Dayaratne Ratagedara

Ratagedara Herath Mudiyanselage Dayaratne is a cinema and television director from Sri Lanka. Ratagedara was born on 20th February in Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka. He is the eldest in his family. His father, R.M.H Bandara worked as a store manager at Geoffrey Brothers, Colombo. His mother, K. D. Nandawathi, was a housewife. He is best known for his works, such as Mahamera Pamula, Bogala Sawundiris and Sitha Niwana Katha. Besides being a director, he is also a television director, assistant costume designer, makeup artist, assistant Director and producer. He started his primary education at Terrence N. De Silva Maha Vidyalaya, Kolonnawa. He grew up watching films with his grandmother, igniting an interest in acting. At the age of 12, Dayaratne and his family moved to Kirulapone. He then joined Bhadrawathi School in Polhengoda, where he met his close friends Nihal Silva Bio coming soon... >> Read More... , Ashoka Senarath Mudalige, and Sanjaya Leelaratne. Later, he studied at Thurstan College, where he completed his studies.

While enrolled in school, Dayaratne made his acting debut in a Vesak drama titled Sadu Siripa. Soon after, Dayaratne produced a play titled Anduru Reyay Sanda Panai. In 1972, Dayaratne appeared in the film Desa Nisa, directed by Lester James Peries. But he couldn’t do the role, due to some issues. In the meantime, he met Arthur U. Amarasena and got the opportunity to act in the superhit film Madol Duwa, directed by Lester James Peries.

After acting in a few roles, he realized that acting is not his forte. Eventually, Dayaratne met Hilton Mendis and Ebert Wijesing, and became an assistant makeup artist. He also worked as the assistant costume designer in the films Veera Puran Appu, Thavalama and Gehenu Lamai.

In 1965, Dayaratne joined the Surathura newspaper as a feature writer. Later he joined the Siththara tabloid. While being connected to Siththara, he was also working as a makeup artist in the stage plays of Jayantha Chandrasiri Jayantha Chandrasiri is a  well-known Sri Lankan j >> Read More... , Thusitha de Silva and Nalan Mendis Bio coming soon... >> Read More... . In 1975, Ratagedara won the award of The Best Costume Designer at the First Awards Ceremony of the Youth Services Council.

Consequently, he met Tissa Abeysekara Bio coming soon... >> Read More... and got the opportunity to work as the second assistant director for films directed by Gamini Hewawitharana  Anduru Charikawa and Du Daruwo. Besides, he worked as an assistant director in films directed by Tissa Abeysekera such as, Mahagedara, Manmulawel and Sarath Gunaratne’s Wathsala Akka and Sunil Ariyaratne’s Ahas Maliga.

In 1978, he produced the play Garu Lisi. In 1983, Dayaratne joined Jathika Rupavahini as a production assistant. He also had the opportunity to serve as the chief assistant director of popular television serials, namely Palingu Menike, Ran Kahawanu, Tharadevi, Kumarihami, Erabadu Mal and Gimhane Nimaviya.

Eka Wahalak Yata, was the debut teledrama direction of Ratagedara written by Somaweera Senanayake Somaweera Senanayake (25 November 1944 - 9 June 20 >> Read More... . In 1986, he won the award for the Best Single Episode Teledrama Director at the OCIC Festival. Thereafter, he created more than 20 single-episode teledramas such as Seeni John, Dasiyage Rathriya, Mudukku, Parameshwari and Wathura Mala.

He directed the Buddhist serial Sitha Niwana Katha, which was telecast on Rupavahini. It started in 2002 and aired continuously for 19 years. In 2017, Ratagedara became the director of various programs at Rupavahini. In 2008, he directed his debut romantic drama film Nil Diya Yahana, which starred Saranga Disasekara Bio coming soon... >> Read More... and Chathurika Peiris Chathurika Peiris is a Sinhala actress working pre >> Read More... . Later, he became the Director of the Film Training Institute while being connected to Rupavahini. He retired from Rupavahini in 2019 after serving for more than 35 years.

Some of his famous directed television serials are Mahamera Pamula, Dekethi Muwahatha and Sitha Niwana Katha. He has received several awards, including the Best Costume Designer from the Youth Services Council. Ratagedara's work Sitha Niwana Katha – Karumakkarayo won the Best Single Episode Drama in 2016.