Ruwanthie is an award winning playwright, screen writer and theatre director. Her plays have been produced in Sri Lanka, the UK, Japan, India, Australia and the Philippines. Her first play won the British Council International New Playwriting award in 1997 and was the first Sri Lankan play to be performed in London’s West End (at the Royal Court Theatre). In 2000 she was awarded the Gratiaen Prize for best creative writing in Sri Lanka and in 2005 was Chairperson of the Gratiaen Judging Panel. She is recipient of the 2001 Presidential Scholarship for theatre from the govt of Sri Lanka and the 2006 Theatre Pasta award for her contribution to international theatre.

Ruwanthie has an Honours degree in English Literature from Colombo University and a First Class Masters in Applied Theatre from Manchester University. She is a former member of the National Drama Panel of Sri Lanka and a Visiting Lecturer at the National University for Performing and Visual Arts. She also teaches English Literature at a Secondary girls school. In 2001, Ruwanthie co-founded the youth theatre company ‘Stages Theatre Group’ of Sri Lanka. She continues to be its artistic director.

She was born in 1975. She lives in Colombo with her husband and two daughters.

“Machan” is Ruwanthie’s first screenplay.