UPEKSHA SWARNAMALI A SOUGHT AFTER ACTRESS IN MINI SCREEN AND FILMS A FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN AN EFFERVERSCENT VOYAGE
Upeksha Swarnamali Her mother named Nirmalee de Silva Swarnamali and her father was a Tamil citizen both Sri Lankans. She is, popularly known as “Paba”, is predominantly known as an actress in Sri Lankan cinema and television and a former member of the Sri Lanka Parliament. Upeksha classifies herself as a very grateful person as her mother .She gained popularity for her role on the television series “Paba” broadcast on Independent Television Network. Upeksha has had made all arrangements to go to Australia for further studies as her Uncle a resident of Australia had volunteered to help her,she had visited Sri Lanka as there was no Australian Embassy in Kuwait to finalise her study visa to ‘down under’. But fate had changed her to take up acting while her proposed journey had been interrupted as she was invited to portray many roles in films and teledramas in a continuous sequence. Upeksha was not conversant in the Sinhala vernacular, but her English was at a high level. However, she had picked up her Sinhalese with enthusiasm as it was a priority. These opportunities she had received when she was adjudged the ‘SLRC ‘Avurudu Kumari’ in Kuliyapitiya vicinity which had happened unexpectedly when she was travelling in bus had suddenly decided to participate sans much of a ‘make up’. Upeksha had confessed that she has had no plans but everything to her had happened inevitably. Upeksha had in a television dialog had confessed that she had become the ‘ Kuwait Avurudu Kumari” in year 1998 when she was only fourteen years old.She had stated that her hair was short then had attached an extension wig. One typical Sri Lankan had protested about her extension wig to the Judge panel who had asked her to appear sans that extension wig. However she had been re adjudicated as the winner sans the wig.At home Upeksha when young had rehearsed with different attires to show her aptitude and passion for acting, Her mother had been a very popular figure in Kuwait having owned an orchestra. Upeksha now regrets that if her mother made her to shine in this field she may have even been attracted to the overseas cinema like the Bollywood. In this scenario she likes to be the shadow for her daughter in this respect.
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Upeksha was born to Sri Lankan parents in Kuwait, where she had lived in Kuwait for twenty years before returning to Sri Lanka in year 2004 having lived in a developed country. She has added it is a safe country to live, she had even had slept on the beach on a mat the entire night with her mother..Her mother had owned a musical band where she had been the main vocalist even before she was born Her mother had produced a teledrama in Sri Lanka in year 1988 with Tony Ranasinghe portraying a major role which consisted of only eight episodes. .Hence, she may have inherited art from her mother having hereditary affiliations. She had studied mostly at Indian International School ( Indian Central School) in Kuwait but in all she had attended to nine other schools. In Sri Lanka too she had attended to three schools for periods of only six months each mainly to learn the Sinhalese vernacular well. .She holds a Diploma in Dancing excelling in ‘Bharatha Natyam’ which to her was her desired field .
Her mother had advised her to treat ‘art’ as a ‘Deity. To Upeksha too to be a mother is the most superior position to any female individual. Upeksha believes that the child should be allowed to grow on her own with supreme freedom to know one’s responsibilities while the child grows in stature. She said that she never known about her Dad due to her parents had divorced when she was only 4 years old. As her mother had been the bread winner of the family also as she was mostly in boarding houses . Upeksha had felt the void without a father when she grew up. Upeksha has a brother from another father named J. Shehan Fernando. was first married to Mahesh Chaminda, but she was assaulted by him and was hospitalised with heavy bruises and other injuries. The duo divorced on 31 January 2013, by a court order from Colombo District Court. She thereafter married again to a car sales dealer, Samantha Perera on March 13, year 2016. The couple has one daughter named Danugi Shenon Perera .Upeksha had undergone a caesarean operation perhaps to which she had consented to. Only after Upeksha was blessed with her daughter she realised what is the role of a mother is!. However; the couple too divorced in year 2021.She had confirmed that when her first marriage took place the horoscopes too were tallied. The attesting witness had been a President of the nation but still the marriage was ruptured before long. Upeksha admits she loses her temper more than other women which perhaps is the closest reason for the rupture of her second marriage.
Upeksha classifies herself as a very honourable and sincere individual had commenced her career as a model, she appeared on several song videos including “Chanchala”, and took a major role in the television drama series Paba. She recollects an incident while shooting in Paba was on when a colleague had participated while infected with ‘chickenpox’ which had affected eighteen artistes which had resulted in abandoning shooting for some time. She also participated in the reality dancing show Sirasa Dancing Stars, but was eliminated on 8 June 2008.Upeksha had added that for this reality performance she had sacrificed a lot had even lost nearly twenty kilos during the tenure of the context. Upeksha is not at all happy about the judgement as it is not only the SMS ‘s. According to her the winner and the runner up have been decided at even the beginning of the contest Upeksha advises all to enhance the natural talents possessed which is significantly important . She had won the Sumathi Award for Best Upcoming Actress for Most popular actress sponsored by Vendol. In year 2008, she acted in Sri Lanka’s first digital movie,Hetawath Mata Adaraya Karanna. The film was telecast on Valentine’s Day in year 2008 through Citi Hitz Satellite movie channel of Dialog Television. During the shooting of the teledrama Ahas Maliga, she was bitten by a cobra, but nothing serious had happened due to removal of daggers. e
She had gained national attention due to the controversial removal from the Paba teledrama aired by State run ITN, due to what she claimed as her open support for then opposition presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka) of the Democratic Party. She was elected as a member of the Sri Lanka Parliament in the year 2010 held on 8 April 2010 representing the United National Party having obtained 81350 preferential votes being the second from Gampaha District UNP list. In June 2010, when she held the portfolio as Member of Parliament Upeksha Swarnamali was also appointed Monitoring Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare by President Mahinda Rajapaksa from 2014.which was another feather to her already decorated cap.
But this tenure at the Parliament had prevented her to actively take part in teledramas and films which she regrets now. Upeksha had confirmed that she had failed horribly as a Member of Parliament as she lacked the skill needed of a politician hence had failed to deliver.. She steered much controversy over an interview she gave on TV Derana. The interview caused great embarrassment to herself as well as the Sri Lankan public. Later she admitted that she lacked political knowledge and had no familiarity about Sri Lankan constitution.
She supported the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance voting for the 18th amendment to the constitution and crossing over. After that she joined Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Upeksha retired from active politics in 2015 Upeksha has not bought sarees for some time as Rosy Senanayake had given her thirty five sarees which she does has a habit to many. She has held the portfolio as Member of Parliament Upeksha was appointed as well as the Monitoring Member for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs another feather to her already decorated cap.. During her tenure of four years she had met and acquainted of all Political leaders like Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremasinghe, Sarath Fonseka, Maithripala Sirisena and many others. She had confessed she has had no connections with any of them after she quit politics. She has confessed she has already numerous problems as such she does not like to add more problems which she hates. She took part as a contestant in the Mega Star reality program organized by Swarnavahini, a leading TV broadcast station of Sri Lanka. She made it to the four finalists and was voted the 4th in the Mega Star finals particularly as dancing was her main forte.
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Upeksha acted more teledramas than films since her beginning and popularity through teledramas. Her notable film career began with her latest film Cindrella a film by Inoka Sathyangani Upeksha regrets that the second part though promised was not produced yet. The other films that comes to one’s recollection are, Asai Man Piyabanna,Akasa Kusum,Tikiri Suwanda,Uththara,Suseema,Bomba and Rosa,,Maanaya,Maya 3D,Rashmi while a few films acted in year are yet to be released.She had confessed that she could identify many drawbacks in all films, she likes to act in a film with no such negatives She feels it is because the reluctancy to spend lavishly by the producers though in India there are low budget films which have become box office films.Upeksha also complains that the directors to save money for a day more scenes are prearranged which are stressful to artistes which makes them not to perform well. She believes the directors lack in the creative part in our country. Upeksha loves to view many types of films and listens to songs her favourite is Kasun Kalhara. Her best and favourite film has been the Hollywood film ‘Black Swan” which is a musical film with many dance items which revolves around the unique mentality of an actress
Upeksha’s life revolves mainly around her daughter Danugi Shenon who is now schooling. She had been dreaming to become a mother from her younger days. She currently does not take work where shooting is in the outstations as she concentrates mostly on the education and growing up her daughter which is a treasure to her. To Upeksha her life is her greatest joy hence devotes most of her time to hrer daughter. Upeksha believes she will return the love to her in equal measure. As Upeksha is still young all her well wishes would wish her good health and for all her future ventures in her prosperous and sought after acting profession.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com WhatsApp 0061444533242
