Dharma Sri Munasinghe was a Sinhala Radio Play writer and Film screenwriter & Director, best known for his work as the writer of the famous sinhala radio plays Muvan palessa and Monara thenna. He was also an award-winning Sinhala drama actor, and featured in the play Maname.

Early life and career

Dharma Sri Munasinghe was born on 1 March 1930 in Kandy

Kandy

Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...

. He was educated at Dharmaraja College, Kandy

Dharmaraja College, Kandy

Dharmaraja College , founded in 1887 is a premier Boys' School in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist school with around 175 teaching staff and around 4,500 students. The school has many renowned figures in its alumni including William Gopallawa, A. E...

 where he excelled in studies, and was selected to the University of Ceylon

University of Ceylon

The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...

. But Dharma Sri had other plans, as he turned down University entrance, and moved to Colombo

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

 in search of employment.

He joined the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation

The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation came into existence on January 5, 1967 when Radio Ceylon became a public corporation. Dudley Senanayake who was the Prime Minister of Ceylon in 1967 ceremonially opened the newly established Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation along with Minister Ranasinghe...

, then the Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...

, in 1952 as a clerk. Young Dharma Sri had the fortune of working with many contemporary greats of Sinhala broadcasting at Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...

 such as Thevis Guruge

Thevis Guruge

Thevis Guruge was a distinguished broadcaster with Radio Ceylon and subsequently the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. He was the first Sinhala Announcer with Radio Ceylon - the oldest radio station in South Asia...

, D.M. Colombage, H.M.Gunasekera, P. Velikala and Praba Perera. It was an important period of his life, as Dharma Sri was inspired by these great personalities.

He left the Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon

Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...

 in 1956 to pursue a career in the Inland Revenue Department. But he continued writing Radio plays and working as an announcer for SLBC, and even appeared in the famous radio Comedy show Vinoda samaya with comedians Annesley Dias

Annesley Dias

Annesley Dias was a popular Sri Lankan comedian.- Early life :Annesley Dias had his primary education at St. Francis College, Dalugama, and his secondary education at St. Joseph's College Colombo 10...

 & Berty Gunathilake. Dharma Sri is the writer of 23 Radio play series in total.

Dharma Sri Munasinghe excelled in many disciplines of popular art. He was a brilliant Sinhala Radio Play writer; a Radio dramatist, announcer, comedian, producer and actor; an award-winning Theatre actor; a Tele drama screenwriter and actor; an award-winning Film actor, screenwriter & director; and an Oriental dancer.

Family

He was married to Mrs. Silwari Perera(Manel) and was the father of two sons and three daughters. Dharma Sri Munasinghe died on 28th August 2004, at the age of 74. He was a rare artiste who displayed equal celebrity in different spheres of arts, and it's inevitable for Sri Lanka to feel the absence of an artiste like Dharma Sri Munasinghe.

Awards

• Winner of the award for Best Actor in 1965, for the stage play Daruduka
• Winner of the award for Most Creative Acting, for the film Hulawaali
• Won an award for his acting in Bahubootha kolama, which is a preface to the drama Maname

Radio plays

• Monarathenna - This was the first Sinhala radio play series by a single writer
• Muvan pelessa – This drama was aired for over 40years (co-writer)
• Gajamuthu
• Guwanviduli rangamadala
• Adaraneeya Julius (1971) – This was the first Sri Lankan detective radio play and was banned
• Mudali mankada – This was based on his research and was banned in Sri Lanka
• Mee messo
• He translated numerous foreign short stories & novels, and adopted as Radio plays
• Joined Annesley Dias & Berty Gunathilake for the famous comedy show Vinoda samaya
• He’s the writer of 23 Radio play series.
• He was a producer, announcer & actor of Lama pitiya, Grameeya sandyawa and Guvanviduli rangamadala

Films

• Muvan pelessa - Screenwriter and Director of two sequels
• Monarathenna - Screenwriter and Director of four episodes

See also

• Radio Ceylon
  Radio Ceylon
  Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...
  
  
• Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
  Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
  The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation came into existence on January 5, 1967 when Radio Ceylon became a public corporation. Dudley Senanayake who was the Prime Minister of Ceylon in 1967 ceremonially opened the newly established Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation along with Minister Ranasinghe...
  
  
• Sri Lankan literature
  Sri Lankan literature
  Sri Lankan literature is the literary tradition of Sri Lanka. The largest part of Sri Lankan literature was written in the Sinhala language, but there is a considerable amount of works in other languages used in Sri Lanka over the millennia .Up to the present, short stories are a very important...
  
  
• List of Sri Lankan Broadcasters