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Pattiyage Robin Steven Fernando (born 15 June 1937 – died 8 January 2022 as රොබින් ප්‍රනාන්දු in ), popularly as Robin Fernando, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and television as well as a stunt coordinator. Considered as one of the best stunt directors in Sinhala cinema, Fernando started his career in the 1965 film Chandiya, and rose to prominence with lead roles.

Early life and education

Fernando was born on 15 June 1937 at Kotahena, Sri Lanka as the third of the family. His father Cyril Anthony served in Department of Printing and as Chief Foreman in the Printing Division of the M.D. Gunasena Company. His mother Vilet Anthony was a housewife. He had two elder sisters and two younger sisters. A Buddhist devotee, Fernando never gave up going to the Dhamma School at Deepaduttaramaya in Kotahena on every Sundays.

He completed his education from St. Benedict's College, Colombo during the period that World War II occurred. He took national colors for sports such as karate and gymnastics as well. After leaving school in 1963, he went to work for the Mackwood Company in Colombo.

Career

Fernando was introduced to film director Titus Thotawatte by Ariyaratne Kahawita. His first role came through Hingana Kolla, as an uncredited stuntman. He was chosen to film Chandiya by Ariyaratne Kahavita. According to Fernando, his first cinema acting came through Chandiya, but it was screened in 1965 after his second film Dheewarayo was screened in 1964. He has acted in more than 80 Sinhala films since his debut acting in 1965 film Chandiya. Until the film Sagarika, Fernando starred in Thotawatte's films. Although he entered as a martial artist, he was not centered in it. His most adventurous fight scene after Chandiya was in the films Kapatikama and Kauda Hari.

Fernando pointed out that stunt is an art when every time he gets a chance at the films like Bicycle Horā, Ohoma Hondada and Pēnava Nēda. The 1971 film Dævena Pipāsa made his first lead role. By that time he had shown his talent through the sub-main characters such as the role "Raja" in another 1971 film Hāralakṣe with one of his most satirical characters. Films such as Nivena Ginna, Apēkṣā, Veera Puran Appu were among Robin's most acclaimed films. The song "Soduru Lowata Mal Wehala" which he sang with Geetha Kumarasinghe in the 1978 film Apeksha is one of the most popular songs in Sinhala cinema. In that film, the terrible fight with Ranjan Mendis was also one of the most adventurous fights in Sinhala cinema. In 1983, Fernando directed his first film Sura Doothiyo, which was based on real incidents. His last direction came through Ninja Sri Lanka.

His first television acting came through Sriyani Amarasena's Ira Batu Tharuwa, which was shot in England. Some of the other television serials of Robin Fernando include, Chandramaya, Hangimuttam, Paradeesaya and Damini.

Personal life and death

Fernando married his partner Violet Jayaweera on 14 October 1964 and they had one son: Channa and one daughter Eranthika. He met Violet in 1962. Fernando died on 8 January 2022, at the age of 84. He had been receiving treatment for Parkinson's disease for nearly two years.

Filmography

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

Television

Fernando has also acted in many television serials.

• Bogala Sawundiris
• Bopath Sakkiya
• Chandramaya
• Damini
• Hangimuththan
• Hima Rathriya
• Ira Batu Tharuwa
• Paradeesaya
• Pingala Danawwa
• Pushparaga
• Samudra Chaya
• Sangramaya
• Sarisara Lihini
• Sekku Gedara
• Urumaya Soya
• Wansakkarayo
• Wassanaye Hiru Evidin

References

1. ^ "'Jackie Chan' in Sinhala cinema: Robin Fernando in a retrospective of the past". Silumina. January 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
2. "Robin Fernando". National Film Corporation Of Sri Lanka.
3. "Happy Birthday Robin Brother". Sarasaviya. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
4. ^ "Its 51 years to Robin's cinema life". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
5. ^ "The eternal fighter of our cinema". සරසවිය. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
6. "Robin: Remarkable role of action hero". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
7. "Robin in mood to reminisce". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
8. "Robin Fernando filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
9. "Face 2 Face with Robin Fernando". Info Lanka. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
10. "Sri Lanka : Veteran actor Robin Fernando passes away". www.colombopage.com. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
11. "Senior Actor Robin Fernando has passed away". NewsWire. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
12. "Sri Lankan Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
13. "All about "Chandiya"". Sarasaviya. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
14. "All about the film "Ohoma Hondada"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
15. "All about Ran Onchilla". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
16. "Invaluable Haara Lakshe". sarasaviya. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
17. "He left me: Sikuruliya". sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
18. "Siripala and Ranmenika highlighted the poetic mind of the misguided man". sarasaviya. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
19. "All about the film "Apeksha"". sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
20. "පෙම් සිහින තොටින් 'කිඳුරු කුමාරි'". Sarasaviya. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
21. "Unmada Wu Premadara: Saptha Kanya". sarasaviya. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
22. "බිඳුණා දැහැන් බිඳුණා වීසි දැල". Sarasaviya. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
23. "'Dadabima': story of tea and drugs". Sunday Times. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
24. "'Pem Kekula' goes back to a hilarious past". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
25. "New year starts with a new director". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
26. "CineMa from April 22nd". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
27. "Pioneer of stunts of Sinhala cinema". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
28. "'Bogala Saundaris' story on exploitation and heroism". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
29. "'Bopath Sakkiya' goes in search of contentment". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
30. "'Hangimuththan' from Sriyani". Sunday Times. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
31. "'Pingala Danawwa' portrays our ancient civilisation". The Nation. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
32. "'Pushparaga': A suspenseful teledrama". Sunday Times. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
33. "Samudra Chaya: a tender love story". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
34. "Malani flies high with 'Sarisara Lihini'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
35. "Janaka comes out with 'Urumaya Soya'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
36. "'Wansakkarayo' exposes evils of politics". Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
37. "Of love, sacrifice and mystery". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.

External links

• Robin Fernando at IMDb
• රොබින් ප්‍රනාන්දුගේ 75 වැනි ජන්ම දිනය දා
• සිනමාවේ සොඳුරු සටන් නළුවා රොබින් ප්‍රනාන්දු සුවදුක් සොයා සරසවිය ගිය ගමන

• 1937 births
• 2022 deaths
• Sri Lankan male film actors
• Sri Lankan male television actors
• People from Colombo District
• Neurological disease deaths in Sri Lanka
• Deaths from Parkinson's disease