Denawaka Hamine

ona Meraya Denawaka (1906 - 2002) was a Sri Lankan actress. "The grand old lady" was known for portraying elderly characters.

Hamine was born February 20, 1906 in Imbulgoda, Gampaha. She was by profession a school teacher until a chance encounter with G. D. L. Perera when she accompanied a young actress to a theatrical audition, led to her winning the role of an elderly mother in Perera's play Kandulu. Due to her masterful performance in the role, Perera brought Hamine into his drama group Kala Pela; she would play in Kala Pela productions like Manamalayo, Sakkarawattang and Sama (as Nonnohamy) and was honored with a merit award at the 1964 Arts Council Drama Festival for her role in Totupola.

Hamine's debut film role was in Sirisena Wimalaweera's Amma (1950). She reprised her role in Sama in 1965 when it was adapted to the big screen by Perera. In Sath Samudura (1968) she played the mother of two fishermen to much critical rave. She was presented a Best Character Actress Award for the role by a special government council. It was delivered on stage by the then Sri Lankan prime minister Dudley Senanayake.

In the 1970s Hamine appeared in Tun Man Handiya, Kolomba Sanniya and Matara Achchi. She continued to perform in the elderly woman character. She played to Western audiences with a small role in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as a weeping mother in 1984. In 1987, she was awarded the Kalasuri title.

Hamine did work in television with roles in teldramas like Kopi Kade. In 1998 she received a honorary award for her contributions to Sinhala Cinema from the Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga