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On April 23, 1951, he launched a radio program called "Yawwana
Samajaya". He took Rathna to Radio Ceylon on November 29, 1951, when she was 20 years old. Her first radio play was aired on December 21, 1951, which was based on a short story by T.G. W. de Silva and produced by P. Welikala. In the radio
198:
She has one elder brother - Victor, two elder sisters - Dharmawathi and Prema, and one younger brother
Molison. Rathna studied in four schools because of father's job. At first, she went to Beruwala Central College. After that she went to Kadugannawa Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Polgahawela Ratmalgoda Maha
217:
She was married to David
Kekunawela, a police officer who worked as a radio operator. The couple first met in 1954 during a family visit in Galle. But David's parents were completely opposed to their relationship and they could not meet for another eight years until 1956. David was in the Royal Air
266:
was only launched in late 1963, the SLBC has no record of it, and the only evidence to show that it was begun on March 12, 1964, was a photo of its founder
Somaratne. By the late 1960s it had reached the peak of its popularity. She continuously worked in the play for 50 years along with
194:
as the fourth in the family. Her father was Simon Miguel. He worked as a tea maker in a
Deraniyagala Nuri estate. Her mother was Salina Fernando. Her mother died when she was six year old and father died when she was 16 years old. Then she moved Colombo with grandparents.
313:
in 2017 at
Ranminitenna Cinema Village, Kekunawela fell over due to a pain in legs. It was later revealed that it was due to diabetes and induced coma. She has been unable to stop her bleeding after a heart surgery. Since then, she quit from acting.
261:
with the roles "Menike" and "Ethana Hami". It was first broadcast on March 12, 1964. The show was very popular and became a hallmark in
Sinhala drama history where disciples imagined a village called "Muwan Palessa". Since
182:, theater and television. One of the earliest pillars in Sri Lankan radio drama history, Kekunawela had a career spanned for more than six decades. She is better known as "Muwan Palesse Menike" due to popular radio play.
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Force at the time. They married on
November 29, 1957. The couple has four sons - Nalaka, Thivanka, Ramalika, Indika - and two daughters - Surathi Dasara and Surakshana Oshadhi. Her husband died in 2013.
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She died on 7 April 2018 at the age of 87. Her remains laid in her house at No. 25/1 C, Wedikanda Road, Ratmalana for final rites. Funeral took place on 9 April 2018 at
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214:(JVP) started its turmoil on April 5, 1971. Dharmawathi was married to T.G.W. de Silva who was a Sinhala satirist.
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until resigned due to prolonged illness. The play was adapted to three movies and she acted in all of them.
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and
Welikala invited her to join the radio station. Later she became involved in the drama
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as "Kadira". Miguel worked as the playwright for second part of popular radio play
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Her elder brother Victor Miguel was also a popular theater actor who acted in
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in 1952 with the 63-year-old character "Manchi
Kudamma". In the meantime,
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after the original playwright Mudalinayaka Somaratne moved to US when the
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1234:"Veteran Sri Lankan actress Ratnavali Kekunawela bids farewell to life"
1002:
1281:"Veteran actress and voice actor Ratnavali Kekunawala has passed away"
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Apart from radio, she also worked with many stage dramas such as
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On 9 November 1964, she joined Asia's longest-running radio show
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71:
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1099:"Muwan Palesse menike come down from the mannequin life stage"
1438:"Presidential Film Awards - 1984 - National Film Corporation"
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Her maiden cinema acting came through 1967 blockbuster movie
199:
Vidyalaya and to a private school in Colombo respectively.
1347:"Veteran actress Rathnawali Kekunawela passes away at 87"
1325:"Muwan Palessa:The longest radio drama ever in Sri Lanka"
1074:"Ruwanwali Kekunawala of Muwan Palessa retires forever"
305:, she became a hotly debated role playing the role of
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1303:"Veteran actor Ratnavali Kekunawela passes away"
1187:"No need of another whisper for Muwan Palessa"
1159:"Ratnavali Kekunewela, a taste of the country"
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166:(born 20 January 1931 – died 7 April 2018 as
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1606:"Dadayama: The hunt that was a hunt"
1560:"All about the film "Karumakkarayo""
1452:"Sumathi Award winners in each year"
1416:"Veteran actress Kekunawela no more"
301:. Entering the stage with the drama
1047:"Rathnavali Kekunawela passes away"
981:"Rathnavali Kekunawala filmography"
959:"Rathnawali Kekunawala filmography"
330:Sumathi Awards 2000 - Merit Award (
164:George Rathnawali Kumarasiri Miguel
35:George Rathnawali Kumarasiri Miguel
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1369:"Muwan Palesse Menike passes away"
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1418:. Sunday Observer. 7 April 2018
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1391:"Death of Ratnavali Kekunawela"
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1128:"I don't like being rooted"
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124:David Kekunawela (m. 1957)
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983:. Sinhala Cinema Database
961:. Sinhala Cinema Database
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223:Borella General Cemetery
146:Salina Fernando (mother)
809:Niwan Dakna Jathi Dakwa
157:Victor Miguel (brother)
1584:"Chutte Sinhala Movie"
1516:"All about Nilla Soya"
1494:"All about Diyamanthi"
1101:(in Sinhala). Silumina
236:Maha Ra Hamuwu Sthriya
23:Rathnawali Kekunawela
307:Sirimavo Bandaranaike
172:Rathnawali Kekunawela
143:Simon Miguel (father)
108:Actress, radio artist
1456:www.sumathiawards.lk
269:Wijeratne Warakagoda
1633:Niwataya teleseries
880:Julietge Bhumikawa
493:Wasanthaye Dawasak
437:Maruwa Samaga Wase
311:Korale Mahaththaya
170:) ), popularly as
16:Sri Lankan actress
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752:Muwan Palessa III
741:Rathmali's mother
180:Sri Lankan cinema
168:රත්නාවලී කැකුණවෙල
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1567:. Retrieved
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1544:11 September
1542:. Retrieved
1540:. Sarasaviya
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1518:. Sarasaviya
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1498:. Retrieved
1496:. Sarasaviya
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