Menake Rajapakse
Born
Walimuni Mudiyanselage Menake Hemaal Rajapakse

(1983-05-24) 24 May 1983
Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Alma materSt Peter's College, Colombo
Occupation(s)Actor, model
Years active2005 - present
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Spouse(s)Virangi Siriwardena (2010-2013)
Nehara Peiris (2014-present)
AwardsMost Popular teledrama actor 2009, 2010, 2011
Peoples Youth Actor of the Year 2012

Walimuni Mudiyanselage Menake Hemaal Rajapakse (මේනක රාජපක්ශ: born 24 May 1983), popularly as Menaka Rajapaksa, is a Sri Lankan teledrama and film actor as well as a model. He was first cast in 2005 as one of the main actors, but the role changed into a lead, in the teledrama Sanda Mudunata, which was telecast on Swarnavahini in 2005.

He had acted in more than 30 teledramas and 3 films as of 2015.[1]

Early life

Menake is the second child of his family. His father Ivan Rajapakse was an executive who worked in the hotel industry and died in 2004. His mother Zareena Allang, is a Malay and was a teacher at Wycherly International School. He is a past pupil of St. Peter's College, Colombo.

Career

He was first sighted by a teledrama producer Samy Pavel during a SAAF Games in 2005. He is a competitive swimmer and broke a national level record.[2]

In 2005, Menaka was selected for a main role in the teledrama Sanda Mudunata directed by Samy Pavel.[3]

He became popular in 2008, in the teledrama Muthu Kirilli and then acted in many television serials such as Ran Dam Wal,[4] Monara Kadadasi and Adare Ahasa Tharam.[5] His first film was Sinhawalokanaya, a sport-drama film. He also acted in the crime thriller film Train to Kandy.[6]

Selected television serials

  • Adare Ahasa Tharam
  • Ahas Maliga
  • Amanda
  • Ammawarune
  • Ayemath Adaren[7]
  • Bharyawo[8]
  • Divyadari
  • Isira Bhawana
  • Jeewa Chakra [9]
  • Kumee
  • Monara Kadadasi
  • Muthu Kirilli
  • Piyasa
  • Queen
  • Ralla Veralata Adarei
  • Ran Dam Wal
  • Sanda Mudunata
  • Sihina Piyapath
  • Situ Medura [10]
  • Lanvee

Personal life

Menaka married Virangi Siriwardena in 2010. They divorced in 2013,.[11] He is married to fellow actress Nehara Peiris in 2014. Nehara and Menaka acted in lead roles on many occasions. They first met in Muthu Kirilli, and followed in Amanda, Bharyawo, Ammawarune,[12] Situ Medura and others. The couple has two children.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleRef.
2016SinhawalokanayaDhanuka Wickramasinghe[13]
2021Apata Sadunu Ape Lokaya[14]
TBDPirimi Adarayak[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Sri Lankan Actors". Films.lk. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "Menaka Rajapaksha - මේනක රාජපක්ෂ". Pahansara blog. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  3. ↑ "Story of 'Sanda Mudunata'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  4. ↑ "රන් දම්වැල් ස්වාධීන රූපවාහිනියේ". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "Muthu and Menaka as lovers in Adare Ahasa Tharam". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Thrillers and chillers!". Daily News. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  7. ↑ "Ayemath Adaren back". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  8. ↑ ""Bharyavo" now on Sirasa". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  9. ↑ "'Jeewa Chakra' brings world-renowned literature on miniscreen". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "'Situ Medura' conflicts of crumbling class". Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "He cares me always". Sarasviya. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "On location of Ammawarune". Sarasviya. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Is Sinhawalokanaya a Bollywood copy?". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "Apata Sadunu Ape Lokaya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  15. ↑ "ගැහැනු හැමදාම දැනෙන්න හෙව්වේ පිරිමි ආදරයක්". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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