1. Rathnayake Arachchilage Victor, popularly known as Victor Rathnayake, is a Sri Lankan singer, composer, lyricist and a renowned musician.
25 Facts About Victor Rathnayake
1. 2.
Victor Rathnayake was the first Sri Lankan artist to hold a solo concert; His concert known as "SA" was first performed in 1973, and was an instant success.
3.
Victor Rathnayake has composed music for films like Siribo Aiya, Podi Malli, Sarungale, Hulavali and Athuru Mithuru.
4.
Victor Rathnayake was born on 18 February 1942 in a small village near Kadugannawa as the third of the family with 10 siblings.
5.
Victor Rathnayake was popularly known as Rathnayake Veda Mahaththaya, was an apothecary and sang "noorthi gee," a type of Sinhala folk songs.
6.
Victor Rathnayake was educated at Kadugannawa Junior School and then attended to Kadugannawa Maha Vidyalaya for secondary education.
7.
One of his brothers, Somapala Victor Rathnayake was a renowned musician in Sri Lanka, who worked mostly in background music for many Sinhala films and television serials.
8.
Victor Rathnayake has one daughter and two sons from first marriage with Chithra Victor Rathnayake.
9.
Victor Rathnayake's elder son Jayantha Rathnayake is a renowned musician and composer.
10.
Victor Rathnayake's younger son Lelum is a musician and singer who worked in a musical band.
11.
On 6 April 2020, his elder son Jayantha Victor Rathnayake died at the age of 52 while receiving treatments at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama.
12.
Victor Rathnayake is currently married to Hashini Amendra, 40 years younger than him.
13.
Sugathapala, Victor Rathnayake performed first in both the 1958 and 1959 solo singing competitions of the All Island Inter-School Musical Competition.
14.
Victor Rathnayake got his first instrument at the age of nine when his father presented him a harmonium for his birthday.
15.
Victor Rathnayake wrote his first song, an ode to Buddha, in 1964; it received play on radio stations run by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
16.
Victor Rathnayake sang two songs in his maiden musical show as a professional artist.
17.
Victor Rathnayake sang the song Sara Sonduru Mal Patali with Nanda Malini for the film Hanthane Kathawa.
18.
Samarakoon, Chintana Jayasena and Bandara K Wijetunga, Victor decided to attempt such an event.
19.
Victor Rathnayake recorded these songs for a multitude of labels in the 1970s and recorded them for the SLBC.
20.
Victor Rathnayake would continue to produce material into the 1980s and 1990s.
21.
Victor Rathnayake Ratnayake debuted as a film music director with Mathara Achchi in 1973.
22.
Sunil would continue to be featured in other Victor Rathnayake Ratnayake helmed soundtracks of the 1970s such as Hulawali and Rajagedera Paraviyo.
23.
Victor Rathnayake would compose one of his most memorable songs for Sri Madhara - "Gaha Kola Mal" which he sang with Latha Walpola.
24.
Rathnayake continues to be a popular musician in the 2000s; After 39 years of success in Sri Lanka and in many other countries, Victor finally ended the concert on July 20,2012 at the Lumbini theater where it started with the 1450th concert.
25.
Victor Rathnayake performed live at the BMICH on 13 December 2014 for an event, Victor Adasiyawasa, organised by himself.