250:. A relative of Wijaya Dharma Sri called Majestic Mudalali found ten others and made the money to produce the film. Each of them spend one lakh and collected 1 million for its production. Later, Yapa named them as the Contemporary Film Company. The company was located at No. 40 Heg Lane, Bambalapitiya. After the casting, they finished shooting in two and a half days. Post production of the film was completed at the Dalugama University Studios. With the film, he introduced the kiss to Sinhala cinema. This incident led to a huge criticism. On 30 December 1969,
311:. On 27 July 2019, he was awarded Swarna Sankha Sinha Award for Lifetime Achievement at 19th Presidential Cinema Awards Ceremony. A tribute to his career was made at 4th Agenda 14 Short Film Festival in 2015. In 2021, he was honored with lifetime achievement award during the ceremony held for 21 artists who made an invaluable contribution to Sinhala cinema in the early decades of Sinhala Cinema.
304:. From 1977 to 1982 he was the president of Government Film Unit, Welfare Association, Sri Lanka. In 1982, Yapa was appointed the general secretary of "Janamaddiya Shilpeenge Sangamaya" (Journalists Society). In 1989 he was appointed the News Director of Rupavahini Corporation where he retired on 17 November 1990. In 2002, Yapa was appointed the Government Film Advisor under UNP government.
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on 10 November 1935, as the eldest of the family. His father was David
Senarath Yapa and mother was Pallewattakoralage Biatrice Yapa. He started primary education from Rakwana Maha Vidyalaya and then completed secondary education from Pelmadulla Central College. He has one younger sister. After the
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After few years, he became the
Secretary and Treasurer of Kala Pela Cultural Society from 1963 to 1968. However he resigned from the post in few years to make the pathway to cinema direction. He was also the president of Art Circle from 1968 to 1974. In 1969, Yapa made his maiden cinema direction
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He worked as a ticket salesman at
Ariyapala Theater. His cousin, L. M. Perera was a comedian. Under his guidance, he worked as a counter clerk in Touring Cinema in 1959. Then he passed clerical exams and shifted to the Labour Department and worked from 1968 to 1974.
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273:, which was banned twice and allowed to be re-screened, made a complete naked appearance for the first time Sinhala cinema. The Board of Inquiry did not cut it. On 22 April 1977 and it premiered as the 353rd film. However
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Yapa was married to
Edippuliarachchige Dona Violet Somalatha. The wedding was celebrated on 13 March 1967. The couple has one son - Muditha Dharshana - and one daughter, Subhani Ganga.
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was screened as the 205th film. It is also the foremost cinema that provided the backdrop for the cinema of the 1970s. The film screened for more than 100 days.
560:"Critics assaulted me .... at that time, letters from fan favorites were raining .... Hantane Kathawa was overwhelming - Sugathapala Senarath Yapa"
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158:) , 10 November 1935 – 25 August 2024) was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, producer and lyricist. His career in
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After becoming critically ill with paralysis, Yapa used wheelchair since. He died on 25 August 2024, at the age of 88.
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In the same year, he won Silver
Peacock Award at the New Delhi Film Festival for his first docudrama
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and joined to "Kale Pela" founded by G. D. L. Perera. Yapa acted in Perera's maiden cinema direction
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which was an adaptation of
Rabindranath Tagore's work. He also acted in the 1962 film
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527:"Hanthane's story has been brought to the silver screen by Sugathapala Senarath Yapa"
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714:""පෙම්බර මධූ" ආපතිකතාවය පිළිබඳ අවශ්යතාවයක් ද? අවශ්යතාවය පිළිබඳ ආපතිකතාවයක් ද?"
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Yapa also made 28 other documentaries for the
Government Film Unit including
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which made a hallmark in
Sinhala cinema. The film also marked the debut of
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directed by Upali
Wanasinghe. During the work at Radio Ceylon, he met
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794:"Sugathapala Senarath Yapa awarded with Swarna Sankha Sinha Award"
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Veteran film director
Sugathapala Senarath Yapa passes away at 89
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was not popularized as first two films. He made the short film
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death of parents, Grandmother took care of him and his sister.
772:"President presents awards to 27 outstanding cinema artists"
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Yapa acted in school plays and produced the school plays
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During his work at Labour Department, he joined with
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261:. In 1977, he directed his second feature film
170:Sugathapala Senarath Yapa was born in Eraluwa,
101:Director, Producer, Screenplay writer, lyricist
736:"This silent blue blade is the Pembara Madhu"
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838:"An award for pioneering artists in cinema"
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692:"Untold story from Hanthane Kathawa"
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216:. He started to work in radio play
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670:"A Cinema That Includes language"
232:. The film also marked debut of
209:where he acted in small role.
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882:"All about Hanthane Kathawa"
162:spanned from 1960 to 1984.
136:David Senarath Yapa (father)
959:People from Matara District
949:Sri Lankan male film actors
904:"All about "Pembara Madhu""
584:. Hiru News. 25 August 2024
201:. His Labour division head
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461:. Sinhala Cinema Database
152:Sugathapala Senarath Yapa
42:Sugathapala Senarath Yapa
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25:Sugathapala Senarath Yapa
954:Sri Lankan screenwriters
758:"Sarasaviya 2016 Awards"
309:Sarasaviya Film Festival
290:Maha Sayuren Diya Dothak
236:and Leonie Kothalawala.
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298:Sri Maha Bodhin Wahanse
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716:. Online news magazine
376:Director, screenwriter
265:and then third film
604:"New movie revival"
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32:සුගතපාල සෙනරත් යාපා
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315:Filmography
80:Nationality
928:Categories
913:11 January
908:sarasaviya
694:. Silumina
606:. Dinamina
430:References
83:Sri Lankan
48:1935-11-10
888:9 October
796:. Mawbima
588:25 August
562:. Divaina
529:. Divaina
195:Sudo Sudu
149:Kala Suri
109:1960–1984
88:Education
55:Eraluwa,
421:Lyricist
406:Director
172:Akuressa
122:Children
57:Akuressa
199:Pinbath
130:Parents
860:"Sama"
340:Daskon
222:Daskon
207:Kuweni
189:Career
114:Spouse
355:Saama
344:Actor
331:Ref.
328:Roles
230:Saama
915:2021
890:2017
868:2020
846:2019
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413:1984
398:1981
383:1977
366:1969
351:1965
336:1962
325:Film
322:Year
300:and
218:Gora
197:and
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