Nationality Sri Lankan Name Jackson Anthony Ethnicity Sinhalese | Religion Roman Catholic Siblings Senaka Titus Anthony Website www.jacksonanthony.com | |
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Full Name Konganige Joseph Malsi Jackson Anthony Born 8 July 1958 ( 1949-02-18 ) Podiwee Kumbura, Ragama, Sri Lanka Occupation Creative Director, Film Producer, Actor Spouse Kumari Sandalatha Munasinghe Children Sajith Anuththara, Madhavee Wathsala, Akila Dhanuddara Parents Rolin Perera, Konganige Benedict Anthony Movies Died 9 October 2023 (aged 65) Colombo, Sri Lanka Relatives Senaka Titus (brother), Sudath Anthony (brother), Saman Anthony(brother), Mohan Anthony (brother) Years active 1987–2022 Other names Panaputhra Kuhubupaniya Similar Kamal Addararachchi, Mahendra Perera, Somaratne Dissanayake | ||
Veteran Actor Jackson Anthony Speaking at Election Rally in Anuradhapura
Conganige Joseph Malsi Jackson Anthony (as ජැක්සන් ඇන්තනී; 8 July 1958 – 9 October 2023), commonly known as Jackson Anthony, was a Sri Lankan actor in film, theatre and television. One of the most popular artists in Sri Lanka, Anthony won the award for the Best Actor a record sixteen times. Primarily active as an actor in all three media, he appeared before the public in versatile forms; director, producer, singer, screenwriter, television host, novelist, columnist, lyricist, historian and traveller.
Contents
- Veteran Actor Jackson Anthony Speaking at Election Rally in Anuradhapura
- Jackson Anthony
- Early life and education
- Drama career
- Stage Drama
- Songs
- Other careers
- Personal life
- Death
- Filmography
- References
ජැක්සන් ඇන්තනීව පිරිසිදු කරන වීඩියෝවක් ප්රථම වරට | Jackson Anthony
Early life and education
Conganige Joseph Malsi Jackson Anthony was born on 8 July 1958 in Podiwee Kumbura village, Ragama, Sri Lanka. While he's recognized as "Jackson" by many people, his parents used to call him "Malsi". He received his primary education at Hapugoda St. Mary's Junior School and St. Mary's College in Bandarawela and later entered Galahitiyawa Central College in Ganemulla. For higher education he attended the University of Colombo where he first obtained an honors degree in Sinhala language and Literature and did his master's degree in Mass media at University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Anthony often remembered his father, Konganige Benedict Anthony and his mother Podivee Kumbure Rolin Perera as the mammoth pillar of his success. Jackson's parents lived in his hometown Podiweekumbura, Ragama. His grandfather was Peduru Anthony, who worked as an overseer at Ceylon Electricity Board. He hails from a family of 5 brothers. Elder brother is Senaka Titus Anthony who is a journalist for several medias. And his other brothers are Sudath Anthony, Saman Anthony, and Mohan Anthony. On 23 October 2017 in Singapore, his elder brother Senaka Titus died due to kidney and liver failure.
Drama career
Anthony acted extensively in several stage dramas in university stage. Then he performed in the Neville Dias Subasinghe's Vaaruwen Yana Minissu and Manavayo as well as E. M. D. Upali's Methanin Maruwenu. Then he performed in many popular stage plays such as Marasad, Madhura Jawanika, Loma Hansa, Dhawala Beeshana, Ath, Mora and Tharavo Igilethi which brought him island wide recognition in the field of cinema. He was also the Best Actor at the National Drama Festival.
In 1993 he came to film industry. Having acted in Guru Gedara, Chitti, Ayoma and Loku Duwa, in his initial days, Jackson went on to prove his status in films like Bawa Duka, Bawa Karma, Gini Awi Saha Gini Keli, Aswesuma, Agni Dahaya, Sooriya Arana, Mille Soya and Randiya Dahara. In the meantime, he came to terms with television as well. These fields helped him establish his own identity as an actor. Some of his most popular television roles came through the serials: Palingu Maniac, Ella Langa Walawwa, Suseema, Weda Hamine, Kadulla, Pitagamgarayo and Akala Sandya. Of these, he won the award for the Best Actor at the Sumathi Awards for his performance in the serial Pitagamkarayo. In the movie Tharanaya, he played the role of a train man named "Thangappan" and practiced dark magic. He learned low country dance from Sedaraman Gurunnance of Handapangoda for his performance in the film Bawa Duka. He learned the difference between a hunter and a shooter while acting for the film Sooriya Arana.
In 1992, he directed his maiden teledrama Esala Kaluwara. In 1990, a drama festival called 'Bhumika 7' featured seven of Anthony's best plays which allowed scholarly fans to experience Jackson's wide range of theatrics. Then in 2014, he made second teledrama direction Daskon which later won several awards at several local award festivals. During his acting career he has garnered more than 20 Best Actor Awards at local award ceremonies such as Sarasavi Awards, Presidential Awards and OCIC Awards.
Anthony also directed several blockbuster Sri Lankan films. His directorial debut, Julietge Bhumikawa won him the award for the Most Promising Director at the Critics' Awards Ceremony. Paradeesaya was another film directed by him which was critically acclaimed. His direction Aba, allegedly an expensive movie has been made in Sri Lanka and been awarded in many film festivals. He won award for the Best Actor in Derana Film Awards 2015 for the film Address Na, which was directed by him. In 2017, he joined a Kerala cinema production Lucknow directed by Anil Kumar along with another Sri Lankan Piumi Hansamali.
Stage Drama
Songs
Other careers
Jackson Anthony was the Winner of the Peoples’ award for the best artist at the Awards Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) 2007. Currently, Jackson Anthony served as the Creative Director of Swarnavahini Television Channel. He is acclaimed for his concept and presentation of ‘Maha Sinhalaye Vansa Kathawa’ (translated as "The Chronicle of the Great Sinhalese") telecast through Swarnavahini channel for several years. With many erudite historians brought together, this probably became a most comprehensive program dedicated to the History of Sri Lanka. Other popular programs created by him include exploratory programs like "Ganga dige"(an exploration of the water bodies in the island) "Roma Puranaya" a travel program revealing the history and civilization of Italy and "Salang hanthe"(a travel program revealing the history and civilization of Lesotho).
He has also directed several Sri Lankan films. His directorial debut, ‘Julietge bhumikawa’ won him the award for the Most Promising Director at the Critics’ Awards Ceremony. Paradeesaya was another film directed by him. His direction Aba, allegedly an expensive movie have been made in Sri Lanka. It is based on the legend of King Pandukabhaya; a story which took place more than 2300 years ago. Jackson's son Sajith Anuttara will play the role of the young Pandukabhaya.
In addition to that he worked with Clarence Wijewardena;one of the most respected Sri Lankan musicians in Sinhala music, as a supporting singer for a sinhala teledrama called "Susima"
"Esala Kaluwara" is the only teledrama directed by him and is based on a story that addresses a realistic approaches to the roots and causes of the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.
Personal life
Jackson Anthony was married to his long time partner Kumari Munasinghe, who is also an actress and a singer. They had two sons and a daughter and the family is settled in Kadawatha, a Colombo suburb. The daughter is the eldest of three siblings, Madhavee Wathsala, is a television presenter, actress and a singer. The elder son - Akila Dhanuddara, also is a television presenter, model and an actor. His youngest son, Sajitha Anuththara has played the role of the hunter's son in "Sooriya Arana". Sajitha is now studying in University of Kelaniya. He also played the title role in his father's big-budget film ‘Aba’.
"He often remembers his father, Mr. Konganige Benedict Anthony, and his mother, Mrs. Rolin Perera, as the mammoth pillars of his success. Jackson's parents lived in his hometown, Podiweekumbura, Ragama. He hails from a family of 5 brothers. His elder brother is Senaka Titus Anthony, who is a journalist for several media outlets. His other brothers are Sudath Anthony, Saman Anthony, and Mohan Anthony."
Anthony was a Catholic but an enthusiast of Buddhist studies. He conducted a show on Sri Lankan Buddhist history and a discussion program on the Buddhist channel.
Death
On 2 July 2022, Anthony along with his younger brother Saman Anthony and a friend had been hospitalised following an accident at Thalawa in Anuradhapura after the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a wild elephant at Thalawa. The incident took place when he was returning in his personal vehicle after taking part in the shooting of the movie Singhabahu directed by Dr. Somaratne Dissanayake. He was admitted to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital on the same day and to the Emergency Department of the Colombo National Hospital on the morning of July 3. At the Colombo National hospital, he underwent a seven-hour surgery in the intensive care unit. Anthony remained in intensive care for 15 months, until 9 October 2023 when he died as a result of his injuries. He was 65.