Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly knownas Malini Fonseka, the iconic Sri Lankan actress, theatre artist, director and briefly politician, died at the age of 78 on May 24.
Malini Fonseka who was fondly addressed as Malini in the Sinhala cinema circle of Sri Lanka remained an iconic film star in every way.
She had the rare privilege of playing a prominent role with India’s popular Tamil film star `Chevalier’ Sivaji Ganeshan in the Tamil film titled Pilot Premnath made in 1978. Sivaji Ganeshan played the role of a Captain of an aircraft and Malini Fonseka played his wife.
Pilot Premnath which was filmed entirely in Sri Lanka was a big success. It was a joint Indo-Sri Lankan co-production, directed by Indian film director A. C. Thirulogachandar.
The shooting of the film was done in several picturesque locations in Sri Lanka, and Malini had even spoken in Tamil at various stages of the film. However, for most of her acting in the movie, the dubbing was done in Tamil.
The early stage of Sinhala cinema in the island was not as successful as the Tamil movies from South India and the English movies from Hollywood which were screened in Sri Lanka.
However, Sinhala film stars like Malini Fonseka, Joe Abeywickema, Gamini Fonseka and Vijaya Kumaratunge along with several other artistes such as Irangani Serasinghe and Swarna Mallawarachchi played their part with dedication and commitment to uplift the standard of Sinhala cinema in the country.
Renowned Sinhala film director Lester James Peiris, his wife Sumithra Peiris and another prominent film director Yasapalitha Nanayakara had a remarkable role in taking the Sinhala cinema to greater heights.
Malini Fonseka first came to prominence after winning the Best Actress Award at the 1969 National State Drama Festival. Her cinematic entry grew rapidly with multiple Sarasaviya Best Actress Awards for her performances in Hingana Kolla (1980), Aradhana (1982), and Yasa Isuru (1983).
Fonseka made her film debut in 1968 with Punchi Baba, directed by Tissa Liyansooriya. That same year, she starred in Abudasse Kale, Dahasak Sithuwili, and Adarawanthayo, establishing her presence as a lead actress.
Over the years, she had acted in more than 140 films, including international collaborations such as Pilot Premnath (1978) which was released in a peaceful atmosphere in Sri Lanka in the same year and was a box office hit at Srithar Cinema, in Jaffna.
Malini began her acting career on stage in 1963 with the play Noratha Ratha. In 1968, she won a national award for Best Stage Drama Actress for her role in Akal Wesiya.
She would go on to perform in 14 stage productions and became the first female teledrama director in Sri Lanka, directing and acting in Nirupamala. Her directorial ventures in cinema include Sasara Chetana (1984), Ahimsa (1987), and Sthree (1991).
Internationally, Malini was recognised with a Special Jury Award at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1975 and an award at the New Delhi Film Festival in 1977, becoming the first Sri Lankan actress to gain such global recognition. In 2010, she was named one of Asia’s 25 Greatest Film Actors of All Time by CNN.
Malini Fonseka also served as an honorary Member of Parliament, a role she accepted in recognition of her support for then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also acted in a film titled Nomiyana Minissu directed by veteran Sinhala film star Gamini Fonseka.
The Nomiyana Minisu film was based on the North and East civil war and Mahinda Rajapakse who was a Parliamentarian when the movie was filmed, played the role of an Army officer.
It is also important to remember that for the success and growth of Sinhala cinema in Sri Lanka, industrialist K. Gunaratnam of Jaffna origin had contributed immensely.
Therefore, in the backdrop of the Sinhala cinema fraternity mourning for the death of actress Malini Fonseka, it is also important to acknowledge late K. Gunaratnam, who was a pillar of strength to the Sinhala cinema.
Malini Fonseka had also acted in several films produced by late K. Gunaratnam.
