Manike Attanayake

Kala Suri Attanayake Mudiyanselage Podi Manike (born August 23, 1947), popularly as Manike Attanayake (මැණිකේ අත්තනායක), is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. She is best known for the role in television serial Palingu Manike. In 1987, she was honored with "Kalasuri", becoming the youngest Sri Lankan to win that award.

Personal life
Manike Attanayake was born on 23 August 1947 in Thalwatte, Kandy as the youngest of the family with five siblings. Her father, Wilson Attanayake was a renowned Sokeri actor in Kandy who worked at Cargills Company. Her mother Ran Manike Attanayake was a housewife. Attanayake completed education from Senkadagala Maha Vidyalaya, currently known as D. S. Senanayaka College, Kandy and Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy. One of her elder sisters, Kumari Manike also acted in many stage dramas.

She is married to retired police officer Raja Attanayake and the couple has two sons and one daughter.

Acting career
Attanayake joined with "Ranga Shilpa Shalika" at Lionel Wendt Art Centre to start stage drama acting. She studied drama and theater under renowned dramatist Dhamma Jagoda, who converted her name into stage name "Manike Attanayake". Her maiden stage drama acting came through Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Maname in 1976. In 1979, Attanayake engaged as a singer in Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation with a versatile range of singing in Noorthi, Nadagam and Classical.

Meanwhile, she started to act in many popular stage plays such as Sarachchandra's Sinhabahu, Lomahansa, Mahasara, Wessanthara, R.R. Samarakoon's Kelani Palama, W.B. Makuloluwa's Depano, Dayananda Gunawardena's Nari Bena, Dikthala Kalagola and Modara Mola. In 1981, Attanayake won the award for Best Actor at State Drama Festival for the role "Paththini" in the play Mini Salamba.

She is one of the earliest pillars in Sri Lankan television history. She acted in many popular serials including Palingu Manike, Ella Langa Walawwa, Yashorawaya, Parana Tawuma, Nelli Gedara and Anu Nawayen Nawaya.

Her maiden cinematic experience came through 1981 film Sudda directed by Rathnaweera De Silva. She generally acted in many supportive roles in cinema. Some of her popular films are Niliyakata Pem Kalemi, Seilama and Parliament Jokes.

Selected television serials

 * Anu Nawayen Nawaya
 * Denuwara Manike
 * Deweni Gamana
 * Dikkasadaya
 * Ella Langa Walawwa
 * Induwara
 * Kele Handa
 * Mal Kekulak
 * Mano Mandira
 * Medagedara
 * Medi Sina
 * Nelli Gedara
 * Niyan Kurullo
 * Nomerena Minisun
 * Palingu Manike
 * Parana Tawuma
 * Piththala Konderuma
 * Sandagalathenna
 * Sikuru Lanthe
 * Wasuda
 * Yashorawaya

Songs

 * None Mage Sudu None with Sunil Perera


 * Ethata Yami Piyabala


 * Hunuwataye Kathaya


 * Rathdare Siriya Paradana

Selected stage dramas

 * Depano
 * Deiyo Sakki
 * Dikthala Kalagola
 * Lomahansa
 * Kelani Palama
 * Mahasara
 * Manamalaya
 * Maname
 * Mini Salamba
 * Modara Mola
 * Nari Bena
 * Sinhabahu
 * Wessanthara