Himali Sayurangi

Himali Sayurangi Ranaweera, born on July 18th as හිමාලි සයුරංගි (Sinhala), is a versatile artist active in the domains of Sri Lankan cinema, theater, and television.[1] Her claim to fame lies in her portrayal of Udeni in the immensely popular television series, "Deveni Inima." Her artistic journey commenced as a presenter and subsequently led her into the world of film. In addition to her acting prowess, she has demonstrated remarkable skills in dance, singing, and dubbing.[2]

Personal Life

Himali was born on July 18th and is the second child in her family, with one elder brother and one younger brother. Her younger brother is employed in the computer department of a television channel, while her father worked at the Insurance Corporation and her mother is a homemaker.[3] She received her education at Anula Vidyalaya in Nugegoda.[4]

Sayurangi is married to Asanga Jayalath, and their wedding celebration took place on March 1, 2012, at the Cinnamon Lakeside hotel in Colombo.[5] The couple has been blessed with a daughter named Vanuji Senalya, born in 2013. Asanga is the proprietor of an advertising agency known as Adland Advertising.[6][7] Himali and Asanga first crossed paths during a radio play, and their bond grew stronger during the shooting of the Amaa teledrama.[8]

Career

Himali embarked on her career in the media industry at a young age, joining the Lama Pitiya program at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation as a radio presenter. Before transitioning into acting, she served as a television presenter at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, hosting programs such as "Pehebara Ahasa," "Nadun Uyana," and "Nuga Sevana" for a period of four years.[9][10]

Her debut in acting came through the television serial "Vaadiya," directed by Herbert Ranjith Peiris, when she was just 11 years old, thanks to the assistance of fellow actress Surangi Ruwanmali.[11]

Her breakthrough in mega teledramas occurred with "Adaraneeya Poornima."[3] In 2016, she joined the cast of the highly successful teledrama "Deveni Inima," a series that gained immense popularity and received numerous awards at local television festivals.[12] In "Deveni Inima," Sayurangi portrayed the character of "Udeni," a resilient woman abandoned by her love, "Ravi," during her pregnancy.[2][13][14]

Her introduction to the cinematic world began with a minor role in the 2009 film "Ekamath Eka Rateka," directed by Sanath Gunathilake. However, her first notable screen appearance was in the 2007 blockbuster "Sikuru Hathe."[15] For her role as "Samanmali" in the latter film, she earned the Sarasaviya award for Best Upcoming Actress. Prior to this achievement, she had already secured the Raigam Merit Award for her performance in the television serial "Isuru Giri Tharanaya."[11] Over a span of approximately ten years, she portrayed the character of a girlfriend in numerous television serials.[16]

Sayurangi is also an A-grade artist in radio, lending her voice to various radio commercials and radio plays. Her stage play involvement includes "Mayadevi" by K. B. Herath, followed by her participation in "Daskon," a production exclusively presented in Australia. She has exclusively acted in these two stage plays.[11] After more than six years, Sayurangi made her return to cinema with the poignant film "Tsunami," directed by Somaratne Dissanayake. In the film, she portrayed "Sriyani," a mother who lost her child in the 2004 Tsunami tragedy.[12][17] In 2019, she became part of the radio play "Adara Wedilla," produced by Sirasa FM.[18]

Furthermore, she contested in the reality show "Mega Star" as a member of the team "Sooryans," led by Yureni Noshika.[19][20] In 2021, she graced the musical megadrama "Divi Thura."[21] In the same year, she earned the Best Actress award at the Borden International Film Festival in Sweden for her performance in the television serial "Govi Thaththa," directed by Dharshana Ruwan Dissanayake.