The final rites of Sri Lankan cinema icon and veteran actress Malini Fonseka, widely known as the “Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema,” were performed with full state honours this evening (26 May) at Independence Square in Colombo.
The funeral was conducted with full state honours and was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, government ministers, political leaders, artists, and members of the public.
The general public was given the opportunity to pay their final respects to the late actress at the Tharangani Hall of the National Film Corporation yesterday while her mortal remains were brought to Independence Square, Colombo 07, at 8:00 a.m. today.
Mourners paid their final respects to the “Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema” from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. while at 3:30 p.m., the body was moved to a special platform prepared for Buddhist religious rites.
Religious rites were conducted by the clergy while family members, artists and politicians including Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya addressed the gathering before the body was then taken to the funeral pyre.
Malini Fonseka passed away on May 24 at the age of 78 while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.
Her illustrious career spanned over seven decades, establishing her as one of the most revered and influential figures in Sri Lankan arts and cinema. She first gained national recognition after winning the Best Actress Award at the 1969 National State Drama Festival.
She solidified her prominence in cinema with multiple Sarasaviya Best Actress Awards for her roles in Hingana Kolla (1980), Aradhana (1982), and Yasa Isuru (1983). Fonseka made her film debut in 1968 with Punchi Baba, directed by Tissa Liyansooriya, and went on to appear in Abudasse Kale, Dahasak Sithuwili, and Adarawanthayo in the same year, quickly establishing herself as a leading actress.
She went on to act in over 140 films, including international productions such as Pilot Premnath (1978), in which she starred alongside Indian Tamil cinema legend Sivaji Ganesan. Her long-standing collaboration with celebrated actor Gamini Fonseka further enriched her film career.
Among her most celebrated films are Nidhanaya by Lester James Peries, Siripala Saha Ranmenika by Amaranath Jayathilake, Eya Den Loku Lamayek, and Bambaru Ewith by Dharmasena Pathiraja.
Fonseka began her artistic career on stage in 1963 with the play Noratha Ratha. She was awarded Best Stage Drama Actress in 1968 for her performance in Akal Wessa. She went on to perform in 14 stage productions and made history as Sri Lanka’s first female teledrama director with Nirupamala, in which she also acted. Her directorial work in cinema included Sasara Chetana (1984), Ahimsa (1987), and Sthree (1991).
She was widely acclaimed for her roles in teledramas such as Manalada Puthe Kiri Dunne, Pitagamkarayo, Kemmura, and Ambu Daruwo. She won the Sumathi Best Teledrama Actress Award for her performances in Pitagamkarayo and Kemmura. Her success as a teledrama director was further solidified with Sanasili Suwanda, and she also starred in the Buddhist-themed film Uppalawanna, directed by Sunil Ariyaratne.
Fonseka earned international recognition with a Special Jury Award at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1975 and another award at the New Delhi Film Festival in 1977, becoming the first Sri Lankan actress to achieve such global acclaim. In 2010, she was named one of Asia’s 25 Greatest Film Actors of All Time by CNN.
In 2024, she captivated a new generation with her powerful performance in the critically acclaimed music video Eya Wasanthaya Nowe, by emerging artist Chapa Jayaruk.
Fonseka also served as a Member of Parliament, a position she accepted in support of then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Her many accolades include the Wishva Prasadhini Award conferred by the President of Sri Lanka in 1996, multiple Presidential Awards, OCIC Awards, and twelve consecutive Slim Nielsen People’s Awards. She was honored in 2003 at a grand felicitation ceremony, Maliniye, held at the BMICH and attended by then-President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. In 2008, she was recognized by the Sri Lankan Consulate in Los Angeles, and in 2019, she received the Janabhimani Honorary Award.
Malini Fonseka’s legacy as a trailblazer in Sri Lankan arts, cinema, and television remains unparalleled. She will be remembered not only for her extraordinary talent but also for her enduring impact on generations of artists and audiences.
