Rathnayake Arachchilage Somapala (Sinhala:සෝමපාල රත්නායක; 7 November 1947 – 18 July 2017), popularly known as Somapala Rathnayake, was a Sri Lankan actor, composer, lyricist and musician.

Personal life Rathnayake was born on 7 November 1947 in a small village near Kadugannawa as the fourth of the family with 10 siblings. His father was Rathnayake Arachchilage Don James. He was popularly known as Rathnayake Veda Mahaththaya, was an apothecary and sang "noorthi gee," a type of Sinhala folk songs. His mother was Abeykoon Mayadunnelage Sumanawathi. He was educated at Kadugannawa Junior School and then attended to Kadugannawa Maha Vidyalaya for secondary education. He learned music under K.M. Sugathapala at the school.

One of his elder brothers, Victor Rathnayake is a renowned musician in Sri Lanka. Victor has two daughters and two sons from first marriage with Chithra Rathnayake. His daughter Chandani is a dancer and a vocalist. His elder son Jayantha Rathnayake was a renowned musician and composer. Jayantha started his music career as the keyboard player in Sihashakthi musical band. Jayantha was married as has one daughter and one son. His younger son Lelum is also a musician and singer who worked in a musical band. On 6 April 2020, Jayantha Rathnayake died at the age of 52 while receiving treatments at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama.

In 1960s, he joined with farmer's army. After few years of work, then he joined with Wildlife Department. He worked in the job for only one month. He was married to longtime partner, Mary Margaret Mayadunne. He met Mary during music classes at Heywood academy. They married in September 1970. It was the only day that he shaved his beard completely. She is a retired music teacher. The couple has four children, where one died at very small age. His daughter and two sons are not related to music.

On 17 July 2017, he was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital due to a sudden illness. He died on 18 July 2017 at the age of 69 while receiving treatments. The remains were placed at his residence at No: 78/C, Bopitiya Road, Uswetakeiyawa. The funeral took place on 20 July 2017 at the Hunupitiya Cemetery.

Music career He went to M.G.P music academy to learn music under Ananda Perera's father. In 1968, he attended to the State Music College, now known as the Institute of Aesthetic Studies. Then he learned Western music under R.A. Chandrasena. At that time, he attended to the music classes conducted by Premasiri Khemadasa. He started to play cello under the guidance of M. K. Rocksamy and then from Miss Joyce at Ceylon Symphony. He became the only cello artist in the preceding years of 60s and 70s in every film.

Rathnayake joined cinema as a backing violin player under Khemadasa for the film Hanthane Kathawa directed by Sugathapala Senarath Yapa in 1969. The country's first cartoon film, Dutugemunu by Givantha Arthasadge was his first film as a musical director. Unfortunately, the film was only screened one day. Subsequently, he composed music for the blockbuster film Handaya. The film won several awards and received positive reviews from critics. His composed the popular song Kawuruda Kawuruda Dan Lokko in that film.

Rathnayake was the music director for many films directed by Gamini Fonseka such as Uthumaneni, Sagarayak Meda, Koti Waligaya and Nomiyena Minisun. He composed the song Paaradise sung by H.R. Jothipala and Desmond Rodrigo. He made the lyrics for the song Mihipita Bim Agalak sung by W.D. Amaradeva for the film Nomiyena Minisun.

He was the music director for all the films directed by Dinesh Priyasad including, Demodara Palama and Peralikarayo. Then he continued to work in many blockbuster commercial films of Roy de Silva such as Re Daniel Dawal Migel film series, Jonsun and Gonsun, Cheriyo film series and Sepata Dukata Sunny. He had to compose music for Hindi tunes in certain Sinhala films such as Jaya Mangalam Suba Mangalam song sung by Jothipala for the film Peralikarayo This song was the last film song written by Karunaratne Abeysekera. Jothipala has sung to his music in many films such as Ridee Thella, Waradata Danduwam, Paaradise and Peralikarayo.

He was also awarded the Sarasaviya Award for Best Music Director for the film Ekada Wahi directed by Parakrama Jayasinghe. He also acted in that film. Rathnayake's maiden cinema acting came through the 1992 film Raja Daruwo directed by Daya Wimalaweera. For that film, he composed the popular song Dilidune Daruwane Mage sung by Gratien Ananda. He also composed music for several television serials such as Sannaliyane and acted in the serial Kiri Kandulak.

Apart from that, Rathnayake also composed music for television cartoons. His song Muhuda Mage Goda Bimai in the cartoon "Dosthara Honda Hitha" gained large popularity. He composed the most number of Christian songs as a Buddhist.

Filmography

Year Film Roles 1969 Hanthane Kathawa Violinist 1976 Nilla Soya Lyricist 1979 Dutugemunu Composer 1979 Handaya Composer 1979 Podi Malli Celloist ("Kohe Sita") 1980 Uthumaneni Composer 1981 Sagarayak Meda Composer 1981 Ridee Thella Composer 1983 Subodha Composer 1984 Podi Ralahami Composer 1984 Sahodariyakage Kathawa Composer 1986 Peralikarayo Composer 1986 Koti Waligaya Composer 1987 Sathyagrahanaya Composer 1987 Kele Kella Composer 1987 Nommara Ekai Composer 1989 Okkoma Rajawaru Composer 1989 Waradata Danduwam Composer 1990 Hondin Naththam Narakin Composer 1990 Honda Honda Sellam Composer 1990 Hitha Honda Puthek Composer 1991 Paaradise Composer 1991 Hithata Dukak Nathi Miniha Composer 1991 Cheriyo Doctor Composer 1992 Oba Mata Wishwasai Composer 1992 Raja Daruwo Actor 1993 Weli Sulanga Composer, Music supervisor 1993 Surayan Athara Veeraya Composer 1993 Come O'Go Chicago Composer 1993 Bambasara Bisaw Composer 1994 Nohadan Landune Composer 1994 Nomiyena Minisun Composer 1994 Love 94 Composer 1994 Eka Da Wahi Composer, Actor 1994 Hello My Darling Composer 1995 Ira Handa Illa Composer 1995 Demodara Palama Composer 1995 Edath Chandiya Adath Chandiya Composer, music supervisor 1995 Cheriyo Captain Composer 1995 Chandani Composer 1995 Vijay Saha Ajay Composer 1996 Hiru Sanduta Madivee Music Arranger 1996 Naralowa Holman Composer 1996 Seema Pawuru Composer 1996 Cheriyo Darling Composer 1997 Puthuni Mata Wasana Composer 1997 Ramba Saha Madhu Composer 1997 Aparaye Thappara 84000k Composer 1998 Re Daniel Dawal Migel Composer 1998 Anthima Reya Composer 1998 Sexy Girl Composer 1998 Mohothin Mohotha Composer 1999 Kolompoor Composer, Poosari (acting) 1999 Koti Sana Composer 2000 Anuragaye Ananthaya Music Arranger 2000 Re Daniel Dawal Migel 2 Composer 2000 Kauda Bole Alice Composer 2000 Pem Kekula Composer 2001 Hai Baby Hai Composer 2001 Oba Magema Wewa Composer 2001 Pissu Puso Composer 2001 Jonsun and Gonsun Composer 2002 Parliament Jokes Composer 2002 Mamath Geheniyak Composer 2002 Sansara Prarthana Composer 2002 Cheriyo Holman Composer 2002 Kama Suthra Composer 2002 Onna Babo Composer 2002 Love 2002 Composer 2002 Somy Boys Composer, music supervisor 2003 Ping Pong Composer 2003 Sepata Dukata Sunny Composer 2003 Numba Nadan Apita Pissu Composer, music supervisor 2003 Jim Pappa Composer 2004 Re Daniel Dawal Migel 3 Composer 2004 Selamuthu Pinna Composer 2005 One Shot Composer 2006 Naga Kanya Composer 2006 Supiri Balawatha Composer 2010 Dakina Dakina Mal Composer 2010 Thank You Berty Composer 2012 Daruwane Composer 2013 Kauda Machan Alice Composer 2013 Doni Composer 2014 Que Sera Composer 2014 Duwana Muwan Composer 2016 Sinhaya Composer

References

External links සංගීත අධ්‍යක්ෂ සෝමපාල රත්නායක මහතා අභාවප්‍රාප්ත වෙයි සංගීතවේදී සෝමපාල රත්නායක සමුගනී සෝමපාල රත්නායක මහතා අභාවප්‍රාප්ත වෙයි වික්ටර්ගේ සොහොයුරු සෝමපාල රත්නායක අභාවප්‍රාප්ත වෙයි ප්‍රවීණ සංගීතවේදීයෙකු දිවි ගමනට සමුදෙයි