User talk:Gihan Dammapala

Nilendra Deshapriya
Nilendra Deshapriya born in 1962 studied drama and theatre at school and at the age of fourteen he wrote his first stage play “The Horse Carriage” inspired by the film Rashoman by the legendary Akira Kurosawa which became a huge success. He was an active member of the “group 78” at the Lionel Wendt Theater, a community where the creative elite gathered during his time and produced many theatre productions.

In a career spanning 30 years Nilendra Deshpriya embarked on his journey of filmmaking as an assistant director with highly reputed film directors’ in both local and international productions. He joined the film industry in 1980 with the movie “Regina” by Thilak Lakshman Seneviratne. Few of the landmarks amongst many successful art house productions he worked are; “Siri Medura” (The Mansion) which represented Sri-Lanka at Festival De Nantes& in France in 1983, Keli Madala by DB Nihansinghe which represented Sri Lanka at the Singapore Film festival in 1984. Later Prasanna Vithanage’s “Sisila Gini Gani” (Disappear- ance), Surabidena (A womb for hire) which Participated in Singapore Hawaii International Film festivals and Maruthaya (Storm) which participated in Frighbourg Film festival in Switzerland,

In 1997 Nilendra contributed as Sri Lankan Assistant Director for a BBC television adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s novel “Midnights Children”. Then he joined the Maharaja Organisation to launch its flagship channel Sirasa TV in 1998 as Director Entertainment and then Director of Broadcasting. He produced the first ever Sri Lankan daily soap series in collaboration with Sirasa TV Sri Adhikaari Brothers India. Amongst many other phenomenal productions he was the Sri Lankan Executive Producer of the 27 hour long live broadcast connecting the 5 continents, produced by BBC London and WGBH Boston.

Later he rose to become one of Sri Lanka’s most sought after television personalities who introduced the genre Reality TV to Sri Lankan audiences, producing many successful television formats such as Super Star based on singing talent all over the nation which garnered the highest ever television ratings in the history of Sri Lankan television and also the franchised version of Who Wants To be A Millionaire- Sirasa Lakshapathi and Hiru Star.

“Between Yesterday and Tomorrow” is his directorial debut as a filmmaker. http://www.nilendradeshapriyaproductions.com/

Filmography Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

1998 - Anthima Reya (first assistant director) 1998 - Jullietge Bhoomikawa (assistant director) 1995 - Maruthaya (assistant director) 1993 - Guru Gedara (first assistant director) 1991 - Sisila Giniganee (first assistant director) 1990 - Surabidena (first assistant director) 1989 - Siri Medura (first assistant director) 1989 - Manika, une vie plus tard (assistant director) 1995 - When Mother Comes Home for Christmas (Documentary) (production manager)

35 mm –Short films, Assistant Director

Samawatha Palamuveniya Saha Anthimaya Cinderellage Sereppuwa

Filmography 35 mm - Feature films, First Assistant Director

1980 - Regina 1981- Doringe Sayanaya 1981 - Asipatha Mamai 1982 - Podi Wijey 1983- Dolos Mahe Pahana 1984- Keli Madala 1991- Ayoma 1992- Elivena Dawasa 1993- Anthima Reya [Night of Destiny]

Television Career

Irata Handana Mal Yashorawaya-2 Sulanga Veda Haamine Wes Muhunu Maamage Duwa Isuru Soya Vanaspathi 19 Episode television drama series, unfolding the commercial history of Sri-Lanka in the 19th century. Damini (459 Episodes) First ever Sri Lankan daily soap series in collaboration with Sirasa TV & Sri Adhikaari Brothers India Nonawaruni Mahathwaruni- Slapstick Comedy Series Nidi Kumari- 60 episodes Fantasy Avenue- 25 episodes Millennium Day Broadcast The 27 hour long live broadcast connecting the 5 continents, produced by BBC London and WGBH Boston

Reality Television Sirasa Super Star-Reality Television Programme Season 1 Season 2 Executive Director/Producer First ever reality television show in Sri Lanka based on singing talent all over the nation which garnered the highest ever television ratings in the history of Sri Lankan television. The Grand Finale of Sirasa Super Star achieved higher ratings than the Cricket World Cup Finals between Sri Lanka and Australia in 1996 and when Susanthika Jayasinghe won the Olympic Bronze medal for Sri Lanka.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' [Obada Lakshapathi Mamada Lakshapathi] Executive Director/Producer The first ever franchised International TV format in Sri-Lanka

Awards “THANHA RATHI RANGA” [Between Yesterday and Tomorrow] - 2014 The award for BEST FILM at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2014 in New Delhi, India The BEST DRAMA at “I will Tell International film Festival - 2014 in UK The prestigious Global Film Initiative Winter Granting Cycle award - 10th of April 2013 http://thanharathiranga.com/

CAREER HISTORY

Director Aquisitions and Content Hiru TV/Asia Broadcasting Corporation May 2016 - Jan 2020

'''Filmography 35 mm - Feature films, Director & First Assistant Director Nilendra Deshapriya Productions''' Apr 1980 - Jul 2019

Channel Head -FM Derana POWER HOUSE LIMITED(THE) Mar 2012 - Nov 2014

Channel Head-Sirasa TV/Director Broadcasting MTV The Capital Maharaja Organisation Limited Apr 1997 - Aug 2012

References

http://www.nilendradeshapriyaproductions.com/

http://thanharathiranga.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/nilendradeshapriya

http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2006/10/23/life/7.asp

http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=12686

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=22707

http://epaper.lankadeepa.lk/epaper/viewer.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/user/thanharathiranga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z102TxOkbAQ