Full Name Rita Irene Quyn Role Actress Name Shanthi Lekha | Known for actress Nationality Sri Lankan Ex-spouse Shanthi Viraj | |
Born 1 July 1929 Kalutara Sri Lanka Died May 11, 2009, Paris, France Movies Sujatha, The Treasure, Ataweni Pudumaya Similar People Lester James Peries, Premasiri Khemadasa, T R Sundaram | ||
Rita Irene Quyn (July 1, 1929 – May 11, 2009), better known as Shanthi Lekha, was a Sri Lankan actress. She played the role of mother in more films than any other actress in Sinhala cinema.
Lekha was born in Kalutara on July 1, 1929. She received her stage name from her first husband Shanthi Viraj. They had first met while she was attending Holy Family Convent in Kalutara and starred in composer D. T. Fernando's play Shantha Prabha (1942). She subsequently made a mark as a dancer in plays starring Dommie Jayawardena and Nona Subeda.
With Jayawardena, Lekha had her first film role in Sujatha (1953). Wearing a bathing suit, she danced along with Jayawardena to the song "Pem Rella Nagi." The role came with a payment of Rs. 500 and a contract prohibiting her from doing films for other production companies. The producer K. Gunaratnam would subsequently offer her roles in Warada Kageda, Radala Piliruwa and Dostara.
Lekha first played a mother in Sandesaya (1960). She would play this role in over 350 films.
Lekha won Best Supporting Actress Awards at the Sarasaviya Film Festival for Gamini Fonseka's Parasathu Mal (1968) and Mudalinayaka Somaratne's Binaramali (1969). She also won Presidential Awards for Mayurige Kathawa and Ridi Nimnaya.
Shanthi Lekha, the oldest and renowned actress of Sri Lankan cinema, died in France May 11, 2009.