14 Facts About Sunil Ariyaratne

Sunil Ariyaratne Kuruwita Bandara, popularly as Sunil Ariyaratne, is a Sri Lankan scholar, film director, author, poet and a lyricist.

One of the most popular filmmakers and lyricists in Sri Lankan cinema, Ariyaratne has won six Sarasaviya awards, four Presidential awards from the year 1981 as a film lyricist and then won three awards as a teledrama lyricists.

Sunil Ariyaratne was born on 28 July 1949 in Nugegodaas the fourth child of the family with 6 siblings.

Sunil Ariyaratne's brothers, Nimal Kuruwita Bandara is a lawyer and Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara is a journalist and editor.

Sunil Ariyaratne sat for General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level in 1963.

Sunil Ariyaratne worked as a temporary lecturer at University of Kelaniya in 1972.

Sunil Ariyaratne moved to University of Jaffna as a Lecturer of Sinhala in 1976 and worked as a lecturer for three years.

In 1985, Sunil Ariyaratne joined the academic staff at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura where he was promoted as an Assistant Professor and became a professor in 1994.

Sunil Ariyaratne produced the play Deyyo which was written by his elder brother Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara.

Sunil Ariyaratne wrote several lyrics such as Pahan Kanda, Yathra, Pembara lanka, Madhu Badun, Adaheraya and Shwetha Rathriya.

Some popular lyrics made by Sunil Ariyaratne include: Me guru pare, Podiduwage sina welai, Buddhanu Bhawena, Oba themei kiya bayyai, Api ethata ethata pa nagala, Viyo ge gayana, Yalu bala sande and Ane kurulu kooduwata gahanna ape.

In 1970, Sunil Ariyaratne excelled his career towards cinema direction by producing first short film Sara Gee and then Dushkara Kriya in 1976.

Sunil Ariyaratne translated the Garcia Lorca's play Yerma along with Ediriweera Sarachchandra.

Sunil Ariyaratne directed the film Uppalavanna in 2008 which was based on a reinterpreted Buddhist story similar to a Theri gatha story.