Sunil Ariyaratne

• Honorific Prefix — Professor • Name — Sunil Ariyaratne • Native Name — සුනිල් ආරියරත්න • Born — 28 July 1949 • Birth Name — Sunil Ariyaratne Kuruwita Bandara • Birthplace — Nugegoda, Dominion of Ceylon • Education — St. John's College, Nugegoda • Alma Mater — D.Litt. University of Sri Jayewardenepura • Occupation — Senior Professor • Years Active — 1961—present • Awards — Wishwa Prasadini Award Vidyodaya Vibhushana Honorary name Sahithya Kala Shiromani Honorary award Kamban Award

He was born on 28 July 1949, in Nugegoda as the fourth child of the family with six siblings. He completed his Primary and Secondary education at St. John's College, Nugegoda. He has three brothers and two sisters. His brother, Nimal Kuruwita Bandara, is a lawyer and another brother, Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara is a journalist and editor. He sat for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level in 1963. After passing the senior examination, he was selected to Vidyodaya Pirivena (currently known as University of Sri Jayewardenepura) for higher studies. In 1971, he obtained a Sinhala Honours Degree (First Class). He worked as a temporary lecturer at the University of Kelaniya in 1972. Thereafter, he served as a part-time lecturer at The Department of Aesthetics studies at the Kelaniya University from 1975-76. He moved to University of Jaffna as a Lecturer of Sinhala in 1976 and worked as a lecturer for three years. Then he returned to Kelaniya as an Assistant Lecturer on permanent basis. In 1985, Ariyaratne joined the academic staff at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, where he was promoted as an Assistant Professor and was conferred as Professor in 1994. In 1989 he traveled to Madras to study Tamil. In 2000, he was promoted as a Senior Professor of Sinhala Language and Mass Media in the Communication Faculty, becoming the youngest to achieve the feat in the Sri Lanka university system. In 2011, he was awarded Doctorate in Literature from Kelaniya University. In 2015, he was honored with second Doctorate in Literature in recognition of his contributions in the field of literature and the arts.

At the age of 11, he wrote a school play named Amal Biso. Then, in 1961 at the age of 16, Ariyaratne published a collection of short stories called Ähinsakayo. In 1963, he wrote a collection of poems called ' Api Okkoma', a historical novel, ' Alakeshwara', in 1964 and a poetic tale, ' Siyothunta Rekawal', in 1965. He also produced the play, Deyyo', which was written by his elder brother Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara. While as an undergraduate at Vidyodaya in 1969, Ariyaratne polished his ability where he wrote a novel, ' Jeewithaya Geethayak Wewa'. After graduating in 1971, he published a poetry book, ' Dolosmahe Pahana along with two of his closest friends Buddadasa Galappaththi and Jayalath Manoratne. He wrote several lyrics such as Pahan Kanda (1983), Yathra (1984), Pembara lanka (1990), Madhu Badun (1994), Adaheraya (2004) and Shwetha Rathriya (2012). Ariyaratne is an accomplished lyricist who wrote several songs for popular artists such as Nanda Malini, W.D. Amaradeva and Victor Rathnayake. Some popular lyrics made by him include: Me guru pare, Podiduwage sina welai, Buddhanu Bhawena, Oba themei kiya bayyai, Api ethata ethata pa nagala, Viyo ge gayana, Yalu bala sande and Ane kurulu kooduwata gahanna ape. In 1970, Ariyaratne extended his repertoire towards cinema, by producing his first short film Sara Gee and subsequently another short film, Dushkara Kriya six years later in 1976. His maiden feature length direction came through 1978 feature film Anupama. With the help of Ranjith Palansuriya, Ariyaratne produced two blockbuster films, Sarungale (1979) and Siribo Aiya (1980). As an author, he won a State Literary Award for the book on Baila and Kapirigngna. In 1985, he wrote several research papers and publications on "Gramophone Era", "Kerol Pasam Kantharu", "Mahinda Prabanda", "Manawasinghe Geetha Prabanda", "Purana Sinhala Nadagam", "Gandarwa Apadana", "Sinhala Chithrapati Geethawali". In 1991, he wrote book Demala Sahithya Ithihasaya and then translated Tamil folktale Ramayanaya in 1994. He also translated the Garcia Lorca's play Yerma along with Ediriweera Sarachchandra. In 2002, he directed the dramatic movie Sudu Sewaneli. The film won the Sarasaviya award for the Best Director and President's Medal for the Best Script of that year. In 2008, he released a volume Visithuruya Re Ahasa which contained all his lyrics written for films, teleplays, social events such as the Tsunami devastation, light songs for radio, cassettes and CDs. He directed the film Uppalavanna in 2008 which was based on a reinterpreted Buddhist story similar to a Theri gatha story. The film was a blockbuster of that year and won several awards at local film festivals including Most Popular Actress, Best Actress and Music Direction. However, the movie received primarily negative reviews. Many criticized the various unnecessary characters in the movie (which do not have any role in the plot), the editing, and acting. In 2012, he directed the film Kusa Pabha based on the 523rd story "Kusa Jataka" in the Jataka story series. The film won 12 awards at the 2013 Derana Lux Film Festival including popular actor, actress, movie, music direction, and singer. In 2018, Ariyarante directed a historical story of Bimba Devi Alias Yashodara. It was screened on 26 April, at 85 cinema halls becoming the biggest number of the simultaneous screening in Sri Lanka. The film received mostly positive reviews from the critics. In 2019, he directed the blockbuster film Vijayaba Kollaya which was released on 1 August in 80 cinema halls across the island. The film was an adaptation of W.A. Silva's novel of the same name. The film received positive reviews. On 17 March 2020, he launched the second volume of Gandharwa Apadana which is a collection of 6 books written on 12 musicians.

• Year — Film — Other roles — Ref. • 1978 — Anupama • 1979 — Sarungale • 1979 — Podi Mali • 1980 — Siribo Ayya • 1980 — Kinduru Kumari • 1981 — Kolamkarayo • 1981 — Bamba Ketu Hati — Lyricist • 1981 — Sathara Pera Nimithi — Lyricist • 1981 — Vajira • 1982 — Bambara Geethaya • 1982 — Jeewithayen Jeewithayak — Lyricist • 1982 — Kele Mal — Lyricist • 1983 — Muhudu Lihini • 1985 — Mihidum Salu • 1990 — Christhu Charithaya — Screenwriter • 1994 — Ahas Maliga • 2002 — Sudu Sewaneli — Producer, screenwriter, lyricist • 2007 — Uppalawanna — Screenwriter • 2012 — Kusa Pabha — Lyricist • 2016 — Paththini — Screenwriter, lyricist • 2017 — Ali Kathawa — Screenwriter, lyricist • 2018 — Bimba Devi Alias Yashodhara — Screenwriter • 2019 — Vijayaba Kollaya • 2023 — Ksheera Sagaraya Kalabina • 2023 — Kadira Divyaraja • 2024 — Gautama Buddha Matha

• Year — Film — Ref. • 1970 — Nim Walalla • 1972 — Lokuma Hinawa • 1973 — Matara Achchi • 1974 — Duleeka • 1974 — Dinum Kanuwa • 1975 — Tharanga • 1975 — Amaraneeya Adare • 1975 — Rajagedara Paraviyo • 1975 — Desa Nisa • 1976 — Madol Duwa • 1976 — Diyamanthi • 1976 — Hulavali • 1976 — Saradielge Putha • 1976 — Mangala • 1977 — Sri Madara • 1977 — Hariyanakota Ohoma Thamai • 1977 — Maruwa Samaga Wase • 1978 — Gehenu Lamai • 1979 — Amal Biso • 1979 — Chuda Manikya • 1979 — Handaya • 1980 — Ektam Ge • 1981 — Thavalama • 1981 — Ajasaththa • 1981 — Bandura Mal • 1982 — Sandaa • 1982 — Sakvithi Suwaya • 1983 — Kiri Suwanda • 1983 — Chandira • 1984 — Sasara Chethana • 1986 — Maldeniye Simion • 1986 — Sura Saradiel • 1987 — Viragaya • 1990 — Pem Rajadahana • 1991 — Sthree • 1992 — Umayangana • 1993 — Ragini • 1994 — Abhiyogaya • 1994 — Ambu Samiyo • 1995 — Seilama • 1995 — Demodara Palama • 1996 — Bithu Sithuwam • 1997 — Apaye Thappara 84000k • 1997 — Visidela • 1998 — Anthima Reya • 1999 — Mandakini • 1999 — Nagaran • 2000 — Indrakeelaya • 2001 — Mahadena Muththai Golayo Roththai • 2001 — Poronduwa • 2002 — Seethala Gini Kandu • 2002 — Kalu Sudu Mal • 2002 — Thahanam Gaha • 2003 — Sudu Salu • 2005 — Sulanga • 2006 — Samaara • 2008 — Aba • 2008 — Nil Diya Yahana • 2010 — Ape Yalu Punchi Bhoothaya • 2011 — Mahindagamanaya • 2012 — Daruwane • 2013 — Abhinikmana • 2015 — Mage Yalu Malu • 2015 — Address Na • 2017 — Wassanaye Sanda • 2018 — Adarei Man • 2018 — Punchi Andare • 2018 — Nidahase Piya DS

• කලා සයුර කිමිද ජීවිතය සොයා ගිය ජ්යෙෂ්ඨ මහාචාර්ය සුනිල් ආරියරත්න • සැරද සුලකළ’කුරු මියුරු තෙපලෙන් රඳනා • මගේ ප්රේම ගීත කලාව • මා ඇතුලු අප කිසිම කෙනෙක් පරම පාරිශුද්ධ මිනිසුන් නොවේ • විජයබා කොල්ලය කියන්නේ මහාර්ඝ මාණික්යයක් • විජය බා කොල්ලය ආයෝජනයක් • දොළොස් මහේ පහන දල්වා 49 වසරකට පසු • සුනිල් ආරියරත්න ආරණ්ය­වාසී මුනිවරයෙක් නොවන ශාස්ත්රවන්තයා • කලාත්මක චිත්රපට කිරීම සියදිවි නසා ගැනීමක් • “පිළිමනෙලා නැති” වැනි ගීත ලිව්වේ 71 පරපුරට – සුනිල් ආරියරත්න • වසර තුනක් මේ පිට­පත කපා­කොටා සකස් කළා • තිස්ස අබේසේකරගේ සුනිල් ආරියරත්න