Malini Fonseka

Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly as Malini Fonseka (Sinhala:මාලිනී ෆොන්සේකා) (born 30 April 1947, in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka) is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well as a director. Often considered as the "Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema", Fonseka first became widely known 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. Apart from cinema, she is also a former member of Sri Lanka Parliament. Her cinema career has spanned seven decades and began with Tissa Liyansooriya's Punchi Baba in 1968. She has won the Slim Nielsen Peoples' Award for the Most Popular Actress a record twelve times in a row. In 2010, she was named by CNN as one of Asia's 25 greatest film actors of all time.She is a strong supporter of Mahinda Rajapaksha and she was offerered a national list MP position in appreciation of her support. Biography Early life Born as the third child of eleventh siblings to Gilbert Fonseka who worked at Government Press and Seelwathie Fonseka at Peliyagoda, Kelaniya. After Malani was born, her family moved to Jambugasmulle, Nugegoda. In 1952 she started her education at St. John's College, Nugegoda until the 5th grade. After moving of the family to Wedamulle, Kelaniya she was enrolled at Gurukula Maha Vidyalaya, Kelaniya until completing her education. Her eldest brother Dayananda Fonseka died in 2012.