Dilhani Ashokamala Ekanayake (Sinhala: දිල්හානි ඒකනායක; born 4 March 1970) is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television.[1] One of the most popular film actresses in Sinhala cinema, Ekanayake has won several awards as the most popular actress in multiple times.
Dilhani Ekanayake | |
|---|---|
| දිල්හානි ඒකනායක | |
 Dilhani Ekanayake | |
| Born | Dilhani Ashokamala Ekanayake 4 March 1970 |
| Occupation | Film actress |
| Years active | 1990 - Present |
| Spouse | Priyankara Perera |
| Children | Dilmin Perera |
| Relatives | Milton Perera (father-in-law) Chalaka Chamupathi (brother-in-law) |
| Awards | Sarasaviya Best Actress Award Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award |
Personal life
editEkanayake studied at St Clare's girls school, in Colombo. She is married to singer and actor Priyankara Perera son of singer Milton Perera. She has a son, Dilmin Perera.[2]
In late 2020, her husband Priyankara was diagnosed with a kidney failure.[3]
Career
editBefore becoming a film actress, she acted in few ballets. In 1987, along with Channa Wijewardena, she performed the ballet Ukussa. Ekanayake made her cinema debut in 1991 film Dedunnen Samanaliyak directed by Yasapalitha Nanayakkara. In that year, she won the Sarasaviya award for the Best Upcoming Actress. In 1992, she won the award for the Most Popular Actress at the same festival.[4]
Her early roles were confined to commercial films. Her ability to dance and her trade mark smile captivated the audiences. She is known as the Sridevi of Sri Lanka.[5] Her career hit a different trail with her role as an abandoned Tamil girl in the film Me Mage Sandai by Asoka Handagama. This serious role paved the way for other remarkable performances in Sudu Kalu Saha Alu (Shades of Grey), Mage Wam Atha (My Left Hand) and Sulanga (Wind). In 2005, she again won the award for the Best Actress for the role Sudu Kalu Saha Alu at Sarasaviya Festival. In 2007, she won Presidential award for the Best Actress for the role in Sulanga.[4]
Also she made some notable roles in Mage Wam atha, Sulanga, Me Mage Sandai, Sudu Kalu Saha Alu, Pem Kekula, Nilambare, Gamani and many comedy films such as Cheriyo Darling, Chaya Maya etc.[4]
Though cited as a cinema actress, she has also starred in several teledramas of which Maya Ranga, Swarna Kingkini, Meeduma, Sath Sanda Kirana and Amarapuraya stand out.[4] She plays a major role in the Sri Lankan movie star show Ridee Reyak, which is a very popular annual event in Sri Lanka. She also performed as a judge of Ranawiru Real Star and Mega Star as well. Her latest performance came through in Dhawala Doowili, Bharyawo,[6] and Deviya Sugala teledramas.
Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Dedunnen Samanaliyak | Best Upcoming Actress | Won |
| 1992 | Most popular Actress | Won | |
| 2002 | Merit Award | Won | |
| 2002 | All performances of the year | Special Jury Award | Won |
| 2005 | Sudu Kalu Saha Alu | Best Actress | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Me Mage Sandai | Best Actress | Won |
| 2005 | Sulanga | Best Actress | Won |
| 2023 | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Me Mage Sandai | Silver Performance (Female) | Won |
| 2012 | Gamani | Gold Performance (Female) | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Gamani | Best Actress | Won |
| 2015 | People's vote | Most popular Actress | Won |
| 2018 | Dharmayuddhaya | Best Actress | Won |
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
References
edit- ↑ "Now the film industry is in a place where it seems to be disappearing: Dilhani Ekanayake". සරසවිය. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ↑ "Dilhani Ekanayaka's son and family". Lankahelp.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ↑ "We need your help for Priyankara". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 "Actress who worked only one percent". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ↑ "Little Sri Devi and Golden Butterfly". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ↑ ""Bharyavo" now on Sirasa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ↑ "President honours Lankan Cinema". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
- ↑ "'Rathu Aluyama': last creation of Yasapalitha". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ↑ "'Seetha Sameere' portrays chefs and lovers". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ↑ "'Pem Kekula' goes back to a hilarious past". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
- ↑ "'Sellankukka' for Christmas". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ↑ "Cheriyo Holman' now". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ↑ "'Thahanam Gaha': A film with a political flavour". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ↑ "'Surapurata Kanyaviyak': Mario's new film". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ↑ "Luxman's 'Sudu Salu' now on screen". Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ↑ "Rajjumala:Anura's third film". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- ↑ "Sumith enters cinema with 'Kurulu Pihatu'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- ↑ "Tear falling cinema about a village boy". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ↑ "Seya, Her spirit will follow you". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- ↑ "Tale of Melisha and Sisira at Elders Home - plot of Wali Pawuru". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ↑ "Honestly modest, courageous, Elapatha deceived the Yama King - Reload". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ↑ "A cinematic carnival by the sea". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
- ↑ "The story of a young man in the south caught in the north wind". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
- ↑ "Adults only film by Somaratne Dissanayake". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
- ↑ "She is back home – Deweni Yuddhaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ↑ ""වැරැදුණු මඟ නිවැරැදි කළ" අපේ ප්රින්සිපල්". සරසවිය. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ↑ "තුන්පත් රෑනක සොඳුරු අනන්තය "මින්නු"". www.sundaytimes.lk.
- ↑ "සොඳුරු ජීවිතේ අඳුරු පැතිකඩ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ↑ "මාතෘත්වයේ කැඩපත". Sarasaviya. 22 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ↑ "විනිශ්චය අවි- නිශ්චිතය !". Sarasaviya. 11 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
- ↑ "Dharmayuddhaya 2' Wraps Up Filming — A Powerful Sequel in the Making". sundaytimes.lk. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "සුරලොවින් නරලොවට වඩිනා සුර දෙටුවෝ". sarasaviya.lk. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "New filmmaker with 'Angara'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ↑ "The story of Subhani who got lost in two worlds .. 'Tharu Athara'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "සෆීර් මම නෙමෙයි පෙන්වයි". සරසවිය. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ↑ "සසර මඟ දිගු කළ මාගම්සෝලි". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ↑ "අඳුර විනිවිද ජීවිතය සොයන "පශ්චිම යාමය"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- ↑ "පතිකුලය සුබ මොහොතින් වැඩ අරඹයි". sarasaviya.lk. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
