Jagath Manuwarna Kodithuwakku

Born in 1980 in Kandy, Sri Lanka, Jagath Manuwarna Kodithuwakku is a multi-talented individual known for his roles as a Sri Lankan actor, media presenter, scriptwriter, movie director, and politician. He pursued education at Delthota Central College, Kandy, and further honed his craft at the Tower Hall Drama School in Colombo. Jagath embarked on his media journey in 2003 when he joined the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation as a presenter.

Jagath's prowess in acting earned him the prestigious 'Best Upcoming Actor' accolade in two prominent national award ceremonies: the 'Sumathi Television Awards' in 2009 and the 'Raigam Tele's' in 2011. His contributions extend to over 10 movies and tele-dramas, for which he garnered several national-level honors. Notably, he directed his debut short film titled "Gindara Poddak" (Speck of Fire), which clinched the title of Best Short Film at the 2006 Guerilla Film Festival in Sri Lanka. Additionally, two of his other short films, 'The Dark Fall' and 'Water Lilly,' clinched the 'Best Short Film' award at the Agenda Short Film Festival in 2011 and 2012.

In 2014, Manuwarna entered the realm of politics as a member of 'Aluth Parapura' (The New Generation), a political activist group primarily comprising individuals from the entertainment industry who supported the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP - People’s Liberation Front). The group backed Maithripala Sirisena in the 2015 Presidential Election, which he eventually won. This earned them significant media coverage for their campaign efforts.

As the Sri Lankan Parliamentary Election of 2020 approached, Manuwarna pledged his support to the 'Jathika Jana Balavegaya' (National People's Power) led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He secured a spot on the National list of NPP, positioning him as a potential Member of Parliament.

It is notable that Manuwarna's involvement in the Sinhala movie "Nikini Wessa," released in 2013 and directed by Aruna Jayawardana, featured scenes depicting smoking cigarettes. For his role in this film, he was honored with the "Most Promising Actor" award at the Hiru Golden Film Awards 2014.

Furthermore, Jagath Manuwarna's directorial ventures, particularly the Sinhala short movies such as "Gindara Poddak" (Speck of Fire) - 2006, "Water Lilly" - 2011, and "The Dark Fall" - 2012, contained scenes depicting tobacco smoking. It's worth noting that these portrayals potentially conflict with the NATA Act, which serves as Sri Lanka's principal legal framework governing tobacco and alcohol and prohibits direct and indirect advertisements of these substances. For additional information, please refer to the FCTC Article 13: Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship.

Residing in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jagath Manuwarna's diverse journey encompasses the realms of entertainment, creativity, and politics, shaping his impactful presence in Sri Lankan society.