Sujani Menaka

Samarawickrama Dahanayake Sujani Menaka (born 17 May 1980 as සුජානි මේනකා) [Sinhala]), popularly as Sujani Menaka, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Started as a child artist in advertisements, she is best known for the role in NSB commercial Sathen Sathe and title role Sara in the teledrama as well as film adaptation.

Personal life
Sujani Menaka was born on 17 May 1980. She is an old girl of St. Paul's Girls School, Milagiriya. Her father was an art director in films.

She is married to popular actor Bimal Jayakody. She met Bimal during the teledrama Ramya Suramya back in 2000. They married in 2007. The couple has two daughters and one son.

Bimal's father is the elder brother of popular actresses Geetha Kanthi Jayakody and Rathna Lalani Jayakody. Geetha's daughter Paboda Sandeepani is also a popular award-winning actress in cinema and television. Rathna Lalani is married to fellow actor Sampath Tennakoon.

Career
She faced a camera at the age of 3 in Prarthana teledrama directed by maestro Lester James Peries. Then, at the age of 10, she was selected for the NSB commercial Sathe Sathe, which gain enormous popularity as a child artist. In 1987, she acted in her maiden cinematic role as a child artist in the film Ahinsa. Her stage drama Athurupasata Chat Ekak will be showing in future.

Selected television serials

 * Aluth Gedara as Diana
 * Amanda as Meenu
 * Api Api Wage
 * Chakraangee
 * Chandra Vinsathi
 * Damini
 * Dhawala Yamaya
 * Diyaniyo as Hansi
 * Gajamuthu
 * Giraya
 * Hiru Kumari
 * Ira Awara
 * Isi Dasuna
 * Jodu Gedara as Suja
 * Loba Nosidewa as Anagi
 * Maya Roo
 * Mayumi
 * Pingala Danawwa
 * Pork Veediya
 * Prarthana
 * Raahu
 * Ramya Suramya
 * Sadgunakaraya
 * Samanalunta Wedithiyanna
 * Sanda Dev Diyani
 * Sandagalathenna
 * Sanda Mudunata
 * Sara as Sara
 * Sasandara
 * Senehasa Kaviyak
 * Tharu Kumari
 * Udu Sulanga
 * Upuli as Upuli
 * Vinivindimi Andura
 * Vishwanthari
 * Yaso Mandira

Selected stage dramas

 * Athurupasata Chat Ekak
 * Deseeya Thunseeya

Filmography
Her maiden cinematic experience came through as a child artist in 1987 film Ahinsa, directed by Malani Fonseka. Some of her popular films are Thrishule, Sathya and Sara.

Awards and accolades
She has won several awards at the local stage drama festivals and television festivals.