Kala Suri Attanayake Mudiyanselage Podi Manike (born August 23, 1947), popularly known as Manike Attanayake (), is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. She is best known for the role in television serial Palingu Manike. In 1987, she was honored with "Kalasuri", becoming the youngest Sri Lankan to win that award.
Personal life Manike Attanayake was born on 23 August 1947 in Thalwatte, Kandy as the youngest of the family with five siblings. Her father, Wilson Attanayake was a renowned Sokeri actor in Kandy who worked at Cargills Company. Her mother Ran Manike Attanayake was a housewife. Attanayake completed education from Senkadagala Maha Vidyalaya, currently known as D. S. Senanayaka College, Kandy and Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy. One of her elder sisters, Kumari Manike also acted in many stage dramas.
She is married to retired police officer Raja Attanayake and the couple has two sons and one daughter.
Acting career Attanayake joined with "Ranga Shilpa Shalika" at Lionel Wendt Art Centre to start stage drama acting. She studied drama and theater under renowned dramatist Dhamma Jagoda, who converted her name into stage name "Manike Attanayake". Her maiden stage drama acting came through Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Maname in 1976. In 1979, Attanayake engaged as an A-grade singer in Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation with a versatile range of singing in Noorthi, Nadagam and Classical.
Meanwhile, she started to act in many popular stage plays such as Sarachchandra's Sinhabahu, Lomahansa, Mahasara, Wessanthara, R.R. Samarakoon's Kelani Palama, W.B. Makuloluwa's Depano, Dayananda Gunawardena's Nari Bena, Dikthala Kalagola and Modara Mola. In 1981, Attanayake won the award for Best Actor at State Drama Festival for the role "Paththini" in the play Mini Salamba. In 1987, she was awarded the Kala Suri Award and in 1991, and then the Special Jury Award at the State Theater Festival. She was honored with the title "Moratuputra Abhinandana" award at the "Sahithyangali" Literary Festival held by Moratuwa Municipal Council in 2017 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the field of stage drama.
She is one of the earliest pillars in Sri Lankan television history. She acted in many popular serials including Palingu Manike, Ella Langa Walawwa, Yashorawaya, Parana Tawuma, Nelli Gedara, Anu Nawayen Nawaya, Mihikathagē Daruvō, Manōmandira, Sandagala Thænna, Nomærena Minissu, Niyaṁ Kurullō and Medi Sina.
Her maiden cinematic experience came through 1981 film Sudda directed by Rathnaweera De Silva. She generally acted in many supportive roles in cinema. Some of her popular films are Niliyakata Pem Kalemi, Seilama, Parliament Jokes, Ridee Nimnaya, Birinda, Mangala Thǣgga, Okkoma Rajavaru, Vana Bambarā, Esaḷa San̆da, Surabidena, Sujāthā, Dhavala Puṣhpaya, Sūra Daruvō, Sathkampā, Saptha Kanyā, Yakaḍa Pihāṭu and Gindarī.
Songs None Mage Sudu None with Sunil Perera
Ethata Yami Piyabala
Hunuwataye Kathaya
Rathdare Siriya Paradana
Selected stage dramas
Depano Deiyo Sakki Dikthala Kalagola Lomahansa Kelani Palama Mahasara Manamalaya Maname Mini Salamba Modara Mola Nari Bena Sinhabahu Wessanthara
Selected Television serial Alla Langa Walawwa Anu Nawayen Nawaya Denuwara Menike Deweni Gamana Induwari Ganga Saha Nissanka Kokila Ginna Mano Mandira Medi Sina Mihikathage Daruwo Nelli Gedara Niyan Kurullo Nomerena Minissu Palingu Menike Parana Tawuma Piththala Konderuma Ranthaliya Walawwa Sandagala Thenna Sath Sanda Kirana Sende Sakmana Sikuru Lanthe Sura Vimana Thattu Gewal Vasudha Yashorawaya
Filmography
Year Film Role Ref. 1981 Sudda 1982 Ridee Nimnaya Prabha 1983 Niliyakata Pem Kalemi Hamu's wife 1984 Birinda 1985 Rejina 1985 Du Daruwo 1987 Mangala Thegga Mekhala 1987 Viragaya Officer Hamine 1989 Okkoma Rajawaru 1989 Waradata Danduwam 1990 Pem Raja Dahana Manike 1990 Wana Bambara 1991 Asai Bayai 1991 Esala Sanda 1993 Surabidena Midwife 1993 Saptha Kanya Mrs. Silva 1993 Nelum Saha Samanmalee 1994 Sujatha Singer 1994 Dhawala Pushpaya Matron 1995 Seilama Marcus' wife 1995 Deviyani Sathya Surakinna 1996 Soora Daruwo 1997 Duwata Mawaka Misa Manike Aththanayaka 2002 Parliament Jokes Manike 2002 Sathkampa Yasawathi 2003 Yakada Pihatu Loku Nena 2005 One Shot Rani 2008 Nil Diya Yahana Shanuka's mother 2012 Super Six Julo's mother 2015 Lantin Singho 2015 Gindari Minister's wife
References
External links "එහෙම සම්බන්ධයක් ඇත්තටම තියෙනවා නම් කවදාවත් මම ඒ දේ කෙලින් කියන්න බය වෙන්නෙ නෑ" - මැණිකේ අත්තනායක අපි දැන් කම්කරුවෝ වගේ.. මැණිකේ අත්තනායක පළිඟු මැණිකේ නිහඬ වූ හේතුව මෙන්න