Malini Senehelatha Fonseka was born in 30th April 1947 in Kelaniya. She studied at St Johns College Nugegoda and Gurukula Vidyalaya, Kelaniya. Malini started her acting career as stage dramas with "Noratha Ratha" in 1963. She has played the leading role in 14 stage dramas and earned her first recognition after winning the Best Actress Award at National Drama Festival for her role in "Akal Wessa" in 1969.
Her cinema career which has spanned many decades began with Tissa Liyansooriya's Punchi Baba in 1968. She first earned recognition, when she won the 'Best Actress Award' at the 1969 National State Drama Festival This was followed by Sarasaviya Best Actress Awards for Hingana Kolla in 1980, Aradhana in 1982 and Yasa Isuru in 1983.
Her cinema career has spanned many decades began with "Punch Baba (The Little Baby)", directed by Tissa Liyanasooriya in 1968. After Punchi Baba, in the same year Malini appeared in another three movies including "Dahasak Sithuvili" and "Adarawanthayo". Since then she was offered the leading role in many films by almost every film director in Sri Lanka. She has acted in many international films including Pilot Premanath, a South Indian Tamil movie with veteran actor Sivaji Ganeshan in 1978. So far Malini has acted well over 150 movies in Sri Lanka.
Some of her successful films such as Nidhanaya by Lester James Peiris, Siripala Saha Ranmenika by Amaranath Jayathilaka, Eya Den Loku Lamayek and Bambaru Evith by Dharmasena Pathiraja made her career more colorful.
Some of her successful films such as Nidhanaya by Lester James Peiris, Siripala Saha Ranmenika by Amaranath Jayathilaka, Eya Den Loku Lamayek and Bambaru Evith by Dharmasena Pathiraja made her career more colorful.
In 1984, Malini became a film director by directing her own film "Sasara Chethana" and later "Ahinsa" (1987) and "Sthree" (1991).
Later in her artistic career Malini entered into teledrama industry. She made her mark as a teledrama actress in "Pitagam karayo", "Kemmmura", "Senasili Suwanda" and "Nirupamala". She has directed few teledramas too.
Malini has won many national and international awards in her career. Malini won Sarasaviya Best Actress Award for "Hingana Kolla"(1980), "Aradhana" (1982) and "Yasa Isuru"(1983). She also won Most Popular Actress Award in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and Ranathisara Award in 1985. Apart from those she has also earned other honors like President Awards and OCIC awards.
As a Sri Lankan actress Malini won awards in Moscow International Film Festival- Russia (1975) and New Delhi Film Festival-India (1977).
Source - Asian Tribune –
