Sachini Ayendra

Sachini Ayendra Stanley, known by her Sinhala name සචිනි අයේන්ද්‍රා ස්ටැන්ලි, is a prominent actress from Sri Lanka who is currently active in the Sinhala film industry. She gained recognition after winning the Miss Sri Lanka title in 2003 and representing her country in the 53rd Miss World Pageant held in Sanya, China. Following her pageant success, Sachini made her film debut in 2004 with the movie "Aadaraneeya Wassaanaya," directed by Senesh Dissanaike Bandara. Her performance in the film earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the Signis Sri Lanka Film Awards.

In 2005, Sachini made her television debut, portraying the lead role in the drama series "Hiruni" directed by Kumarasiri Abeykoon on Sirasa TV. She also ventured into stage acting, making her debut in 2009 as Sarala in the play "For Better or For Worse," directed by Indu Dharmasena. Notably, Sachini became the first Sri Lankan to participate in the world championships of performing arts held in Los Angeles, USA, in 2016. She showcased her acting prowess and won two silver medals and one bronze in the classical/open/contemporary acting categories. The following year, she participated in the same competition and received four bronze medals for acting. Additionally, she received an honorary mention for her exceptional national costume.

Sachini Ayendra was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka, as the youngest child of David Stanley and Thamara Wadasinghe. She attended Hillwood College in Kandy, where she completed her advanced levels in arts. During her school years, Sachini actively engaged in various extracurricular activities, including the young writers club, school choir, drama club, interact club, school debating team, and English literary association. She also excelled in sports, participating in swimming, tennis, and rugby. In 2002, she won the title of Best Model in Kandy, and the following year, she became Miss Sri Lanka, representing her country in the Miss World 2003 pageant.

Sachini's career began in modeling while she was still in school, earning her the Best Model Kandy award in 2002. She appeared in several notable TV commercials, including the Elephant House soft drink called "Ride" and the Sthree advertisement for the National Savings Bank in 2002. Eventually, she relocated to Colombo to pursue her acting and modeling aspirations. While her role in the movie "Adaraneeya Wassanaya" became widely recognized, it was her breakthrough performance in the film "Sankara" as a poverty-stricken girl working in sugar cane fields in a remote village that garnered critical acclaim. Sachini also received praise for her portrayal of a mentally disturbed girl in the movie "Heart FM" in 2007, earning her a merit award at the Signis Sri Lanka Film Festival in 2009.

After winning the Miss Sri Lanka title and the Best Supporting Actress award at the Signis Awards for "Adaraneeya Wassanaya," Sachini received nominations for the Sarasaviya and Presidential Film Awards. Her second film, "Sankara," showcased one of her most remarkable performances.

In 2021, Sachini appeared in the Raffealla Fernando Celebrity Calendar, alongside several other renowned Sri Lankan celebrities.