Quick Facts
Biography
Wijeratne Warakagoda is a veteran Sri Lankan actor in stage, movie and tele-drama. Also he is a singer and a voice artist in Radio Ceylon which is now known as Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
Early life and career
On 1933, Rajakaruna Navaratne Atapattu Mudiyanselage Wijeratne Banda Warakagoda was born in a small village in Kurunegala although his father's ancestry home town was Warakagoda in Harispattuwa, Kandy. He studied at St. Anne’s College Kurunegala and ended up at Ananda College, Colombo. He joined the Sri Lanka Police Service in 1956 and I served it for eight years as a Sub Inspector. In 1960 Warakagoda was selected as an A-Grade singer in Radio Ceylon. In 1963 he acted in his first stage drama in Ajasaththa produced by Wimal Nawagamuwa. And continued acting in major stage plays of Henry Jayasena and Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra. Warakagoda is a voice artist for the radio drama Muwan Pelessa one of the longest running Radio Dramas in the recorded history of Sri Lanka's Radio. Warakagoda served as Deputy Director General in Tower Hall Theatre Foundation until 1990.
Family
In 1970, Warakagoda got married with Chithra, who was also a co-actor in Henry Jayasena's stage play Kuveni. They had a son and a daughter; Jananath Warakagoda(musician) and Vindya(dancer).
Plays and filmography
- Ajasaththa
- Maname
- Sinhabahu
- Kuveni
- Hunuwataye Kathawa
- Apata Puthe magak nethe
- Manaranjana Wedawarjana
- Suhada Divi Piduma
- Arunata Pera
- Golu Hadawatha
- Nidhanaya
- Kele Mal
- Samajaye Api Okkoma Samanai
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta (film)
TV
- Korale Mahattaya 2(කෝරලේ මහත්තයා) - ITN
Awards
- Sarasaviya Awards - Merit Award for performance in Golu Hadawatha - 1969
- President’s Merit Award for performance in Kele Mal - 1984
- OCIC and President’s Best Actor Award for performance in Arunata Pera - 1985