Henry Jayasena

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title: "Henry Jayasena" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1931-births", "2009-deaths", "sri-lankan-male-stage-actors", "sri-lankan-buddhists", "alumni-of-nalanda-college,-colombo", "sri-lankan-dramatists-and-playwrights", "sri-lankan-male-film-actors", "20th-century-dramatists-and-playwrights", "kala-keerthi"] description: "Sri Lankan actor (1931–2009)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Jayasena" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Sri Lankan actor (1931–2009) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Henry Jayasena
හෙන්රි ජයසේන
image	Henry Jayasena1.jpg
birth_name	Bastian Koralage Henry Rudrigo Jayasena
birth_date
birth_place	Gampaha, Sri Lanka
death_date
death_place	Colombo South (Kalubowila) General Hospital - Sri Lanka
nationality	Sri Lankan
known_for	Acting, Cinema, Theatre
education	Lorenz College Gampaha
Nalanda College Colombo
occupation	Film, television, and stage actor, Playwright and Director
awards	Doctor{{cite web
url	https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/01/01/fea12.html
title	New Year 2006 : Hopes and aspirations
date	1 January 2006
publisher	Sunday Observer - Lakehouse Newspapers
access-date	2 July 2009
url-status	live
archive-url	https://web.archive.org/web/20091114124441/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2006/01/01/fea12.html
archive-date	14 November 2009
df	dmy-all
years_active	1958–1999
spouse	Manel Ilangakoon (m. 1962)
children	Sudaraka Jayasena
::

| name = Henry Jayasena හෙන්රි ජයසේන | image = Henry Jayasena1.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Bastian Koralage Henry Rudrigo Jayasena | birth_date = | birth_place = Gampaha, Sri Lanka | death_date = | death_place = Colombo South (Kalubowila) General Hospital - Sri Lanka | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = Sri Lankan | other_names = | known_for = Acting, Cinema, Theatre | education = Lorenz College Gampaha Nalanda College Colombo | employer = | occupation = Film, television, and stage actor, Playwright and Director | awards = Doctor{{cite web |url = https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/01/01/fea12.html |title = New Year 2006 : Hopes and aspirations |date = 1 January 2006 |publisher = Sunday Observer - Lakehouse Newspapers |access-date = 2 July 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091114124441/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2006/01/01/fea12.html |archive-date = 14 November 2009 |df = dmy-all | height = | term = | predecessor = | years_active = 1958–1999 | party = | boards = | spouse = Manel Ilangakoon (m. 1962) | partner = | children = Sudaraka Jayasena | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes =

Kala Keerthi Dr Bastian Koralage Henry Rudrigo Jayasena (born 6 July 1931 – died 11 November 2009 as Sinhala: හෙන්රි ජයසේන), popularly known as Henry Jayasena, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. With a career spanning more than four decades, Jayasena is considered one of the best dramatists in Sri Lankan drama.

Personal life

He was born on 6 July 1931 in Bendiyamulla, Gampaha. He attended the Gampaha branch of Lorenz College for primary education. He then attended Nalanda College Colombo for his secondary education. During his time at the school, he was classmates with many successful people, among who were Dr. Dharmasena Attygalle, Karunaratne Abeysekera, Dr. Harischandra Wijayatunga, Dr. Hudson Silva, Hon. Rupa Karunathilake,

Jayasena was married to fellow actress Manel Ilangakoon in 1962. Manel played the lead role in Jayasena's play Kuweni and won the best actress award for her performance at the State Drama Festival. The couple has one son, Sudaraka Jayasena. Manel has acted in many popular television serials such as Ekagei Kurullo, Sathpura Wasiyo and Hiru Kumari. She died in 2004 at age 68.

Early career

Prior to acting, Jayasena began his career as an assistant teacher of English at the Dehipe Primary School in Padiyapellela in the Nuwara Eliya district in 1950.

Before retiring from government work, he also served as Deputy Director for the National Youth Services Council in the Arts and Sports Division as well as the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation in Programs Division.

Golden career

While with Public Works Department, Jaysena created many of his most famous plays, including Pawkarayo (1958), Janelaya (1962), Kuweni (1963), Thavath Udesenak (1964), Manaranjana Wedawarjana (1965), Ahas Malilga (1966), Hunuwataye Kathawa (1967), Apata Puthey Magak Nethey (1968), Diriya Mawa (1972), Makara (1973) and Sarana Siyoth Se Puthini Habha Yana (1975).

Jaysena started his cinema career with the 1959 film Sri 296 with the role "Jayaweera". During the 1960s, Jaysena played the starring roles of "Piyal" in Gamperaliya (1964), "Azdak" in Hunuwataye Kathawa (1967) and "Lalith" in Dahasak Sithuvili (1968) and Avurududa (1986).

He also worked consistently in television series after the introduction of television to Sri Lanka in the late 1970s. Jayasena was involved with the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation from its early beginnings in the 1980s. He portrayed the role of "Sudu Seeya" in the tele drama Doo Daruwo directed by Nalan Mendis and written by Dr. Somaweera Senanayaka. The serial became highly popularized and was awarded at many local television award festivals. It was the longest tele drama telecast during the 1990s in Sri Lanka.

Jayasena retired from acting in 1999 due to treatments for a terminal disease. However, he made two supporting appearances in two films, Punchi Suranganavi in 2002 and Randiya Dahara in 2004.

Selected stage plays

• Harischandra
• Janelaya
• Thavath Udesanak
• Manaranjana Wedawarjana
• Ahas Maliga
• Hunuwataye Kathawa
• Kuweni
• Apata Puthe Magak Nathe
• Diriya Mawa
• Makara
• Sarana Siyoth Se Puthuni Haba Yana

Beyond acting

Apart from acting, he also worked as a screenplay writer, lyricist and author. He contributed to the local newspaper by writing for the "Artscope page" of the Sri Lanka Daily News for many years.

Author work

• Minisun Woo Daruwo
• Hunuwataye Kathawa
• Karaliyaka Kathawak
• Niliyakage Kathawak
• Nim Nethi Kathawak
• Balga Gilano
• Adarshawath Baenku Niyamuwaku A Gaman Maga
• Sudu Seeyage Kavi Sindu
• Play Is The Thing
• Kuweni
• Janelaya

Legacy

In 2003, Jayasena was presented with Nalanda Keerthi Sri award by his school Nalanda College, Colombo.

Filmography

::data[format=table]

Year	Film	Role	Ref.
1959	Sri 296	Jayaweera
1959	Gehenu Geta	Bandula
1963	Wena Swargayak Kumatada
1963	Gamperaliya	Piyal
1963	Suhada Sohoyuro
1964	Heta Pramada Wadi	Manager
1966	Seegiri Kashyapa	Chandra Deva
1967	Sadol Kandulu
1968	Dahasak Sithuvili	Lalith
1972	Atheethayen Kathawak
1972	Miringuwa
1977	Maruwa Samaga Wase	Police Inspector
1979	Palagetiyo	Gunadasa
1979	Dutugemunu	King Kavanatissa (voice)
1979	Handaya	Perera
1980	Hansa Vilak	Douglas Ranawira
1980	Ganga Addara	Head Doctor
1981	Baddegama	Village Headsman
1981	Soldadu Unnehe	Willie 'Mahattaya'
1981	Sooriyakantha	Kirthi Bandara
1982	Thana Giravi	Doctor Siri Kulasekara / Douglas Kulasekara
1982	Kadawunu Poronduwa remake	Doctor
1983	Kaliyugaya	Piyal
1984	Hima Kathara	Captain
1984	Ammai Duwai
1986	Avurududa
1988	Sandakada Pahana	Shelterer
1993	Ordinary Magic	Priest
1996	Amanthaya
2002	Punchi Suranganavi	Doctor
2004	Randiya Dahara	Samantha's father
::

References

References

1. [http://www.presidentsoffice.gov.lk/?page_id=340 National Awards Conferred by His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka]
2. [https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2010/06/27/mag06.asp In memory of Henry]
3. [http://www.sundaytimes.lk/151206/plus/a-decade-of-dedicated-service-173476.html A decade of dedicated service ]
4. [http://www.island.lk/2006/01/21/opinion3.html Punchi Theatre needs financial backing]
5. "Actors in Sinhala cinema - Henry Jayasena - හෙන්රි ජයසේන". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka.
6. "Henry Jayasena - හෙන්රි ජයසේන filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database.
7. "Sri Lankan Stage Drama". Sarasaviya.
8. "Taking Center Stage! Henry Jayasena a Legendary Actor And Playwright". Hi.lk.
9. (November 2017). "Stars that shape our telly screen and say goodbye to us". aniwa.lk.
10. (2007). "Henry Jayasena". Upali Group of Companies.
11. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120523202039/http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/01/13/art15.asp Dr Henry Jayasena - some personal reflections]
12. "Remembering Henry Jayasena". Daily Mirror.
13. "Grusha, Natella, Aniko and Ludovica". Sarasaviya.
14. [http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/10/20/news33.asp Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara nominated for Nalanda Keerthi Sri 2010]
15. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160107034239/http://www.nalanda.sch.lk/alumni/nalanda-keerthi-sri Nalanda Keerthi Sri]
16. [http://dailynews.lk/2017/11/29/features/135852/effervescent-thespian Effervescent thespian]
17. "All about the blockbuster film "Gamperaliya"".
18. "All about Seegiri Kashyapa". Sarasaviya.
19. (29 January 2020). "All about Dahasak Sithuvili". Sarasaviya.
20. "All about Handaya". Sarasaviya.
21. "All about "Hansa Vilak"".
22. "All about Beddegama". Sarasaviya.

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