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Wilson Karunaratne, popularly known as Wilson Karu (28 October 1942 – 3 May 2022) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, and stunt director. Considered one of the best villains in Sinhala cinema, Karunaratne acted in more than 240 films across many genres primarily as main antagonist.

Personal life

Wilson Karu was born on 28 October 1942 in Colombo, Sri Lanka as the second child of the family with four siblings. He had one elder brother, one younger sister and one younger brother. He completed education from Lumbini College, Colombo. During young ages, he played football, cricket, gymnastics, wrestling, judo and karate. Once he was selected to go to a football training camp in Pakistan, but he could not attend the camp as he fell from motor bike and broke the shoulder.

He never married and lived alone after the death of his parents. He died on 3 May 2022 at the age of 79. His remains were laid at Jayaratne parlour for public respect on 3 May 2022 and cremation took place at Kirulapone crematorium at 4 p.m on 4 May 2022.

Career

He had a long standing passion to be an actor star where he frequently went to the film halls to watch English and Sinhala films. A relative called Punya Bulathsinhala referred him to the director of the film Hadawath Naththo Subayar Makeem in 1974. Karunaratne made his maiden cinematic appearance through the 1974 film Hadawath Naththo as a stuntman. The first scenario was the fight with Robin Fernando at the Rubber Estate. He went missing from the films for about a year after Hadawath Naththo. After that, with the help of Karunadasa Perera, the then production manager of the films, Karu re-entered the film industry by joining the fight scenes in films such as Yakadaya, Hitha Mithura, Sankapali and Saradielge Putha directed by Neil Rupasinghe and Sarath Rupasinghe.

In 1987, he got a lead role in the film Kiwule Gedara Mohottala directed by Pathiraja L.S. Dayananda. In one scene in the film, he had to jump from a height of about 80 feet, where his spine hit a rock. Dr. Godagama Jayasinghe treated his spine for months. He continued to make several near-to-death moments during jumps, summersaults and scenes in moving trains and trucks in the films such as: Dinesh Priyasad's Demodara Palama, Malani Fonseka's Sasara Chethana, Cyril Weerasinghe's Anuradha, Preethiraj Weeraratne's Pudumai Eth Aththai, Ranjith Siriwardena's Yudha Gini Meda etc. He won a merit award for the role "Nicholas" in Fonseka's film Sasara Chethana.

With that he acted in more than 250 Sinhala films and 15 television serials particularly as the villain. Apart from cinema, he appeared in the television serials Thara Devi produced by Lucien Bulathsinhala and also in the serials Eranga and Ran Kahawanu. Meanwhile, he also worked as the stunt director in few films. In 2018 he appeared in the music video Danuna produced by Iraj Weeraratne, where the public later criticized his appearance for the life of popular singer Victor Rathnayake.

Arrest

In May 2020, Karu was arrest by the police due to obstruction of police duty in violation of quarantine laws. The incident had taken place in the Kirulapone area while attempting to obtain the Rs. 5000 allowance. He was produced to the court by Kirulapone police.

Accident

In March 2021, Karu fell at his home and no one noticed for several hours. Neighbors rushed him to hospital after they saw the water continue to flow in the bathroom for a long time. He then received treatment at Ward 43 of the Colombo General Hospital. A Bodhi Pooja for a speedy recovery was held at the Bellanwila Temple on 21 March 2021.

Filmography and stunt coordination

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

References

1. "Wilson Karunarathna". IMDb. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
2. "Robin Fernando selects best stuntnmen in the country". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
3. "Karu in Iraj video". Hiru FM. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
4. "Veteran actor Wilson Karu no more". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
5. ^ "Kind Karu". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
6. "Wilson Karu bids farewell". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
7. "Veteran actor Wilson Karunaratne passes away". Daily News. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
8. "Talk with Wilson Karu". rategossip. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
9. "Wilson Karunarathna - විල්සන් කරුණාරත්න". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
10. "Villain of Sri Lankan cinema Wilson Karunaratne dies". colombogazette. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
11. "Veteran actor Wilson Karunaratne passes away". adaderana. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
12. "The story that Wilson Karu is telling now". Siyatha FM. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
13. "Veteran actor Wilson Karu speaks about the arrest". Hiru FM. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
14. "Veteran actor Wilson Karu arrested". Hiru FM. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
15. "Veteran actor Wilson Karunaratne passes away". Mawbima. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
16. "Let's bless Karu". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
17. "Sri Lankan Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
18. "All about "Hithuwoth Hithuwamai"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
19. "All about Yakadaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
20. "Veera Puran Appu (1979)". IMDb. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
21. "පෙම් සිහින තොටින් 'කිඳුරු කුමාරි'". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
22. "'Demodara Palama' in memory of Gamini". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
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. "'Oba Koheda Priye': Story of deceit and intrigue". Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
26. "Ranjan's maiden effort". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
27. "එදා මෙදා තිරගත වූ සිංහල චිත්‍රපට". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
28. "Sonduru Dadabima". The Island. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
29. "Udayakantha flies with iron feathers". IMDb. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
30. "Bheeshanaye Athuru Kathawak". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
31. "One Shot One". The Island. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
32. "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
33. "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
34. "Smooth Sailing". Daily News. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
35. "Vijaya Kuweni". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
36. "Controversial Ehelepola episode on the silver screen". The Sunday Observer. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
37. "Parapura". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
38. "Bonikka". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
39. "Thiththa Aththa - තිත්ත ඇත්ත". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
40. "Preethiraj is ready with RASHMI". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 5 May 2022.

External links

• Wilson Karunarathne on Sinhala Cinema Database
• Duplicate is no Duplicate
• PEO TV launches “HELAWOOD POPCORN” blog creating a new virtual space for our cinema

• 1942 births
• 2022 deaths
• Sri Lankan male film actors
• Stunt performers
• Male actors from Colombo