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Thuiappuarachchi Don Daya de Alwis (born 7 November 1942 – died 27 April 2015 as දයා අල්විස්) ), popularly known as Daya Alwis, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. He was also a screenwriter and director. He directed about six teledramas. He was the first person in Sri Lanka to receive an award covering all three areas - Stage Drama, Cinema and Teledrama.

He died on 27 April 2015 at the age of 72, while receiving treatment after an accident.

Personal life

Daya Alwis was born on 7 November 1942 in Payagala as the fourth son of the family with seven siblings. He completed his education from Kalutara Vidyalaya. In 1956 at the age of 14, he sang the song Laa Dalu Wanamal. After finishing Bhathkande degree, he entered to Tholangamuwa Central College as the music teacher. He made his first drama, Girikuta, at the school.

He was married to Yamuna Dayangani and they had two sons - Sarangadeva and Sapumal Bandara.

Acting career

Before entering acting, Alwis traveled to India in 1964 to study music in Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University and worked as a sound mixer for on stage events. In 1966, he produced his first film. He started acting career with stage dramas, Depano, Modara Mola, Ekadhipathi, Kaluware Jaramare, Ran Kanda, such as Sarathchandra's Premathi Jayathi Soko and Kalu Walalu, Gunasena Galapththi's Muhudu Puttu, Henry Jayasena's Makarã Saha Gamanak, Dharmasiri Bandara's Kakarasaya, Dawala Beehishana, Somalatha Subasinghe's Vikurthi and Jayantha Chandrasiri's Môra. His own production Dalpadadu was shown on 6 and 13 October in Sweden and again in October at Harrow and later at the University of London, Westminster. His stage drama Parasthawa also played in London and Birmingham. Some of stage dramas he directed include Aganthukayo and K Sara. He is the screenplay writer and assistant director for the film Sinhabahu.

Television career

Alwis is one of the earliest pillars of Sinhala teledrama history. He made history as the first person who wrote and acted in the first drama, La Hiru Dahasak, which was televised, in Sri Lankan television. He also wrote screenplay for the dramas Awarjanaa, Punarawarthana and Bodima. His maiden teledrama direction came through Chandra Yamaya. He acted in the critically acclaimed serial Weda Hamine and then on Chandrayamaya. His most popular television acting came through the Bodima and Paba television serials. He also starred in Ira Bata Taruwa, the first Sri Lankan teledrama filmed in London. In 2001, he directed the serial Awasan Horawa telecast on ITN channel every Friday at 7.30 p.m. from January 5.

Television serials

• Awarjanaa
• Awasan Horawa
• Bhagya
• Bodima
• Chandrayamaya
• Gal Pilimaya Saha Bol Pilimaya
• Ganga ha Nissanka
• Hikmiya
• Hiruta Muwawen
• Ira Batu Tharuwa
• Kokila Wilapaya
• Kota Uda Mandira
• La Hiru Dahasak
• Makara Vijithaya
• Manmulawu Mama
• Nirsathwayo
• Niwataya
• Paba
• Parasathu Malak
• Pathok Palama
• Pinsara Dosthara
• Pitagamkarayo
• Punarawarthana
• Samanala Gamanak
• Sandagalathenna
• Sathya
• Sathyaya
• Siri Sirimal
• Vasudha
• Wanasarana
• Wassana Sihinaya
• Weda Hamine

Death

On 20 April 2015 he met with an accident at Bokundara, Piliyandala with a threewheel. He went home without any medications as no any external bleeding had taken place. However, internal bleeding had occurred and his head had received a contusion in the accident. He was then rushed to the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital. He underwent treatment at Neurological Unit for severe bleeding in his brain. He died on 27 April around 3.50am, due to internal bleeding while receiving treatment at the hospital.

Filmography

Alwis started his film career with Amarnath Jayatilaka's 1976 film Thilake Ha Thilaka. Then he acted in more than 40 films. Some of his popular cinema acting came through Kolamba Sanniya, Madol Duwa, Sarungalaya, Pooja, Maya as well as Wasantha Obeysekara’s Walmathwuwo, where he was nominated for national awards.

• No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.

References

1. "Daya Alwis bio". Rate your music. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
2. "Face2Face with Daya Alwis". Infolanka. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
3. "Popular Actor Daya Alwis Passes Away". Asian Mirror. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
4. "Daya Alwis Remember His Past". ekatakatha2. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
5. ^ "Renowned actor Daya Alwis passes away". News First. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
6. ^ "Thank You Daya Alwis". News First. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
7. "Awasan Horawa': a skilful adaptation". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
8. "Bhagya Tele-Drama". Torana Video. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
9. "Bodima Tele-Drama". Torana Video. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
10. "Hiruta Muwaven Tele-Drama". Torana Video. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
11. ""Ira Bata Tharuwa":A mother in search of the daughter". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
12. "'Irabata Taruwa': special screening in London". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
13. "Makara Vijithaya has unusual plot". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
14. "Mohan tackles a rare theme in 'Manmulawu Mama'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
15. "Nirsathwayo comes ever Sunday". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
16. "'Parasathu Malak':bloom of sweet love". Sunday Times. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
17. "'Patok Palama':Old theme on a new time belt". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
18. "Pinsara Dosthara: A Doctor in Double Act". Sunday Times. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
19. "GDL Perera back to his love". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
20. "Sandagalatenna highlights the power of indigenous medicine". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
21. "Sathya". boodeekeerthisena.com. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
22. "'Sathyaya': Out to thrill". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
23. "Siri Sirimal Tele-Drama". vodtv. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
24. "'Siri Sirimal':The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
25. "Vasoodhaa: a courageous girl". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
26. "'Wassana Sihinaya' on Derana". Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
27. "Daya Alwis no more". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
28. "Veteran actor Daya Alwis ... passes away from sudden accident". gossiplankanews. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
29. "Daya Alwis filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
30. "Looking back with no regret". Fragments. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
31. "Sri Lankan Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
32. "All about Madol Duwa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
33. "All about the film "Karumakkarayo"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
34. "All about Maha Gedara". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
35. "Dadayama: The hunt that was a hunt". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
36. "All about Viragaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
37. "බිඳුණා දැහැන් බිඳුණා වීසි දැල". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
38. "The final part of Gamini Fonseka's film journey". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 December 2017.

External links

• Chat with Daya Alwis

• Sri Lankan male film actors
• 1942 births
• 2015 deaths
• Sri Lankan male television actors
• Sri Lankan male stage actors
• Sri Lankan theatre directors
• Road incident deaths in Sri Lanka