Kala Suri Kala Keerthi Dr Jayalath Manoratne (71), who departed from our midst last week, was an acting colossus who straddled the worlds of drama, television and film. He also has many drama songs to his credit, as DJ tracks were not available at the time he joined the drama circuit in 1966 with the play ‘Aspa Gudung.’ He was still in school at this time.
Born in Nuwara Eliya on June 12, 1948, Mano as he was affectionately called by his colleagues and fans, was educated at the Halpe Primary School and the Poramadulla Central College. One of his teachers had recognized his abilities and encouraged him to take up acting and singing, which led to a lifelong career in that field.
In a career spanning more than five decades, he acted in creations such as, Sinhabahu, Maname, Mahasara, Dunna Dunu Gamuwe, Rathu Hettakari, Tharavo Igilethi, Naribena and many others. He produced plays such as Thalamala Pipila, Puthra Samagama, Andarela, Guru Tharuwa, Mayadevi and Sudu Redi Horu. Overall, he acted in over 80 stage plays, some of which were also performed abroad.
Unlike many other stage actors who struggled in the transition to movies and later, teledramas (which came to the scene only around 1983), Mano slipped easily into those roles as well. He acted in award-winning films and tele dramas, after having made his film debut with ‘Thilaka Saha Thilaka’ in 1976. His last big screen appearance was in ‘Goal’ as a football coach of a remote school that eventually wins the islandwide championship. His role in the 1979 children’s film Handaya which was directed by the legendary Titus Thotawatte is still talked about. Sooriya Arana, Ho Gaana Pokuna, Bherunda Pakshiya and Walapatala were among his other recent films.
He played memorable roles in tele dramas such as Gamperaliya, Doo Daruwo, Hiruta Muwawen, Manik Nadiya Gala Basee, Sindui Bindui, Gajaman Puwatha and many others. In the one one-off Teledrama titled Thunpath Ratawaka Lassana (2005), he portrayed three characters with aplomb, winning the admiration of critics. His first Teledrama was Parakrama Niriella’s Abeddiya. He also directed the Teledrama Mage Kaviya Mata Denna. Indeed, his efforts across all three mediums did not go unrecognized as Manoratne has won awards ranging from OCIC, Presidential, Sarasavi, Raigam Tele’es, Sumathi and the State Literary and Drama awards. He was the best actor back to back in 1991 and 1992 for his performance in Socrates and Dvitva. He worked amiably with all stage and movie directors who found that Mano rarely, if ever, needed a double take.
At the University of Peradeniya, Manoratne had the rare fortune of working with and under the legendary dramatist and author Prof Ediriweera Sarachchandra, who helped him become an even better actor. His first collaboration with Prof. Sarachchandra was the operatic Premato Jayati Soko. Incidentally, it was while acting in this play that he met his future wife, Tamara Jayanthi.
In 2014, Manoratne held a theatre festival named Dawas Pahalos Daha (fifteen thousand days), that showcased a collection of eight plays representing different periods and issues and which were produced by Manoratne himself. These eight stage plays were Lokaya Thani Yaayak, Sellam Nirindu, Thalamala Pipila, Buruwa Mahaththaya, Guru Tharuwa, Andarela and Puthra Samagama.
One little known facet about Manoratne is that he was also a comedy actor par excellence, regardless of the medium. He had comedy roles in teledramas such as Bodima and Ramya Suramya. He was also an author who wrote several works such as Dolos Mahe Pahana, Dawasa Thawamath Tharunai and Sindu Bindu.
His demise is a great loss to all three mediums – stage, film and television which will now be poorer without his towering presence and generous smile.
