Geetha Kumarasinghe

Geetha Samanmali Kumarasinghe (born July 5, 1955 in Badulla) is an award winning Sri Lankan film actress. She made her debut with veteran director K.A.W. Perera's Wasana in 1975 but it was Neil Rupasinghe's Lassana Kella which was released first. Since then, she has made her mark in over 80 movies, winning the prestigious Sarasaviya Best Actress Award four times, in 1991, 1996, 2000 and 2004. She was also one of the few actresses to receive the Sarasaviya Most Popular Actress Award several times.

Kumara Vidugalage Dona Geetha Samanmali Kumarasinghe was born as the eldest daughter of Wijaya, a journalist and Udula Kumarasinghe in 1955 at Badulla. She grew up in Bentara, Elpitiya and had her education at Sangamitta Girl's School, Hamburagala and Holy Family Convent, Kalutara.
As a child, she showed an inborn talent for singing and dancing. She was a mere 16 year old, when she was crowned a 'Beauty Queen' competing among 100 contestants in a beauty contest organized by a local Newspaper named 'Dawasa' in 1973.

She is married to a Swiss national, Chris Fuhrer Ferdinand and has one daughter, Tharika Fiona

Though Geetha’s father did not approve of a career in movies or her participation in the beauty pageant, her mother was always with her. Her aunt, Anula Wickramapala was also a friend of Sir. Lester James Peiris . Incidentally, it was her aunts mansion that he used as the location for his film Ransalu. Little Geetha, who use to spend her school vacations in her aunt’s house in Kollupitiya would imitate Punya Heendeniya, as her childhood heroine.

It was in the year 1975 that Geetha debuted in K.A.W. Perera's Vasana but it was Neil Rupasinghe's Lassana Kella which reached theaters first. That was the beginning of her career as an actress which would span over three decades and she soon became an indispensable component of the commercial cinema of the country.

Kumarasinghe, who is often famous for casting in controversial roles, has also performed in foreign films which include Pakistani, Hindi, Japanese and French productions.
She received critical acclaim in roles such as 'Dulcie' in Pembara Madhu, 'Dotty' in Palama Yata, 'Punna' in Lokuduwa and 'Amali' in Ran Diya Dahara.

As a producer, she produced popular films like Palama Yata, Salambak Handai, Loku Duwa, Anuragaye Ananthaya, Wasuli and Geetha. Both of her productions, Palama Yata and Loku Duwa won her the Best Film Awards at the Sarasaviya Awards Festival.

• Geetha Kumarasinghe Official Website