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Munasinghe Arachchilage Don Bandu (16 March 1936 – 5 February 2005 as බන්දු මුණසිංහ [Sinhala]), popularly as Bandu Munasinghe, was an actor, and stunt director of Sri Lankan cinema.[1][2] Particularly acted in cinema in villain roles, Munasinghe was the first stunt director of the Sri Lankan silver screen.[3]

Bandu Munasinghe
බන්දු මුණසිංහ
Born	Munasinghe Arachchilage Don Bandu (1936-03-16)16 March 1936 Borella, Sri Lanka
Died	5 February 2005(2005-02-05) (aged 68) Embilipitiya, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Hewavitharana College, Rajagiriya Nalanda College, Colombo
Occupation	Actor, Stunt Director
Years active	1958–1987
Spouse(s)	Jayanthi Munasinghe (m. 1967)

Personal life

He was born on 16 March 1936 in Borella. He first studied at Hewavitharana College, Rajagiriya and his secondary education at Nalanda College, Colombo. He excelled as a boxer. Because of this, he joined the army for a while after school and showed boxing skills.[3]

He was married to Jayanthi Munasinghe where the wedding was celebrated on 16 March 1967.[3]

Munasinghe, who had been a movie star for thirty-five years, suddenly fell ill in 1993. He went to Embilipitiya in Ratnapura where one of his leg was amputated. He died on 5 February 2005 at the age of 69.[4]

Career

In 1958, he was invited to perform stunts to a film by M.P. Gilman and M.P. Gemunu, both are stuntmen. They informed Munasinghe to be at Kiribathgoda Sirisena Wimalaweera's Nawajeevana studio about 10 am. In Nawajeevana studio, he performed his maiden cinematic appearance in the film Ma Ale Kala Tharuniya.[4] The second movie starring Munasinghe as a stuntman was Gilman's 1961 directorial hit Wedibima. Then he acted in the films, Daskon, Wena Swargayak Kumatada, Deepashika and Getawarayo. In 1965, he was selected for a villain role for the first time in his career in the film Saaravita. Later, he played as the stuntman in the films such as Dheewarayo, Satha Panaha, Sweep Ticket and Daru Duka.[3]

He continued to work as the henchman in several movies for major villain characters most notably in the films, Surayangeth Suraya, Edath Suraya Adath Suraya, Hathara Denama Surayo, Singapore Charlie, Suli Sulang and Hitha Honda Minihek. His major breakthrough in cinema came through as the stunt director in the 1964 film Sithaka Mahima directed by M. S. Ananda. However, his first character role came through the film Tharangaa directed by Sena Dayananda. In the 1975 film Rajagedara Paraviyo by Sathischandra Edirisinghe, Munasinghe along with fellow stuntman Alexander Fernando created good realistic fight scenes.[3][5]

He is also a skilled sword fight expert. He learned about sword fighting from Gamini Fonseka and H. D. Kulatunga. Among the characters played by Munasinghe were the scenes where the lead actress was tortured most notably in the film Awa Soya Adare. In 1970s, he played the character roles with Agra Sajeewani and Manel Wanaguru in the films Sugandhi (1979) and Tharangaa (1975) respectively.[3]

Filmography & Stunt Coordination

Year	Film	Acting role	Other roles	Ref.
1959	Ma Ale Kala Tharuniya	Augie	Minor stuntman
1961	Wedibima	Police inspector
1962	Daskon
1963	Wena Swargayak Kumatada
1963	Deepashika	Train track abductor
1964	Sithaka Mahima		Stunt coordinator
1964	Getawarayo	Boxer
1965	Handapaana
1965	Laa Dalu
1965	Saaravita	Somey
1965	Hithata Hitha
1965	Satha Panaha	Assailant near Sheela's home
1965	Sweep Ticket
1966	Sanda Naga Eddi
1967	Sorungeth Soru
1967	Daru Duka	Police Inspector
1967	Sarana
1967	Hitha Giya Thena
1969	Hari Maga	Norbert henchman
1969	Surayangeth Suraya
1970	Lakseta Kodiya	Party guest
1970	Dan Mathakada	Jerry
1970	Aathma Pooja
1970	Ohoma Hondada			[6]
1970	Suli Sulang
1971	Dawena Pipasa
1971	Hathara Denama Surayo
1971	Samanala Kumariyo
1972	Edath Suraya	Bandu
1972	Sujeewa		Stunt Coordinator
1972	Singapore Charlie
1973	Matara Achchi	Cyril's friend
1973	Gopalu Handa
1973	Handama Welawa
1973	Sunethra	Debt Collector	Stunt Coordinator
1973	Hondai Narakai
1973	Hondata Hondai	Bandu
1974	Kasthuri Suwanda		Stunt Coordinator
1974	Susee	Harry	Stunt Coordinator	[7]
1975	Hitha Honda Minihek		Stunt Coordinator
1975	Tharangaa	Jerry	Stunt Coordinator
1975	Awa Soya Adare		Stunt Coordinator
1975	Kokilayo		Stunt Coordinator
1975	Rajagedara Paraviyo	Bandu
1975	Lassana Dawasak	Bandu	Stunt Coordinator
1975	Hadawathaka Wasanthaya
1975	Sangeetha		Stunt Coordinator
1975	Nayanaa
1976	Kawuda Raja	Henchman
1976	Harima Badu Thunak	Sidaran's friend
1976	Vanarayo
1976	Loka Horu
1976	Hariyata Hari		Stunt Coordinator
1976	Onna Mame Kella Panapi
1976	Ran Thilaka
1977	Sakunthala
1977	Sri Madara	Franklin	Stunt Coordinator
1977	Chin Chin Nona			[8]
1977	Siripala Saha Ran Menika	Piyadasa		[9]
1977	Tom Pachaya	Alex	Stunt Coordinator
1977	Niwena Ginna
1978	Madhuwanthi		Stunt Coordinator
1978	Saara
1978	Tikira	Bandu
1978	Apsara
1978	Kumara Kumariyo	Bandu	Stunt Coordinator
1978	Anupama	Murdered shop owner
1979	Sawudan Jema
1979	Sugandhi	Bennet
1979	Subhani
1980	Seetha
1982	Sandaa
1982	Sudu Ayya
1982	Miss Mallika		Stunt Coordinator
1983	Hithath Hondai Wedath Hondai
1985	Araliya Mal	Chandana's man
1985	Channai Kello Dennai
1985	Karadiya Wallalla
1987	Podi Vijay
1989	Badulu Kochchiya
1989	Obata Rahasak Kiyannam
1989	Randenigala Sinhaya	Lando
1990	Yukthiyata Wada	Kuruppu
1992	Rumathiyay Neethiyay
1992	Sathya
1994	150 Mulleriyawa	Funeral walker
1995	Mama Baya Na Shyama
1995	Hitha Honda Surayo

References

External links

• රොබින් ප්‍රනාන්දු ඇලුම් කළ අපේ සිනමාවේ සටන් නළුවන් හත් දෙනෙක්

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