Versatile actress Nilanthi Wijesinghe who ignited the silver screen in the sixties and seventies has today become a popular television personality.  The ardent film fan, who was mesmerized by the magic of cinema in the sixties, started imitating actors and actresses as a schoolgirl.

Later Nilanthi Wijesinghe clinched the Miss Ceylon title as a teenager. In a career spanning several decades she has played diverse roles in films and tele-dramas and even today she is a well-known face among small screen fans.

 

How did your acting career begin?

I was a film buff from my childhood. Somewhere in 1966 after I sat for the SSC exam, filmmaker GDL Perera who was a friend of my father met me one day and asked my father if I would like to act. He was looking for new faces for his movie ‘Dahasak Sithuwili’.  Despite heavy resistance from my parents I however managed to act in the movie.

 

Then you became a professional actress?

It didn’t become my profession, but I acted in a few more films like Timothy Weeraratne’s ‘Dewena Pipasaya’, W. D. Silva’s ‘Poojithayo’, Mariyadasan’s ‘Harimaga’, Thisahami, Sanda Nega Eddi and other movies.

 

When did you become Miss Ceylon?

One day Daily Mirror journalist Sunil Munasinghe of the old Times of Ceylon came home for an interview and he suggested that I take part in the Miss Ceylon contest. As usual my parents objected, but I managed to fill up the Daily Mirror coupon and get their consent thanks to Sunil’s support too. I won the Miss Ceylon title that year. I was eligible to take part in the Miss World contest which was held in England. I was among the final 20 at the Miss World contest.

 

Your marriage?

The Daily Mirror has been so close to my life. In 1970 I married Daily Mirror journalist Sunil Munasinghe. After marriage I moved to Kurunegala and I took a break from acting for about 15 years.

 

How did you start your second innings in acting?

Well that was also accidental. One day I met H. D. Premaratne in Kurunegala. He invited me to act in ‘Deveni Gamana’ and I could not simply decline his offer.  Later I acted in Dharmasiri Bandaranayake’s ‘Suddilage Kathawa’ and during the shooting I met with an accident too. I also acted in Rosa Kele, Samara and Nita Fernando’s newest film ‘Swara’ (Seven Notes).

 

But today you are better known as a tele drama actress?

I made my tele drama debut in Bertram Nihal’s ‘Kadawara’. That paved the way for me to act in about 80 tele creations like Dandubasnamanaya, Dalarala Pela, Uthurukuru Satana, Dekethi Muwahatha, Chathurya, Du Kumariyo, Sakisanda Suwaris, Tharu Keta Pokurak, Adare Ahasa Tharam and others.

Of all my tele drama roles, I still cherish my maiden character in ‘Kadawara’.

 

You also acted in international film projects didn’t you?

Besides an Indian film I also acted in Mother Theresa 1 and 2, Return to Bangalore and Puppet Viewers.

 

Your candid views about the field of arts then and now?

It has deteriorated a lot today. Roles played by us decades ago are still remembered by the people, but today it’s just meaningless. Yesteryear projects had good themes and the scripts were powerful, but today half baked people in this industry have made things meaningless.

 

Your  family?

My eldest son is Darshana Munasinghe. My  youngest son Maithri Munasinghe resides in Australia. My ambition is to do justice to any good roles offered to me even in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

By Vasantha Wimalasinghe