ජීවදත්ත

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Somy Nanda Ratnayake (born October 27, 1946, also known as Somie Ratnayake, is a Sri Lankan actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. Highly versatile actor with a career spanning more than four decades, Rathnayake is a multi-talented personnel also working as a director, script writer, film producer and playback singer.

PERSONAL LIFE

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Born on 27 October 1946 in Ambalangoda, he studied at Sivali Central College, St. Aloysius and Sri Sumana Vidyalaya, Ratnapura.[4] After finishing studies, he moved Colombo in 1968. He also studied music under maestro W.D. Amaradeva. On 16 September 1996, he went USA for an employment and work in a petrol shed.[3] He is married to fellow actress Susila Rathnayake and the couple has one son - Naveen.

ACTING CAREER

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His entrance to the drama career was accidental.[5] Once, his friend said that he was doing a stage play, so Rathnayake went to Sudarshi Hall.[3] Then he was selected for Sumana Aloka Bandara's play Erabandu Mal Sinasuna. However before that drama, Jayatissa Alahakoon's play Mala Kolam staged, which was his maiden stage acting. Later he joined Dayananda Jayawardena's film Amaraneeya Adaraya. However, he has to wait for a cinematic role until the film Selenaage Walawwa. By 1996, Somy Rathnayake was the only professional actor in the country. He won the award for the Best Supporting Actor in 1975 State Drama Festival for the role in play Paraputuwo.

He directed the stage dramas such as Ran Salakunu, Enuscola and Sabanda Mama Rasputin. Some of his directed television serials include Daasi and Indrajali.