Lakshman Mendis

Lakshman Mendis ලක්ෂ්මන් මෙන්ඩිස්
scene from bahuchithwadiya film
Born	Balapaduwaduge Manukulasuriya Lakshman Mendis (1955-05-19) May 19, 1955 (age 69) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Royal College, Colombo
Occupation(s)	Actor, Businessman (Gems, Papers)
Years active	1985–present
Notable work	Koombiyo
Spouse	Geetha Shyamali
Children	2
Father	Reggie Mendis
Awards	Best Supportive Actor

Balapaduwaduge Manukulasuriya Lakshman Mendis (born 19 May 1955: Sinhala: ලක්ෂ්මන් මෙන්ඩිස්), popularly as Lakshman Mendis, is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television.^[1][2]

Personal life

He was born on 19 May 1955 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. His father Reggie Mendis was a former member of the Central Committee of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP).^[3] Born in Moratuwa, Reggie was a church clerk as a child. Reggie was the Secretary of the Board of Education of the ancient Lanka Sama Samaja Party in the past and considered the crucial role of educating his party members to be trained and experienced in Marxism today. In the early 1940s he joined the Bolshevik Leninist Party. Meanwhile, The British government had issued an order to shoot Reggie at the scene. His leadership in Pettah Place during the 1952 nationwide Hartal War was prominent. As the LSSP leaders descend from City Hall in 1955 rally, one of the robed men, detonated a bombed. Reggie's hand was broken near his wrist when he was hit by an oncoming bomb to protect Colvin R. de Silva. Reggie died in December 2014.^[4]

Lakshman completed education at Royal College, Colombo. In the early days, he worked as a clerk in the Embilipitiya paper mill. But he was expelled for political reasons.^[5] Then under the guidance of his father's friend, Mendis studied gemology and ran the gem business for 11 years. He later became a successful gem merchant in Kahawatta.^[6]

He is married to Geetha Shyamali of Balangoda. The couple has one son and one daughter. His son is studying gemology at the University of Moratuwa and is involved in the gem business. The daughter is studying psychology at the University of Cambridge, England.^[6]

Career

At the age of 29, Lakshaman started his career in 1985 acting in a documentary tele drama Gangulen Egodata directed by his friend Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja.^[5] In 1995, Pathiraja made a teledrama called Nadunana Puththu, where Mendis worked as a Production manager. Inspired by that serial, Sudath Mahadivulwewa did a similar teledrama with the title Dalulana Gini. Mendis played the supportive role 'Renganathan' in the serial, even though he did not get the role of father.^[7] In 1996, he made a critics acclaimed role 'Bryan' in the film thriller film Demodara Palama directed by Dinesh Priyasad, where he later won the Best Upcoming Actor award at 24th Sarasaviya Festival. In 2007, he won the Merit award for Best Performances at 32nd Sarasaviya Festival for the role in the film Anjalika.

In 2012, he acted in the political thriller Koombiyo directed by Lakmal Darmarathna. The serial was telecast in 2016 in ITN where it became the highest rated crime television drama on IMDb database receiving a score of 9.9/10 in which resulted by majority voting 10/10.^[8][9] In 2016, he was invited to play the lead role in the biopic film Nidahase Piya DS directed by Suneth Malinga Lokuhewa. When the director informed Mendis about the biopic, he was bit confused as he is a member of the left wing where Mendia politically had a problem.^[3] When Mendis could not find an answer to this question, he met Pathiraja and asked him about this.^[10] After positive response from the film crew, Mendis consented to take on the role. The film was later screened in 2018 and received positive reviews for his character.^[7] In the same year, he joined the stage play Handa Nihanda produced by Jayalath Manoratne.^[11]

In 2017, Lakshman acted in the drama serial Maddahana directed by Sumith Ratnayake.^[12] He won the award for the Best Supporting Actor at both Raigam Tele'es and Sumathi Awards for this role.^[13][14] In 2019, he was elected as the Secretary of the Sinhala Cultural Institute commonly known as Sudarshi.^[15][16] In 2020, he appeared in two television serials: Ahanna Kenek Na and Sudu Andagena Kalu Awidin, both received several awards at local festivals.

Selected television serials

• Ahanna Kenek Na as Dunsten Madugalle ^[17]
• Ambu Daruwo ^[18]
• Ehipillamak Yata ^[19]
• Gangulen Egodata as Sirisena
• Indrakeelaya ^[20]
• Kadulla
• Kampitha Vil ^[21]
• Kaluwara Anduna ^[22]
• Koombiyo as Dissanayake ^[23]
• Maddahana as Jayasundara ^[12]
• Maha Polowa as Kabara ^[12]
• Mama Nemei Mama ^[24]
• Murugasan
• One Way
• Paanamankada
• Sadgunaakaaraya
• Samanala Wasanthaya
• Sudu Andagena Kalu Awidin as Prof. Amarapala ^[25]
• Vinivindimi Andura ^[26]

Filmography

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Film	Roles	Ref.
1994	Handana Kinkini
1995	Demodara Palama	Bryan
2000	Indrakeelaya	Timber seller
2004	Mille Soya	Premasiri	[27]
2008	Machan	Vijitha's father	[28]
2011	Anjalika	Piyadasa	[29]
2011	Mahindagamanaya	Chief Priest	[30]
2011	Gamani	Villager	[31]
2013	Peeter One	Lorenso Sylvester	[32]
2013	Nikini Vassa	Jayasekara	[33]
2016	Sakkarang	Arachchila	[34]
2017	Swaroopa	Manager Mr. Solomons	[35]
2017	Nimnayaka Hudekalawa	Wise man	[36]
2018	Goal	Principal	[37]
2018	Nidahase Piya DS	D. S. Senanayake	[38]
2019	Dekala Purudu Kenek	Dinithi's father	[39]
2022	Temporal	Mr.Bernad
2023	Yugathra		[40]
2023	Viyasiduru	Retired Army Officer	[41]
2024	Mandara	Mandara's father	[42]
2024	Minnu		[43]
TBA	Bahuchithawadiya	Boss	[44]
TBA	Yaathra †		[45]
TBA	Monkey Man †		[46]
TBA	Reset †	Wickrama Edirisooriya	[47]
TBA	Yathra †		[48]

References

1. "Lakshman Mendis ලක්ෂ්මන් මෙන්ඩිස් films". Digital Identity of Sinhala Cinema. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
2. "Drama became so hectic in present day: Lakshman Mendis". saaravita. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
3. "I received the character of a leader who acted against my father: Lakshman Mendis". mirrorarts. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
4. "Reggie Mendis: A perfect man who is not divided on the inside". Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS Sri Lanka). Retrieved 2021-06-01.
5. "Pathi is like my second dad: Lakshman Mendis". Anidda. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
6. "More than three hundred characters have been rejected: Lakshman Mendis". Aruna. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
7. "Lakshman Mendis, who created the DS character on the silver screen; At age 61, I even learned to ride horses!". Divaina. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
8. "IMDb: Highest Rated Crime TV Series/TV Mini-Series With At Least 5000 Votes". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-10-30.
9. "Sri Lanka's Koombiyo Becomes The Highest Rated Crime TV Series On IMDB". Asian Mirror. October 25, 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-30.
10. "DS on one side and Wijeweera on the other: Lakshman Mendis". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
11. "This is an introduction to seven of Manorathna's plays". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
12. "To me this is like a pacifist: Sumith Ratnayake". Mawrata News. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
13. "Raigam Tele'es 2016 award winners". Sarasaviya.
14. "ITN again shines at the Sumathi Awards Festival clinching 16 Awards". ITN News.
15. "Vijay's dirty words hit me hard: Lakshman Mendis". Deshaya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
16. "W. Jayasiri and Lakshman Mendis to the top board of Sudarshi". mirrorarts. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
17. "'Ahanna Kenek Na' by Sunil Costa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
18. "'Ambu Daruwo':Sudath Rohana's new creation". Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
19. "A tale of a teacher". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
20. "'Indrakeelaya': tale of woman facing a bitter experience". Sunday Times. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
21. "'Kampitha Vill' shows the life and times of people in 'Panama'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
22. "Story of a village in turmoil". Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
23. "අද සිද්ධවෙන්නෙ... නළු නිළියන් මඩවන වැඩ. ලක්ෂ්මන් මෙන්ඩිස්" (in Sinhala). Archived from the original on 2017-10-03. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
24. "'Mama Nowei Mama': An unusual film". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
25. "Sudu Andagena Kalu Avidin in sri lanka Rupavahini Corporation" (in Sinhala). Mawbima. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
26. "Top short stories on mini screen". Sunday times. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
27. "Boodee and his Mille Soya trip". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
28. "'Machan' picked up for screening in seven countries". Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
29. "All eyes on Lankan-born Pooja". Sunday Times. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
30. "MAHINDAGAMANAYA - Based on True Historical Buddhist Story". mahindagamanayafilm. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
31. "Rear Admiral (Dr) Sarath Weerasekera's debut cinema creation 'GAMANI' in cinemas island-wide". Ada Derana. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
32. "Bandu is back with Peter ONE". Daily News. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
33. "Nikini Wassa". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
34. "'Sakkarang' Film about transformation from feudalism to modernity". sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
35. "'Swaroopa' to be released soon". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
36. "Alone in a Valley cast". Official website. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
37. "Teacher's mission to spread soccer in a rural school". Sunday Times. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
38. "Father Of The Nation, DS Senanayake's Legacy To Silver Screen". asianmirror. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
39. "Malith's maiden movie at PVR: Film 'Dekala Purudu Kenek'". sundaytimes. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
40. "Opportunity to watch 5 unreleased movies". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
41. "The first feature film to come out of a university: Viyasidura unveiled by Kelani University". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
42. "Priyantha Colombo's begins 'Mandara'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
43. "තුන්පත් රෑනක සොඳුරු අනන්තය "මින්නු"". www.sundaytimes.lk.
44. "Malaka Makes Maiden Feature" (Web). sundaytimes. sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
45. "Yaathra: Remember the past of a tragedy in fishing life". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
46. ""Monkeyman" shooting is over". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
47. "'රීසෙට්' වැඩ අවසන්".
48. "වෙරළ ඉමේ විසිර ගිය ජීවිත". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 9 February 2024.

External links

• Lakshman Mendis at IMDb