Roy de Silva

Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva, popularly known as Roy de Silva (රෝයි ද සිල්වා; 30 August 1937 – 30 June 2018),[1] was a Sri Lankan actor and film director in Sri Lankan cinema and former acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia. He entered the film industry as an actor in 1964 with Sujage Rahasa directed by Palaniyaandi Neelakantan. He then moved towards cinema direction, becoming one of the most successful film makers in the Sri Lankan film industry.[2] His blockbuster movies such as Re Daniel Dawal Migel series,[3] Cheriyo series, Clean Out, and Sir Last Chance were economically successful and made hallmarks in the industry.[4][5]

Roy de Silva
රෝයි ද සිල්වා
Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia
In office
2 August 1990 – 1 July 1991
Preceded bySheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Succeeded bySheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah
Personal details
Born
Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva

(1937-08-30)August 30, 1937
Yatawatta, British Ceylon
DiedJune 30, 2018(2018-06-30) (aged 80)
Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka
Resting placeKanatte Cemetery, Colombo
NationalitySri Lankan
Spouse(s)Sumana Amarasinghe (1975–2018)
Children2
Alma materYatawatta Sinhala School
St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa
Saint Joseph's College, Colombo
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • producer
  • screenplay writer

Personal life

Born on 30 August 1937, as Chathurartha Devadithya Gardiyawasam Lindamulage Roy Aloysius Felix de Silva, he quickly changed his name to Roy de Silva in the beginning of his cinema career. He was born in Yatawatta, Matale as the fourth of seven siblings.[6]

He first attended Yatawatta Sinhala School, and then moved to St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa and completed advanced level from St. Joseph's College, Colombo. Just after completing school, he started to act in many stage dramas such as Narbona Hee Ranaweera Sebala and Surath Liliya.[7]

He is married to fellow Sri Lankan actress Sumana Amarasinghe and they have two children.[8][9][10] Roy died on 30 June 2018 at the age of 80.

Career as an actor

De Silva came to the silver screen through Sujage Rahasa directed by P. Neelakantan, a famous South Indian director that accompanied with MGR as well. The film was released on 24 December 1964 and received a positive reception from critics. His success was achieved through stylish acting, Tamil Indian actor like personality and fluency in Tamil.[11] This in turn gave him many opportunities to act under many Tamil directors in his early days.

In 1972, de Silva's film Sujeewa surpassed the gross earning of Edath Suraya Adath Suraya, starring the most famous Sri Lankan actor of that time, Gamini Fonseka.[12]

De Silva's acting career mostly came under directors like Joe Dev Anand, Danny Mariyadasan, M S Anandan, K Venkat, Kingsley Rajapakse, Robin Tampoe, Lenin Morayes, and Cyril P. Abeyratne.

De Silva had the ability to remember long dialogues.[13]

As a singer

Apart from direction and acting, De Silva also performed as a playback singer on an few occasions, such as in the films Tom Pachaya and Minisun Athara Minisek.[14]

Acting President of OCA

After the death of Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, De Silva served as acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia. In 1991, he retired and handed over office to Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the current president of the council.

Death & Legacy

On 30 June 2018, De Silva died while being treated for a heart attack at Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital. His remains were buried on 2 July 2018 at Kanatte Cemetery.[15]

On 1 September 2018, de Silva's autobiography was launched at Tharangani Hall. The book is titled Ada Siyawasaka Sadadara Roy.[16][17]

On 5 July 2020, de Silva's wife Sumana Amarasinghe organized an alms giving at an old house in Colombo in two year commemoration of his death.[18]

Filmography
  • No. denotes the number of Sri Lankan films in the Sri Lankan cinema.[19]
YearNo.FilmRole
1964 116 Sujage Rahasa
1966152Sudu Duwa
155 Sanasili Suwaya
1967 162 Sangawunu Menika
1968 193 Ruhunu Kumari
1969 213Uthum SthreeMahindayaa
212Pick PocketAsoka
1970 222 Sumudu Bharya
227 Geetha
1971 237 Dawena Pipasaya
247Samanala Kumariyo
1972 255 Sujeewa[20] Samantha
256 Singapuru Charlie
260 Hathara Wate Rohana
263Me Dasa KumatadaDoctor Roy de Silva
1973277Sinawai Inawai
278SunethraUpul Mahinda Seneviratne
1974287SheelaTissa Gunawardena
1975306Obai MamaiSuminda Wijegunaratne
312Sukiri KellaSenaka Dharmapala
316Mage Nangi Shyama
321Ranwan Rekha
1976358Ran Thilakaa
1977361Sudu ParaviyoChandi
371Honda Hitha
Saazish
1978387Mage Ran Putha
403Deepanjalee
1979410SamanmaliAmitha
312Minisun Athara MinisekKeerthi
427AnushaSarath
1980443SilvaChamika
447Adara RathneLal
1981531Mihidum SihinaSinna
484Sanasuma
1982517Pethi Gomara
1985624Obata Diwura Kiyannam
1987670AhinsaJaye
1988671Rasa Rahasak
676Amme Oba Nisa
677Angulimala
1989688Okkoma Rajawaru
1990704Hondin Naththam Narakin
710Madu Sihina
712Christhu CharithayaCaiaphas[21]
1991723Obata Pamanay Adare
1992744Jaya Sri We Kumariye
762Suranimala
764Muwan Palasse Kadira
1993773Sagara Thilina
779Chaya Maya
774Prathingya
776Sasara Sarisarana Thek Oba Mage
777Mawila Penewi Roope
780Come O' Go ChicagoMr. Wickremasinghe
781Yasasa
1994798Nohadan Kumariyo
813Aathma
814Sudu Piruwata
1997881Apaye Thappara 84000k
2002975Sansara Prarthana
20151239My Name Is BanduSinhabahu

As a director

De Silva was primarily a director of comedy films, which made him one of Sri Lanka's promising directors in Sri Lanka cinema industry. His first direction was of the 1977 film Tom Pachaya, co-directed with Stanley Perera. Up to 2016, he directed 33 films, with more than 70 percent of the films easily passing 100 days and becoming blockbuster hits.[22] De Silva's first English film direction was It's a Matter of Time in 1991.[23]

YearNo.FilmRole
1977379Tom PachayaChaminda Edward
1982507Thana Girawi
1982531Mihidum SihinaSinna
1982541Kadawunu Poronduwaremake
1983547Sumithuro
1984588Hitha Honda Kollek
1987657Thaathi Man Adarei
1987674Gedara Budun AmmaSamantha
1990710Madhu SihinaSinna
1990714Hitha Honda Puthek
1991It's a Matter of Time
1991734Cheriyo Doctor
1992758Okkoma Kanapita
1993778Soorayan Athara Veeraya
1993783Jeevan Malli
1994815Love 94Baby's Father
1995822Vijay Saha Ajay
1995839Cheriyo Captain
1996863Cheriyo Darling
1997875Ramba Saha Madu
1998894Re Daniel Dawal Migel 1Detective Cobra
2000932Re Daniel Dawal Migel 2Detective Cobra
2000944Pem Kekula
2001959Jonsun and GonsunStation Master
2002991Love 2002
20031006Sepata Dukata Sunny
20041026Clean Out
20041034Selamuthu Pinna
20041034Re Daniel Dawal Migel 3
20061075Sonduru WasantheJayawardena
20071083Mr Dana Rina
20091122Sir Last Chance
2011It’s a Matter of Love

References
  1. "Roy de Silva passes away". Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  2. "Roy de Silva, the master blaster of Sinhala cinema". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  3. "Daniel and Migel appear again". Sunday times. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  4. "Roy de Silva biography". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. "Roy's 'Pem Kekula' will blossom soon". Sunday Times. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  6. "මල්පෙති යට සැඟවුණු සදාදර රෝයි". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  7. "Tale of Roy". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  8. "Sumana Amarasinghe in ICU .... after food poisoning in Chennai". Gossip Lanka. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  9. "රෝයි-සුමනා දිගු කලකට පසු හමුවී." Sarasaviya. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  10. "රෝයි – සුමනා සැබෑව අනාවරණය කරයි". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  11. "Its 51 to Roy". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  12. "Roy De Silva filmography". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  13. "Roy De Silva films". Sirisara. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  14. "Roy de Silva Discography". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  15. "Veteran actor Roy de Silva passes away". Colombo Page. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  16. "අඩ සියවසක සදාදර රෝයි හෙට එළිදකී". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  17. "Sadadara Roy launched". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  18. "Roy's a two year pinnacle". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  19. "Sri Lankan Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  20. "All about Sujeewa". Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  21. "All about Kristhu Charithaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  22. "Roy de Silva direction". imdb. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  23. "It's a Matter of Love". Life.lk. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
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