Ceremony recognises the best in TV for the years 2020 and 2021
Since 1995, the Sumathi Awards have been recognising the best in television, and this year’s ceremony, awarding the best teledramas from 2020 and 2021, took place on 9 February, where talent and skill were recognised under categories such as best actor and actress, best supporting actor and actress, best child star, social media, advertising, and the most popular actor, actress and TV series.
Present at the ceremony was Korean Ambassador Santhush Woonjin Jeong, Indian High Commission First Secretary (Culture and Commerce) Irina Thakur, Sumathi Awards Founder Thilanga Sumathipala, key personalities in the tele and film industries, celebrities, and other invitees.
Sumathi Awards Founder Thilanga Sumathipala, addressing the gathering, said: “This night is dedicated to the years 2020 and 2021. We faced many challenges. We had issues financially, and they haven’t ended yet. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were under lockdown for 95 days in 2021, and it is mainly those who created productions during this time that are being recognised today. They made these productions during a very tough time for us and if we got any kind of pleasure or joy out of them, it is because they creatively made these.”
‘Paara Dige’ dominates Popular Awards
The Sumathi Awards 2023 presented awards for the most popular tele drama, actor and actress, and all three were claimed by Paara Dige. Nominees for the three categories are selected from teledramas being telecast at present, and fans are given the opportunity to cast their vote online or via SMS. This year, Paara Dige won most popular teledrama, while its stars Uddika Premarathne and Dusheni De Silva won best actor and actress respectively.
When accepting his award, Uddika Premarathne, who is also a member of parliament, was asked about winning an award by popular vote and contesting at elections. He responded: “The results are different. With the mandate of the people given through a cross when casting a vote, the result the country gets is one, and when winning an award by popular vote, what the audience gets is another.”
Meanwhile, Dusheni De Silva said this was the first award she was receiving. Thanking the Sumathi Awards, she said: “I believe this is a great motivator to go forward for young actors from the younger generation and it is also a massive support to do new things.”
U.W. Sumathipala Memorial Award
The U.W. Sumathipala Memorial Award recognises artists, creators and others in the field who have made a significant contribution to the arts. It is an award that any artist can receive only once in their life, and this year, the recipients were actor Sanath Gunathilake, who made his debut in Sumithra Peries’ Ganga Addara, which was produced by Milina Sumathipala, and musician Indrani Perera, member of the Three Sisters, who shot to fame with Dilhani Duwani.
Referring to the hug shared with Ravindra Randeniya on stage when accepting his award, Sanath Gunathilake said, “He told me that if I had hugged him harder, he would have fallen. But I will never let him fall.”
He went on to add: “I believe that there are many people who are more talented than us in this field, especially in tele drama. Given current times, even organising an event like this is a huge challenge.”
Indrani Perera thanked her family and everyone who has supported her, due to which she is even today able to sing on stage. Perera also treated the audience to a few lines of Dilhani Duwani.
2020 winners
Best teledrama – Series
Thanamalvila Kollek
Best teledrama – Single episode
Biththara Vee
Best director
Roshan Ravindra – Thanamalvila Kollek
Best actor
Dasun Pathirana – Giridevi
Best actress
Udari Warnakulasuriya – Sansararanya Asabada
Best supporting actor
Roger Seneviratne – Can You Hear Me
Best supporting actress
Sulochana Weerasinghe – Thanamalvila Kollek
Up and coming actor of the year
Kokila Pawan Jayasuriya – Dangale
Up and coming actress of the year
Disni Rajapaksa – Dangale
Best scriptwriter
Susith Indika Vijayamuni – Thanamalvila Kollek
Best music director
Nadeeka Guruge – Sansararanya Asabada
2021 winners
Best teledrama – Series
Sakarma
Best teledrama – Single episode
Senehasaka Nimnaya
Best director
Priyantha Fernando – Sakarma
Best actor
Thusitha Laknath – Sakarma
Best actress
Umali Thilakarathe – Sakarma
Best supporting actor
Poojana Dandeniya – Sakarma
Best supporting actress
Geetha Kanthi Jayakody – Mahapolowa
Up and coming actor of the year
Sangeeth Prabhu – Pork Weediya
Up and coming actress of the year
Harshi Rasanga – Thaadi
Best scriptwriter
Lal Wasantha Karunarathna – Sakarma
Best music direction
Samantha Perera – Sakarma