Rathna Lalani Jayakody

Rathna Lalani Jayakody, known to her fans as Rathna Lalani Jayakody, is a versatile actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater, and television, with a background in teaching. Born on January 8, 1964, she is the youngest member of her family, with her father being an Ayurvedic doctor. Rathna Lalani attended Siddhartha Maha Vidyalaya in Sedawatta and later studied at Kolonnawa Balika Vidyalaya. She comes from a family of talent, with two elder brothers and two elder sisters, including the renowned award-winning actress Geetha Kanthi. Notably, Geetha Kanthi's son is the popular actor Bimal Jayakody, married to actress Sujani Menaka, while Rathna's sister, Geetha Kanthi, is the mother of the well-known actress Paboda Sandeepani.

Rathna Lalani is married to fellow actor Sampath Tennakoon, and their relationship blossomed while working together on stage dramas like "Puthra Samagama" and "Suba Sandewak," with more than 50 collaborations to their credit. Rathna Lalani currently serves as a teacher at Sri Rajasinghe Madya Maha Vidyalaya.

Rathna Lalani Jayakody's acting career commenced after she joined the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation for the "Lama Pitiya" program alongside her sister Geetha Kanthi. Her stage debut in 1985, in the play "Julius Caesar" produced by Tony Ranasinghe, garnered attention, making her the only girlfriend of the legendary Gamini Fonseka on stage. Rathna's captivating voice made her a sought-after choice for Noorthi and stage drama songs, leading her to work under esteemed directors such as Ananda Sirisena, Agnes Sirisena, Mahinda Algama, Ashoka Tillakaratne, and Piyadasa Ranasinghe. She made her television debut in Parakrama Niriella's "Laa Hiru Dahasak" and received critical acclaim for her role as Ranjani in the teledrama "Yashorawaya." Rathna Lalani Jayakody's repertoire also includes works like "Verona" and "Hathara Wate."

In 1991, a drama festival named the "Ratna Lalani Drama Festival" was organized, and in 2013, Rathna and Sampath celebrated their 30-year stage drama career with the "Abhinayana Sampath-Rathna Rangabhumika" drama festival, featuring seven popular plays they had performed together.

Some of the selected stage dramas Rathna Lalani Jayakody has been a part of include "Vaneesiye Welenda," "Thunmansala," "Suba Sandewak," "Maname," "Mayadevi," "Puthra Samagama," "Guru Tharuwa," "Jagan Ma," "Romaya Gini Gani," "Thalamala Pipila," "Andarela," "Deseeya Thunseeya," and "Mala Walalu."

In the world of cinema, Rathna Lalani's first film appearance was in the 1986 movie "Pooja," directed by Dharmasiri Gamage. Some of her notable films include "Awaragira," "Randiya Dahara," "Pooja," "Siri Medura," "Malsara Doni," "Sudu Kaluwara," "Randiya Dahara," "Siri Raja Siri," "Gamani," "Sarigama," and "President Super Star," where she portrayed diverse roles over the years, showcasing her talent and versatility in the industry.