaper in Bentota. Dad gave the permission after the request of family friend Amitha Abeysekara.[3] In 1973 at the age of 16, Geetha won the competition. During the participation in the beauty pageant, her mother was always with her. Her aunt, Anula Wickramapala, was also a friend of renowned director Lester James Peiris. Incidentally, her aunts' mansion was used as the location for his film Ransalu.[4] Little Geetha, who used to spend her school vacations in her aunt's house in Kollupitiya would imitate Punya Heendeniya, her childhood heroine.

She signed contracts for 21 films before her debut film was released, a record in Sri Lankan Cinema.[5] 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 cinemas first. Kumarasinghe, who is often cast in controversial roles, has also performed the foreign films Pakistani, Hindi, Japanese, Tamil and French productions. She acted opposite Sivaji Ganesan in Mohana Punnagai which was released on 1981. During the filming of Podi Malli in Bambarakele, Nuwara Eliya in 1976, her car met with a major accident and then she had plastic surgery on the face.[3]

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. In the novel 'Palama Yata' written by Kulasena Fonseka, it was made into the film adaptation where Geetha was the lead actress as well as is producer. She won 10 awards at the 1991 Sarasaviya Awards, 09 awards at the Swarna Sankha Awards, 07 OCIC Awards and a total of 26 awards. Geetha won both Best Actress Award and the Best Producer Award for this film. It was also the highest-grossing film of all time at the Regal Cinema for 100 consecutive days. Geetha also represented Sri Lanka at the 1990 Singapore International Film Festival with the film.[3]

In 2006, she launched official website with a ceremony at Water's Edge at Battaramulla.[6] As a film producer, she later produced the films Salambak Handai, Loku Duwa, Anuragaye Ananthaya, Wasuli and Geetha.[7] Both of her productions, Palama Yata and Loku Duwa won her the Best Film Awards at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival.

Awards[edit]

Year Organization Award Film
1981 National Film Festival Best Supporting Actress  
1988 National Film Festival Best Supporting Actress  
1990 OCIC Merit Awards   Palama Yata
1990 Sarasaviya Awards Festival Best Actress Palama Yata
1990 Sarasaviya Awards Festival Most Popular Actress  
1990 Swarna Sanka Film festival Best Actress Palama Yata
1996 Sarasaviya Awards Festival Best Actress Loku Duwa
1996 Swarna Sanka Film festival Best Actress Loku Duwa
1997 National Film Festival Best Actress Loku Duwa
2000 National film festival Talented Performance Anuragaye Ananthaya
2000 Sarasaviya Awards festival Best Actress Rajya Sevaya Pinisai
2000 National Film Festival Best Actress Rajya Sevaya Pinisai
2004 Sarasaviya Awards Festival Best Actress Ran Diya Dahara
2005 Signis Salutation Most Outstanding Performance Ran Diya Dahara
2005 National Film Festival Best Actress Ran Diya Dahara

Political career[edit]

Geetha was an ardent supporter of Mahinda Rajapakse at 2010 presidential elections and was appointed as the chief organizer to Elpitiya electorate. She unsuccessfully contested at the 2010 general elections and blamed election irregularities for her defeat.

She contested the provincial council elections in 2014 and took oath as a counselor at the Southern Provincial Council.

Geetha contested for the 2015 Parliamentary Election from Galle District. She was elected to the 15th Sri Lankan Parliament by receiving 63,955 preferential votes.[8]

On 3 May 2017, the Sri Lanka courts disqualified her as a member of parliament because she had held dual citizenship in Sri Lanka and Switzerland. Under the constitution of Sri Lanka, no person can be elected to the parliament if they hold dual citizenship.[9] She applied in supreme courts, but the supreme courts reconfirm that she is disqualified to hold office as a member of parliament because she had held dual citizenship in Sri Lanka and Switzerland.[10][11]

Controversy[edit]

In a parliament session in November 2015 Kumarasinghe complained the lack of time given to her and made a communal statement claiming that ethnic minority Tamil members from the north received more time than her unaware that the time allocated for her was decided by her own party. She also criticised the lifting of highly discriminatory taxes on imported English and Tamil dramas. Kumarasinghe's parliamentary seat could be taken away as a result of the ongoing court case challenging her becoming a lawmaker while holding Swiss nationality and is having her own court battle after being accused of ignorance of the constitution.[12]

Injury[edit]

On 2 September 2017, she was admitted to a private hospital in Colombo with burn injuries.[13] Reports said that injuries sustained in a domestic accident when a gas leak caused an explosion in her home, where her abdominal area and legs were sustained with injuries.[14][15]

Filmography[edit]

Though her first act came through film Wasana, it was released on cinemas on 1975 after two of her late films were screened. She quit from cinema after award-winning film Randiya Dahara and focused on politics. However, after 10 years, she played a minor role in Siri Daladagamanaya in 2014.[16]

  • No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.[17]
Year No. Film Role
1975 317 Lassana Kella Geetha
1975 324 Damayanthi
1976 336 Wasana Pushpa
1976 341 Kolomba Sanniya Susila
1976 347 Asha
1976 351 Onna Mame Kella Panapi
1976 358 Ran Thilaka
1977 366 Niluka
1977 367 Pembara Madhu [18]
1977 375 Chandi Putha Geetha [19]
1977 377 Aege Adara Kathawa Kanthi
1977 378 Maruwa Samaga Wase Menika
1978 408 Ahasin Polawata
1978 389 Seetha Devi Goddess Ramba
1978 391 Maduwanthi Maduwanthi
1978 396 Saara Sara
1978 403 Deepanjali
1978 407 Apeksha Menaka [20]
1979 410 Samanmalee Samanmali
1979 412 Minisum Athara Minisek Indu
1979 414 Jeevana Kandulu Geetha
1979 428 Akke Mata Awasara Thanuja
1979 430 Sawdan Jema Vinodani
1979 433 Podi Malli Nalika
1980 449 Siribo Ayya Emma Nona
1980 455 Ganga Addara Miss de Soysa
1980 456 Karumakkarayo J.A Somawathi [21]
1980 466 Api Dedena Himali
1981 Mohana Punnagai Gawiri. Tamil film, acted with Sivaji Ganesan
1981 470 Kolamkarayo Naticia
1981 473 Ranga Sunali "Punchi Hamu"
1981 477 Walampuri Rasamma
1981 494 Anjaana Anjaana [22]
1981 497 Sathara Diganthaya
1981 495 Hodama Naluwa
1982 506 Mahagedara Kumari Malwinna [23]
1982 526 Kiri Suwanda Madani
1982 527 Sithara
1982 530 Thakkita Tharikita
1982 532 Major Sir
1983 550 Yali Pipunu Malak
1983 549 Siv Ranga Sena Surangi
1983 573 Hithath Hondai Wadath Hondai
1983 575 Bonikka Renuka 'Renu' Serasinghe
1984 602 Maya Neela Dias
1984 597 Himakathara Manika
1984 610 Jaya Sikurui
1985 613 Mawbima Nathinam Maranaya
1985 615 Chalitha Rangali Producer and actor
1986 Nobody Is Perfect
1986 645 Jaya Apitai
1986 646 Koti Waligaya Nilmini
1986 648 Sura Saradiyel Thangamma
1986 652 Sinha Patau
1987 661 Yukthiyada Shakthiyada
1987 665 Rajawadakarayo Rekha
1987 668 Obatai Priye Adare Tina
1988 672 Ayya Nago
1988 676 Amme Oba Nisa
1988 679 Durga
1989 686 Badulu Kochchiya
1990 709 Palama Yata Dottie. Also as producer.[24]
1991 720 Dolos Mahe Pahana
1991 731 Salabak Hadai also as producer.
1992 752 Malsara Doni Teena
1992 764 Muwan Palessey Kadira
1993 787 Nelum Saha Samanmali
1993 789 Lagin Giyoth Aehak Naha
1993 791 Madara Parasathu Jinadari Dias
1994 802 Abiyogaya
1994 799 Ambu Samiyo Nandawatte Manike
1995 820 Inspector Geetha Inspector Geetha
1995 841 Chandini Chandini
1995 843 Sudu Walassu
1996 857 Hitha Honda Gahaniyak
1996 860 Loku Duwa [25] also as producer.
1997 884 Raththaran Minihek
1998 892 Yuda Gini Mada
1999 926 Sathaydewi Chandrawathi[26]
2000 938 Rajya Sevaya Pinisai Mahesha Upamali
2000 943 Anuragaye Ananthaya Kanchana Swarnadipathi. also as producer.[27]
2004 1045 Randiya Dahara Amali
2014 1203 Siri Daladagamanaya

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Parliament of Sri Lanka - Geetha Samanmale Kumarasinghe". Parliament of Sri Lanka.
  2. ^ "Geetha talks about his mother". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e "The 'beautiful girl' in Sinhala cinema Geetha Kumarasinghe". Silumina. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  4. ^ Biography of Geetha
  5. ^ Trivia of Geetha
  6. ^ "Geetha goes on line". Sunday times. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  7. ^ Changing Looks
  8. ^ "Preferential votes- General Election 2015".
  9. ^ "Court rules Geetha disqualified to be MP - Breaking News | Daily Mirror".
  10. ^ "Geetha can't be a MP, rules SC".
  11. ^ "SC upholds ruling on Geetha Kumarasinghe's MP seat".
  12. ^ "economynext.com". www.economynext.com. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  13. ^ "Geetha Kumarasinghe hospitalized with burn injuries". Hiru News. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Geetha Kumarasinghe admitted to hospital with burn injuries". Daily News. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  15. ^ "ගෙදර ගෑස් කාන්දුවෙන් අනතුරට ලක් වූ ගීතාගේ තත්ත්වය සුව අතට". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  16. ^ "[Film:Artist453175] - Geetha Kumarasinghe". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Sri Lankan Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  18. ^ "All about "Pembara Madhu"". sarasaviya. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  19. ^ "All about Chandi Putha". Sarasaviya. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  20. ^ "All about the film "Apeksha"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  21. ^ "All about the film "Karumakkarayo"". sarasaviya. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  22. ^ "All about the film "Anjana"". sarasaviya. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  23. ^ "All about Maha Gedara". Sarasaviya. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  24. ^ "All about the film "Palama Yata"". Sarasaviya. May 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  25. ^ "Loku Duwa appears on Rupavahini". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  26. ^ "'Sathyadevi' comes with a human touch". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  27. ^ "'Anuragaye Ananthaya' : A struggle between a woman and society". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 March 2017.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geetha_Kumarasinghe&oldid=1219815408"