Anoja Weerasighe

Anoja Weerasinghe, born on January 21, 1955, originally known as Paranapalliya Guruge Anoja Kanthi Siriwardena, is a renowned actress in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama, and television.[1][2] She is widely respected for her contributions to Sinhala cinema and gained critical acclaim for her role in the movie "Maldeniye Simion," for which she received the Golden Award at the New Delhi Film Festival.[3]

In her personal life, Anoja was born near Badulla as the seventh child in a large family with seven daughters and five sons. Her father, Jeldeen Siriwardena, was a theater actor known for his performances in stage dramas like "Barrister Hamu" and "Hingana Kolla." Anoja's first marriage took place in 1979 but lasted only twelve years. She later married a plantation owner in 1991. However, her second marriage also faced challenges, leading her to experience severe emotional distress, including multiple suicide attempts due to stress and depression.[4]

Anoja's acting journey began when she appeared in the play "Anduren Eliyata," produced by Newton Gunaratne and Yoga Balasuriya of Mahanama College, Moneragala, while she was in grade 9.[4] She made her debut in the film "Tak Tik Tuk" with a minor role, but her breakthrough came with the lead role in Yasapalitha Nanayakkara's film "Monarathenna."[5] Anoja also appeared in the Australian film "Island" in 1989.[6]

The turning point in her career came with the film "Maldeniye Simieon," where she portrayed dual roles and won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 11th New Delhi International Film Festival. Anoja continued to establish herself in Sinhala cinema during the 1980s with popular films like "Obata Diwura Kiyannam," "Araliya Mal," "Channayi Kello Dennayi," "Peraḷikārayō," "Mamayi Rajā," "Sināsenna Raththaran," and "Yukthiyaṭa Væḍa." She garnered several Best Actress awards for her performances in artistic films such as "Kelimadala," "Gurugedara," "Surabidena," "Julietge Bhumikawa," "Muhudu Lihini," "Seilama," "Siri Medura," and "Janelaya."[4]

Anoja's fame and recognition reached new heights when she won the Silver Peacock Award for Best Actress at the New Delhi International Film Festival in 1987 for her role in "Maldeniye Simion," directed by Dr. D. B. Nihalsinghe and produced by Vijaya Ramanayake for Tharanga Films. This achievement marked the first time a Sri Lankan actress received a best actress award at an international film festival.[7] She further honed her skills at LAMDA in London and received numerous national and international accolades, including the Kohinoor Award by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka's Kala Suri national award, the Asian Film Center tribute, Munich International Film Festival retrospective of her films, and retrospectives of her films by the state governments of Kerala and West Bengal.

Beyond Sinhala films, Anoja played leading roles in various international productions, including the Australian film "Island" directed by Paul Cox, as well as Pakistani Urdu films like "Raththathin Rath Thame," "Hum Se Na Takrana," "Agar Tum Na Hote," "Suraj Bhi Tamasha," "Miss Lanka," "Naadani," and "Do Haath." After studying music, acting, and voice acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), she returned to Sri Lanka and established the "Advanced Performing Arts Institute" on the premises of the Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara temple.