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Thuiappuarachchi Don Daya de Alwis (born 7 November 1942 – died 27 April 2015 as දයා අල්විස්) [Sinhala]), popularly known as Daya Alwis, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television.[1] He was also a screenwriter and director. He directed about six teledramas. He was the first person in Sri Lanka to receive an award covering all three areas - Stage Drama, Cinema and Teledrama.[2]

Daya Alwis
දයා අල්විස්
Born	Thuiappuarachchi Don Daya de Alwis (1942-11-07)November 7, 1942 Induruwagoda, Payagala, Sri Lanka
Died	April 27, 2015(2015-04-27) (aged 72) Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital, Colombo
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Kalutara Vidyalaya
Occupation	Actor, Dramatist
Years active	1976–2014
Spouse(s)	Yamuna Dayangani (m. 1978)
Children	2

He died on 27 April 2015 at the age of 72, while receiving treatment after an accident.[3]

Personal life

Daya Alwis was born on 7 November 1942 in Payagala as the fourth son of the family with seven siblings.[4] He completed his education from Kalutara Vidyalaya.[5] In 1956 at the age of 14, he sang the song Laa Dalu Wanamal. After finishing Bhathkande degree, he entered to Tholangamuwa Central College as the music teacher. He made his first drama, Girikuta, at the school.[6]

He was married to Yamuna Dayangani and they had two sons - Sarangadeva and Sapumal Bandara.[6]

Acting career

Before entering acting, Alwis traveled to India in 1964 to study music in Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University and worked as a sound mixer for on stage events. In 1966, he produced his first film.[5] He started acting career with stage dramas, Depano, Modara Mola, Ekadhipathi, Kaluware Jaramare, Ran Kanda,[6] such as Sarathchandra's Premathi Jayathi Soko and Kalu Walalu, Gunasena Galapththi's Muhudu Puttu, Henry Jayasena's Makarã Saha Gamanak, Dharmasiri Bandara's Kakarasaya, Dawala Beehishana, Somalatha Subasinghe's Vikurthi and Jayantha Chandrasiri's Môra. His own production Dalpadadu was shown on 6 and 13 October in Sweden and again in October at Harrow and later at the University of London, Westminster. His stage drama Parasthawa also played in London and Birmingham. Some of stage dramas he directed include Aganthukayo and K Sara.[6] He is the screenplay writer and assistant director for the film Sinhabahu.

Television career

Alwis is one of the earliest pillars of Sinhala teledrama history. He made history as the first person who wrote and acted in the very first drama, La Hiru Dahasak, which was televised, in Sri Lankan television. He also wrote screenplay for the dramas Awarjanaa, Punarawarthana and Bodima. His maiden teledrama direction came through Chandra Yamaya.[6] He acted in the critically acclaimed serial Weda Hamine and then on Chandrayamaya.[5] His most popular television acting came through the Bodima and Paba television serials. He also starred in Ira Bata Taruwa, the first Sri Lankan teledrama filmed in London. In 2001, he directed the serial Awasan Horawa telecast on ITN channel every Friday at 7.30 p.m. from January 5.[7]

Television serials

Death

On 20 April 2015 he met with an accident at Bokundara, Piliyandala with a threewheel. He went home without any medications as no any external bleeding had taken place. However, internal bleeding had occurred and his head had received a contusion in the accident. He was then rushed to the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital.[27] He underwent treatment at Neurological Unit for severe bleeding in his brain. He died on 27 April around 3.50am, due to internal bleeding while receiving treatment at the hospital.[28]

Filmography

Alwis started his film career with Amarnath Jayatilaka's 1976 film Thilake Ha Thilaka. Then he acted in more than 40 films.[29] Some of his popular cinema acting came through Kolamba Sanniya, Madol Duwa,[30] Sarungalaya, Pooja, Maya as well as Wasantha Obeysekara’s Walmathwuwo, where he was nominated for national awards.[5]

• No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.[31]

Year	No.	Film	Role	Ref.
1976		Thileka Ha Thilaka	Mr. Madegoda
1976		Madol Duwa	Punchi Mahaththaya	[32]
1976		Kolamba Sanniya	Saralis 'Cyril Costa'
1976		Selinage Walawwa	Anta
1978		Bambaru Avith	Priest
1978		Ahasin Polawata
1979		Wasanthaye Dawasak	Sarath's friend
1979		Chuda Manikya	Railway constable
1979		Handaya	Commentator box viewer
1980		Uthumaneni
1980		Jodu Walalu
1980		Siribo Ayya	Sadiris
1980		Karumakkarayo	Deniya Mahathaya	[33]
1980		Sinhabahu
1981		Saaranga
1982		Maha Gedara	Appuhamy	[34]
1983		Niliyakata Pem Kalemi	Timber businessman
1983		Dadayama	Minister	[35]
1983		Menik Maliga
1984		Maya
1985		Mihidum Salu	Tala Munda
1985		Wathsala Akka
1986		Maldeniye Simion	Charlie
1986		Pooja
1987		Viragaya	Kulasekara	[36]
1990		Dese Mal Pipila
1991		Golu Muhude Kunatuwa
1994		Sandamadala	School teacher
1994		Mee Haraka	Bus driver
1995		Maruthaya	Dharme's associate
1995		Chitti
1996		Loku Duwa
1997		Visidela	Keerala	[37]
1998		Anthima Reya		[38]
1998		Julietge Bhumikawa	Lawrence
1999		Rathu Aluyama	Proctor Weerawardena
2003		Mother Teresa of Calcutta	Kaligarth seller
2005		Water	Saduram
2005		Sulanga	Salesman
2008		Nil Diya Yahana
2010		Uththara
2013		Nikini Vassa
2016		Paththini	Royal goldsmith
2019		Sikuru Yogaya	Weda Mahaththaya

References

External links

• Chat with Daya Alwis

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